“Are you trying to assess whether I’m a threat? Because I have a pretty solid alibi for the time of the shooting.”
“Just curious. Maybe I’m on the fence as to who to vote for. I like the VP Leslie Renaldo on the other ticket. Not so sure about the guy running, though. Kind of douche-y.” Calloway lifted his shoulders in a half shrug. “But your dad’s pretty moderate. It’s hard to figure out what side he’s truly on.”
“Let’s hope he’s on the people’s side.”
Was Knox now defending his dad? She wasn’t sure if she’d ever witnessed that before. What changed?
He dropped his focus back to the threats and Calloway followed suit.
“Man,” Calloway said with a shake of his head a few minutes later. “So many of these threats are—”
“Racist?” Knox’s lips rolled inward, and his face tightened. His dimples exposed and not from a smile. A slight twitch to his jaw.
“What was it like growing up? A black dad and white mom?” Calloway asked.
She shot Calloway a look out of the corner of her eye.
He didn’t give Knox a chance to answer. “My mom’s family is Japanese, and my dad’s about as Irish as they come. It wasn’t always easy growing up. Kids would—”
“Look at you differently?” Knox found his eyes.
Calloway nodded and flattened his forearms to the table and let go of the papers he’d been holding. “And did you hate those standardized tests as much as I did growing up—when you had to choose one of those boxes? It felt like I had to pick a side. If I chose white, was I offending my mom? Choose Asian, and how would my dad feel?”
“They’ve been adding an ‘other’ box to some forms,” Knox said. “I don’t know what the hell that’s supposed to mean, though.”
“Right?” Calloway shoved back in his seat.
And . . . were Knox and Calloway getting along? Knox visibly relaxed, and he and Calloway continued their conversation, making her wonder if she’d stepped into a parallel universe.
But when he glanced her way a few seconds later, he tensed up again. What was that about?
“I, uh, need some air, if you don’t mind.” Knox stood and left the room without another word.
“Shit, did I piss him off?” Calloway looked genuinely concerned. “I was actually trying to be nice even though he blew my chances with you this year.”
“He didn’t . . .” Okay, so maybe he did, but Knox had been right. Dating a coworker was a horrible idea. “He’s fine, but I’ll be right back.”
Knox was standing in the hall, facing the elevator when she found him. “I’m okay, really,” he said, spotting her in the reflection of the steel doors. “It’s been a crazy day, but I’m solid.”
“I know, but since I’m here, maybe talk to me?” She reached for his bicep, not caring who saw her.
He glanced over his shoulder. “I still need that, uh, air, I was talking about.”
She retracted her hand when the doors parted, and they stepped inside. “Why don’t you go back to the hotel and be with your family?”
“I can’t relax with what happened today.” He propped a palm on the interior elevator wall off to his right. “And with you here, I’m a little wired. And your ex is in the room, and I was suddenly getting along with him, which is crazy.”
Yeah, he wasn’t acting normal, that was for sure. But she wasn’t her typical self, either.
“He’s not my ex. We went on a few dates. He didn’t make it past second base.” Because of you.
“I don’t know what that means, and I don’t want to know.”
“You’re handling today way better than most.” She needed to get this conversation going in the right direction. “Not only were your parents shot at, but you’ve had to come back to a life you did your best to leave behind.”
“And was I a dick to do that?” A slight grunt touched her ears. “Was I an ass to walk away from them for so long?” His arm fell hard to his side. “The way my mom and dad have been looking at me. And—”
“They’re happy to see you, but you don’t owe them anything. You made your choice. And they made theirs when they chose not to support you.”
She wasn’t opposed to his change of heart, but it was surprising. The last time he forced her to go to dinner with his parents, he’d said he’d rather have her hit him in the face with a two-by-four and swim with the sharks after. And the guy was terrified of sharks, even the ones in the aquarium in Atlanta.
“I’m not making things any easier for you by being here,” she spoke her thoughts in case he needed to hear them, too. She reached out and fixed the collar of his button-down shirt. “But you’re my hero, you know that?”
