Page 73 of Her Wicked Hero

All the time Marcia had been talking to Lesley, Zed had been listening as Dex had been filling in Harold Brockman about his oldest daughter and the information on Vitoly and Jefferies. Both calls ended at the same time.

Marcia looked up and gave him a weary smile. “Was that Mr. B. on the line?” she asked turning to Dex.

“Yep. He’s going to take care of Jefferies now that he knows everything.”

“Good job, Dex,” Gray said.

Evie reached over on the couch and hugged Marcia. “I’m happy about your sister,” she said.

“Lesley’s just my friend,” Marcia countered.

“She’s your sister in every way that matters,” Evie disagreed.

14

“I suppose we couldn’t very well have lured him to the gun range, huh?” Marcia whispered to Wyatt.

The young SEAL grinned. “We needed to make you look like an easy target,” Wyatt whispered back. “Think how shitty I feel that everybody just assumes Raymond will make a move on me?”

They were sitting on the beach, watching Zed and Amelia Jackson swimming in the Pacific Ocean. Somehow Dex had found out Raymond was in California, so the team set up this physical training session for Zed outside of the base, so it would easier for Raymond to target her.

Despite the fact this was basically a set up, and she was the cheese in the trap, Marcia was enjoying the sun and watching Zed in the water. She had no doubt in her mind, the men of Black Dawn would make sure she stayed healthy.

“You’re ogling your man,” Wyatt teased.

“You’ve been having impure thoughts about Amelia, don’t lie to me,” Marcia grinned at Wyatt.

She watched in fascination as a blush rose up on his face. She’d actually been just kidding him, but apparently, she’d hit the mark.

“Come on, it’s about time we went for our little walk.” Wyatt helped her up off the sandy beach and they started towards the seagrass. He paused for just a moment, and Marcia realized he must be listening to someone on the communication device embedded in his ear. She’d tried to use one but utterly failed. She always seemed to be talking to thin air, so she told Zed, that for the good of the operation, she wouldn’t have one.

“What’d they say?” she asked Wyatt.

“Where Dalton is positioned, he doesn’t see anyone. From Griff’s vantage point, nothing. They want us to walk up to the bike trail.”

They picked their way up the sandy slope, away from the water. As they got closer, a group of runners were coming their way. Wyatt pulled Marcia to a stop.

“Let’s let them get by before we go up.”

Marcia watched the morning joggers and saw some bicyclists in colorful jerseys coming from the other direction.

Wyatt was pretending to be nonchalant, but she could see that he was listening intently.

“What? What are they saying?”

“Hunter thought he saw something, but it was a false alarm.” Wyatt was all business. He kept his hand on her elbow.

“Oh no,” she cried and tried to move forward, but Wyatt’s grip was implacable. Marcia watched as one of the cyclists careened toward the crowd of runners. The man in the yellow jersey went over his handlebars and took down three runners, his bicycle skidding into two others.

“Report!” Wyatt said.

“They need help,” Marcia cried as she saw people sprawled along the trail.

Wyatt turned, so he was between her and the group of athletes. She looked over his shoulder. This couldn’t be anything more than an accident.

“I see him!” Wyatt said.

Marcia saw a man over to the right of the accident. She’d thought he was one of the cyclists, but he was hanging back from the mess, removing his backpack.