Page 76 of Her Captivated Hero

No, this wasn’t right at all.

“Aiden, my country needs me. This toxin might behave like meningitis, but it isn’t. It’s something else. I’ve almost got it. If I can analyze the pure form, I can reverse the virus before it gets to the lethal stage.”

“Those are some pretty big ‘ifs’,” Aiden said.

“Yes they are,” Gray said.

Riya whirled around to see Gray and Commander McAllister standing in the doorway.

“If we do our job right, it’s never going to come to that, now is it?” Aiden asked his Lieutenant in a steely voice.

“The reason we send you out on these missions is because they’re fluid. It’s up to you to make sure the bad guys are stopped.” Liam’s voice held just as much steel as Aiden’s. “Dr. Patel, Gray has put in a formal protest for you not to be on this mission. What is your decision?”

All three sets of eyes were on her. She kept her gaze on the Commander. “This is my area of expertise. Nobody knows more about this toxin than I do. I promised the general I would do it, not because it’s in my field, but because I needed to be involved. I have to help my country, just like the three of you have been doing for years.”

“Then you’re going with Gray and his men.” He pushed open the door. “Get your asses back in here,” he called out. In seconds, Wyatt, Dalton, Dex and Griff filed into the room.

* * *

It had beena hell of a long flight to Abu Dhabi, and Gray hadn’t said a word to Riya the entire time. He’d been busy with Dex, and she’d been on her laptop furiously going over information coming in from Las Vegas, that she was sharing with the two other CDC scientists. The truck spit them out at one of the myriad of buildings on the Al Dhafra Air Base. It would have seemed like dream weather compared to what it had been in Saudi Arabia last month if it weren’t for the fact that his blood pressure was through the roof.

For fuck’s sake, part of the million dollars’ worth of training the good ole U.S. of A had given him was meditation and relaxation techniques to do when in stressful situations, but nothing had prepared him for this. He watched as Wyatt helped Riya out of the truck and he and Griff flanked her as they headed for the building that housed officer quarters.

On the flight over from NAS to the United Arab Emirates, he’d devoured every bit of information he could on the toxin, the delivery system and Dr. Riya Patel. How the fuck hadn’t he realized just who he was in love with? He’d known she was a genius, but he hadn’t realized she was the highest ranking fucking figure in this field of study. Hell, she was on track to win major awards, maybe even the Nobel. Thank God she was a little clumsy and awkward at times, otherwise he might be too intimidated to touch her again.

Gray winced as Wyatt grabbed Riya’s arm when she stumbled. He looked at the ground and saw nothing but flat surface where she was walking. God he loved his woman. He shoved out of the truck. Goddammit, he needed to be the one assisting her when she tripped over nothing.

“I’ve got her,” he said as he caught up to the trio.

Griff gave him the stink-eye.

“It’s okay Gray —” Wyatt started.

“I want to walk with Gray,” Riya interrupted Wyatt. “I’ll meet you inside.”

“Wyatt, work with Dex to have everything set up when Riya and I get in there. I want to go over the plans one last time,” Gray instructed his subordinate.

Wyatt nodded. Griff continued to stand there next to Riya.

“Porter, do you need an engraved invitation to leave?” Gray snarled.

“If you’re going to be this much of an asshole to me, then yes. I’m not leaving her alone with you.”

Riya straightened to her full height of five foot nothing and looked Griff straight in the eye. “It’s fine. Your lieutenant and I need to get a couple of things straightened out before this mission takes place. I want to make sure that the wax has finally been cleared from his ears, otherwise things could go badly.”

Gray cringed as Griff laughed. “Riya, I think you’ve been taking lessons from my wife. Good for you.”

Gray watched as Griff gave her arm a quick squeeze before he sauntered off to the building.

She crossed her arms and looked up at him, her eyes squinting in the sun. “So talk.”

“I don’t want you to go on this mission.”

She rolled her eyes. “Try to say something less obvious.”

Who was this woman, and why was his dick getting hard?

“Dalton and Aiden just carried in a portable biocontainment unit and blue suit. Jesus, Riya, this shit will kill you dead in under an hour if you get too close to it.”