He brought his hand beneath her chin, and he held her eyes. The overhead lights bounced off his pupils, making them gleam.
“You know how they say, Be the change you want the world to see, or something along those lines?” she asked. “That’s how you make me feel. You inspire me. Make me strive to be better.” She ignored the ding of the elevator doors opening. “I didn’t just join the agency because my mom had wanted to be an agent, I joined because I wanted to do something with my life—watching you go for it made me believe I could do it, too.”
“I’m one of the reasons why you chose this dangerous job?” His voice was low. Dark. Haunted. Guilt clung to every syllable of every word.
“Why is your focus always on protecting me?”
He stepped forward, and her back hit the panel of buttons at his movement, and the doors closed. His palm went to the wall over her shoulder, and his eyes jumped to her face, a fierce intensity there.
“Because you’re the kind of person a man risks everything for.” He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip, tugging it down. His eyes moved to her lips.
Kiss me. It’d be crazy. Totally insane. But also perfect.
“Sorry,” he whispered, a knife to the heart. His brows slanted as he stepped away as if realizing he had her in a caged position.
“I, uh, need that air. Maybe alone, too.”
Her throat squeezed as emotion trekked up. “Yeah, okay.” She turned and pressed the open button so the doors would part again.
“Are you sure you want me to leave?”
“I think that’d be best.”
Chapter Seven
“Brought you some donuts and coffee.” Knox snapped his gaze up from the paper he’d been holding to see A.J. in the doorway.
“Thanks, man.” He let the paper fall from his hand, and he reached out, grateful for the liquid fuel.
He and Adriana had stayed in the FBI conference room working all night, but he’d forced her to sleep on the couch off to the side of the table, since she’d refused to leave when Calloway had at three in the morning.
“Jessica learn anything from viewing the CCTV footage around the hotel after the shooting?”
A.J. glimpsed Adriana asleep off to his left and lowered his voice when he replied, “Nothing new on our end, and you know that’s pissing off mama bear.”
“Mama bear?” He smirked.
“Jess is gonna be a parent soon. You know how protective she is of us now—I guarantee she sharpens her claws even more once she’s a mom.”
“I feel bad that Jessica is working this case while pregnant.”
“Nothing will stop her from working. She’ll probably wear the baby on her back after the kid is born,” he said in all seriousness.
“Not if Asher can help it. He’ll build a nuclear bunker and keep his kid inside.”
“Yeah, that man as a dad—gonna be interesting.”
A.J. set the box of donuts on the table. “This whole working with the Feds thing makes me nervous, though.” He munched on a glazed donut. “We’re in their house, brother. I don’t like it.”
Yeah, well, they’d had some rough patches in the past with agencies, so he didn’t blame him. But they didn’t exactly have a choice but to play ball. This was the Feds’ operation, and they were merely guests.
He took his first sip of coffee and grimaced. “You dump a gallon of sugar in here?”
“I know you like it sweet.”
“Not that sweet.” He tossed the cup in the nearest trash bin and snatched a donut, opting for something that was supposed to be ridiculously sugary. “Anyway, we know our gunman met Sarah the night before since he walked her to her room. We got her leaving the bar with a guy, but he must’ve known where the cameras were because we couldn’t pull any clear image of him.”
“Why not go into her room that night?”
“And risk leaving DNA behind?” He kept his voice soft to avoid waking Adriana.
A.J. nodded. “Right.”
“So, he probably invited her to breakfast or something the next day, and after, he went to her room and subdued her.”
“Then the shooter leaves her room, and ten minutes later, we have him on camera coming back down the hall with his bag this time. Then it’s cameras out and gunshots fired. Tricky bastard,” A.J. said. “Well, Jessica, Asher, and Luke should arrive around four today. I’ll feel better once they’re here, and the Feds don’t outnumber us so much.”
“Any word from Owen?” He hated being without Bravo Two, but the man was about to have a baby.
“Liam talked to Emily on our way here. She said Sam’s having contractions, so they’ll be heading to the hospital soon.”
