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Her breath caught in her throat, her heart skipping a beat. The line of his bare jaw tickled a deep memory. Fuzzy, but––
And then he pressed a hand to his nose, pulling off a silicone prosthetic.
She took a step back, her brain overloading like a pinball machine. She knew that face.
That man.
His mouth lifted in a grim smile. “So you do remember.”
She felt her knees go weak, her vision blurring with sudden tears.
“Hawk?” she whispered, the name a prayer and a curse all at once.
24
Fenn crouched justoutside the cracked door of the warehouse, his heart pounding like a jackhammer in his chest. The wind howled around him, drowning out all other sound. He’d give his left arm for a set of comlinks right now. Anything to know what was going on inside.
His mind raced with thoughts of Kate facing down an unknown enemy with an unclear agenda.
He lifted the night vision goggles off his face, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the light spilling from the heart of the warehouse. Taking advantage of the storm’s cover, he slipped inside, his footsteps silent on the concrete floor. The guy might have video cameras rigged, but it was a risk he had to take.
He made his way through the tiny lobby, his senses on high alert. Crouching, he poked his head around the corner, his weapon at the ready. Voices drifted toward him, echoing off the metal shelves.
Kate, and a single male.
Fenn grinned. Two against one, then. Even he could handle those odds.
He crept closer, his ears straining to make out the conversation.
Kate’s voice, filled with disbelief and something else. Something that sounded suspiciously like hope. “Hawk?”
Fenn froze, his mind reeling. Kateknewthis guy? How? And more importantly, why hadn’t she mentioned it before?
Questions raced through his head, but he pushed them aside. Time enough for explanations after they secured this dude.
He tightened his grip on his weapon, his finger hovering over the trigger. Whatever connection Kate had to this Hawk character, it was clear from her tone that she was shocked to see him.
Given the situation, that was all bad news.
Fenn inched closer, his eyes darting around the warehouse, taking in every detail. The towering shelves, the machinery, the shadows that seemed to dance in the flickering light. Anything that could give him an advantage, a way to protect Kate if things went sideways.
But as he listened to the conversation, read the emotions, he realized that this was more than just a simple confrontation. There was history here, a tangled web of emotions and unfinished business.
“What are you doing here?” Kate’s voice again, trembling with a mixture of fear and something else. Something softer that Fenn didn’t much like.
His heart clenched, a sour taste filling his mouth. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm. Whatever was going on between Kate and this Hawk guy, he had to trust her to handle it. She was highly trained. She knew how to take care of herself.
But he was there to help. Time to shake things up.
Fenn stepped out of the shadows, his weapon raised. “Kate?” he called out, his voice echoing off the metal walls. “You okay?”
He glanced at the other man, taking in the gaunt face, the deep shadows under the eyes. The guy looked awful. But more importantly, something in his gaze set Fenn’s teeth on edge. A glint of madness.
“Who’s your friend?” Fenn kept his tone light.
Kate hesitated, her eyes darting between the two men. “This is Hawk,” she said finally, her voice tight with tension. “He’s…He is, uh…”
The guy stepped forward, a sickeningly pleasant grin curving his lips. “I’m the fiancé.”