“Good. And when does the rest of the team get to New York?”
“They should land within the hour.” A.J. glanced at Adriana. “Wonder Woman,” he said with a wink.
“Don’t start, brother.” He was already messed up in the head about her as it was, and he didn’t need Echo Two adding fuel to the rapidly burning fire.
“How do you guys look like you do and eat that garbage?” Adriana spoke in a sleepy, slightly raspy voice as she sat up.
A.J. carried the donut box to where she sat. “Does that mean you don’t want one?” He playfully opened and closed the box a few times.
She held out her palm. “Yes, please.”
“Why don’t you let me take over so you can get cleaned up,” A.J. suggested as Adriana finished her patriotic donut covered in red, white, and blue sprinkles.
Knox lifted his arm and took a whiff. “What, do I smell?”
“I could smell you from outside.” A.J. set the donut box back down.
“You bring me any clothes?”
“Of course, Sunshine,” A.J. joked. “Wyatt and Liam stopped to talk to Mendez. They have your stuff. My hands were full with breakfast.”
“A shower’s not such a bad idea.” Adriana stood. “There are lockers here. I brought some stuff. I might go freshen up. You want to join me?”
Knox looked at A.J. “Don’t say a word.”
A.J. help up a palm. “I wouldn’t dream of it. Now, you two enjoy that shower of yours.”
“Is he always like this?” she asked after they left the room.
“Pretty much,” he said while catching Wyatt’s eyes as they’d walked toward him and Liam, who were already on approach.
“You look like shit.” Wyatt tossed Knox the duffel bag.
“Yeah, well, you would, too. We’re gonna hit the showers. We’ll meet you back in the conference room. A.J.’s about to saddle up and start working.”
“And how are you?” Liam asked, his eyes on Adriana off to Knox’s right.
“As good as I can be,” she answered, her voice still sleepy. Entirely too sexy.
“We’ll be right back,” Knox said, and they headed for the elevators so they could use the gym showers in the basement.
“Addy?” He clutched the bag handle tightly with one hand once they were alone in the elevator, and he kept his eyes on her face. There was something he had to ask her—it’d been on his mind since her arrival last night. “If my father becomes president, is there a chance you could get assigned to his detail?”
“Probably not anytime soon. Need more years on the job.”
“Well, I don’t know the protocol, but I’m assuming Secret Service can’t hang out with the son of the president.”
“I didn’t think about that,” she whispered, her eyes casting to the floor.
Yeah, well, he had.
The idea had rolled around in his mind nonstop.
If his dad was elected, he might be able to save Bravo and Echo, but by saving the teams, would he risk losing his best friend?
* * *
Post shower and an hour later, Mendez entered the conference room where he, Adriana, and the guys had been working and snapped out, “We may have found our guy. I’m assembling a team to pick him up for questioning.”
“What?” Knox stood, his knuckles falling to the table in front of him for support.
“One of the threats we handed to your team this morning?” Adriana asked, swiveling in her chair to face the director, and he nodded. “You track an IP address?”
Most of the emails had been anonymous, so they’d had the Feds trace the source of the emails Knox and Adriana had deemed the most critical.
“Yeah. One email stood out. It came from Aaron Todd. He’s a former sniper for the SEALs.” Mendez’s eyes left Adriana and crossed the length of the table to where Liam, Wyatt, and A.J. sat, before falling upon Knox. “He lives in Matthews, a suburb outside the city. That email you gave us was sent yesterday morning while Bennett was already en route to the rally. Probably why it got overlooked.”
Knox turned toward the window behind him and placed a palm on the glass, his stomach dropping to the first floor.
Mendez cleared his throat. “Do one of you know him?”
“We were at BUD/S together.” A.J.’s words were low and heavy like the man had lost a best friend. Knox whirled around to find him tearing his fingers through his brownish-blond hair. “He’d never do this.”
“He matches the description of our mystery guy, too. Same height and build,” Mendez noted.
“Sounds like a lot of guys I know,” Wyatt said, a defensive edge to his tone.
Aaron Todd was one of them. A Teamguy. This couldn’t be happening.
Liam stood next to Knox. “Doesn’t mean it’s Aaron.”
“Which email was it?” They’d given Mendez’s team ten earlier.
Mendez handed him the printed-off email, and he read it before giving it to A.J.
“I don’t believe this,” A.J. insisted. “Aaron wouldn’t write this. He wouldn’t put down our military like this.”
“He thinks Bennett will put more boots on the ground in the Middle East.” Mendez took the paper back. “And he claims he’ll do anything to stop that from happening.”
No damn way. “He’s being framed.”
“Just because he’s a Teamguy doesn’t make him innocent,” Mendez pointed out.
“Or guilty,” Liam bit back, coming around the table at a quick pace to stand before the director.
“If Aaron was the shooter, he wouldn’t miss,” A.J. said, grit to his voice. “He’s a damn fine sniper.”
“And you all said it was an impossible shot,” Mendez reminded them.
“Yeah, for someone without Special Forces training and from the tenth floor,” Liam returned. “Don’t mistake my words.”
Knox glanced at Adriana, checking her reaction to all of this. She was the only one still seated at the table. Her eyes were positioned on the window as if she couldn’t handle making eye contact with him.
Did that mean she thought Aaron was guilty?
His parents had been shot at. Adriana was assigned to his father’s detail. He’d nearly told her every ounce of truth he’d been keeping from her in that damn parking lot last night, too. And then he’d almost kissed her in the elevator.
He was losing his mind.
And now this?
There was only so much a person could take before the ground swallowed a man whole.
But Knox was a Teamguy. He didn’t fucking surrender.
But like hell did Aaron try and shoot his parents. He w
as with A.J. on this.
“Well, we’ll see what he has to say for himself.” Mendez snapped his fingers in Adriana’s direction, a request for her to stand and get a move on it.
“Let me come.” A.J. stepped forward alongside Liam. “He knows me. You all might scare him off.”
“Innocent people don’t run, right?” Mendez countered.
“Won’t NCIS join the investigation with Aaron in the mix?” Adriana finally stood, and he wanted to go to her. To be at her side. But he didn’t move. He couldn’t seem to get his body to do a damn thing right now.
“They’ll send someone, yeah,” Mendez replied. “Well, you coming, Foster, or what?”
“No.” His feet were sure as hell working now. Knox moved to her side, prepared to block her path to the door if needed. “Rodriguez doesn’t want her on the front lines. He promised my father.”
She grabbed hold of his wrist and leaned in toward him. “Let me go. I’ll make sure he’s brought in unharmed,” she whispered.
“If you think he’s dangerous—”
“Aaron’s not the guy,” A.J. cut off Mendez when Knox’s words died in his throat.
“I’ve got this.” Adriana’s eyes pulled him in, and he had to swallow as she observed him from over her shoulder. “Trust me.”
“You got your vest with you?” Mendez asked, his words like a fist to the face.
A vest meant his best friend might possibly be in the line of fire. He knew Aaron wouldn’t be dangerous, but the idea of Adriana putting herself out there had his stomach twisting into so many knots, not even the best sailor on the planet could untie them.
“Please.” The word rolled out hard. Not a desperate plea but a command.
“This is her job,” Wyatt reminded him from behind, and he resisted the sudden urge to turn around and go head to head with Echo One. But Wyatt didn’t have a woman he was willing to die for, so he didn’t understand the pain Knox was feeling right now.
“I’ll be fine.” Adriana pivoted to face Knox and squeezed his arm before darting off with Mendez, leaving him with his teammates and his anger.
“I shouldn’t have let her go.” He dropped his head into his hands and turned so he didn’t go after her and make a scene in front of the entire agency. And she’d kill him for that. This was a job she was proud of, one she’d worked hard for, one chosen specifically to honor the memory of her mom. He respected the hell out of her for all those reasons. Anything he did to stop her from doing her job would only hurt her.
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