At least helping Alyssa kept his mind off his own problems, TJ realized as they assembled around Madeline’s elegant mahogany table. Re-enlisting would mean more of the same. Faraway brass calling shots on an enemy they knew through sound-bites. Decisions had steadily grown more political over the last five years—strategy weighed more for the commanding officer's promotion than what made sense for the grunts in the field. But his alternatives were less certain. Start over in the private sector? He was thirty-five. Was he meant to be a lifer? Or should he exploit the defense contractor circuit and make huge money? Sign on with an alphabet gig: DEA, CIA, NSC or FBI. Matt seemed to like his job, although he’d complained for years about the politics.

TJ still liked the idea of service. He just didn’t like what the army had begun to cost him. Jerking his thoughts back to the problem at hand, he acknowledged the less time spent dwelling on his future—or lack of one—the better.

Glancing from Maddie's anxious face to the sage eyes of the former marine, he smiled when Sean jerked a delicate flower arrangement from the table. A set of candlesticks that likely equaled a month’s hazard pay received the heave-ho next. His gaze caught the sparkle from the mammoth chandelier before moving to the luxurious tapestry hanging beyond it. Damned if this wouldn’t be the most interesting pre-op meeting he’d ever conducted.

"You need to get me inside," he directed to Alyssa. "I'm thinking IT security consultant."

"Teagan, darling, that’s brilliant." The worry cleared from Madeline's expression.

"You?" Alyssa’s eyes widened. "Into City Hall? The mayor’s residence?"

Not exactly a vote of confidence. He bit back a smile over her dismayed expression. But uncooperative teams were his specialty. He’d successfully banded together diverse, opposing tribes whose sole united purpose was the only thing keeping them from killing each other-- at least until the mission ended. Hopefully, Alyssa would be easier to convince.

"I could line up T-Bone or Finnie-"

TJ hid his surprise. Matt had written him about the drug case he’d worked with his younger brother. But Finn was a rule follower. A by-the-book sort of kid. Hell-- the kid was now thirty. He had trouble imagining Finn working side jobs with Mullaney—whose demeanor suggested an anything-goes style of operative. Sean had to know the family connection. With Madeline in the picture, TJ likely had few secrets remaining.

"Not sure DEA would approve Finnie workin’ undercover for-" Mullaney's leathery face wrinkled with skepticism. "An unauthorized mission."

"And T-Bone would have trouble blending in on a pirate ship." Alyssa acknowledged his unspoken question. "Three hundred pounds of raw sex appeal. Dreads, sleeve tats." She glanced at her mother. "Fourteen piercings?"

"Pimp, darling, not pirate," Maddie corrected. "Howard usually plays a pimp or a drugdealer," she offered helpfully as TJ choked back laughter.

"Don’t call him Howard," Sean muttered.

TJ shoved aside his uncertainty, his gaze sweeping the trio who would become his mission specialists. "Unless you can find someone." He flicked a glance at his watch. "In the next twelve hours-- I’m your man."

"You can fake an IT specialist?"

The heavily fortified power plant outside Islamabad flashed across his memory. He'd held off a damned army while a three-person team destroyed the power grid. "I think I can handle it." Proving Alyssa wrong would be nearly as fun as finding the blackmailer. Working with her meant he could keep close tabs. Until he got a bead on No-Key, he would keep her close.

"Sean and I can work the case from outside," Madeline offered. "I'll call Maggie and get her on board." She glanced at Sean. "You should call MaryJo-"

"Mom-- no calls to Maggie." Worry flashed in Alyssa's eyes. "My hands are full managing Teagan.”

He raised a brow. “Managing?”

Matching his scowl, she raised him twenty. “You’ll wreak havoc in the Mayor’s office."

"Theo owes me six precincts in the last election,” Maddie reminded. “He needs to be reminded this situation isn't your fault." She scribbled mysterious notes on her pad. What the hell was she planning?

"Negative." Better to nip this in the bud, TJ realized, before his best friend's mom launched a coup.

“I’ve known Maggie twenty years,” she emphasized. “I could reassure-”

"I know you're worried, but you need to trust me."

"But, Teagan-"

He covered her lined hand with his. "I'm going to handle this. I give you my word."

The older woman glanced at Sean where an entire non-verbal conversation took place. Maddie finally nodded. "You're right. You know what's best."

Alyssa's exasperated groan broke the tension, making him smile. "He's still just a man, right?"

Lyss had no idea what he was capable of when he was firing on all cylinders. To date, she’d seen him at his worst . . . his body still six time zones away. He’d been sleep deprived and jet-lagged. But today-- aside from a raging case of sexual frustration, TJ O’Brien was on the rebound. Proving her wrong would be icing on the cannoli.

"We're clear?" TJ took the opportunity to rein them in. "No one except the mayor knows what’s going down," he repeated. "Not his wife. Not staff. The less who know—the more likely we catch the blackmailer."

His gaze shifted to Mullaney. He’d need the old man’s pull with security. "I need access to the mayor’s police detail. Anyone in his orbit on a normal day."

Mullaney nodded. "His security chief is a guy named Luther Burke. He and I go back to Boston PD."

Alyssa reviewed her list. "What about security clearance?"

"I already have top secret clearance that supersedes anything Boston could require." Her disgruntled features made him smile. "Day one: recon. I whittle down the likely suspects and feed the names to Sean."

"I hand them off to MaryJo for her hacking thing-"

"Hacking thing?" Alyssa's eyes widened.

Sean waved a dismissive hand. "Background checks . . . a little intelligence gathering."

"What can I do?"

Madeline's eager question had TJ grasping for an assignment to keep her busy—and out of the way. He sensed Mullaney’s gaze boring through him. The message clear-- keep her out of it. "We’ll need you for . . . data analysis once MaryJo starts receiving information."

The older woman frowned. "That’s not very exciting." Her eyes grew animated. "I was thinking something undercover . . . like Teagan." She dismissed the old marine's sudden scowl. "I could be . . . Teagan's assistant."

TJ resisted the urge to bang his head on the table. "I need to get in and out fast. Blend in and not be memorable. Extra personnel will make that difficult."

Relieved when she finally nodded, he crossed his fingers they'd wrap it up before her next offer of help.

"What if you're caught?"

Back to problem female number one. "Lyss, you'll have to trust me. I’ll be invisible. It’s my specialty." Flashing blue eyes suggested trust was the last thing she'd grant-- not to pull off what, in her mind was the caper of the century.

But it was a damn good plan. Typically, he didn’t have the luxury of an entire day for mission prep. Hell, sometimes they were lucky to have an hour. Targets picked up and moved quickly in the desert. Also atypical was cooperation on all fronts. The mayor wanted the pictures found and destroyed. Once TJ met with him, they'd likely gain total access.

Alyssa’s withering glance might have vaporized a mere mortal. But he’d proved strangely immune to her death rays. "Just do a good job selling my cover story," he challenged.

"Lyssie, it’s a sound plan." Mullaney winked at her. "O’Brien here ain’t exaggerating. He'll get it done."

"You’ve known him three hours." Exasperated, she glanced from Sean to him. "How do you know what he’s capable of?"

Mullaney’s gaze jammed him like an assault rifle between his shoulder blades. Damned if the old buzzard wasn’t trying to read his thoughts. He’d clearly had some psy-ops training of his own.

"I just know."

"Alyssa Barnes-" Twin spots of angry color appeared in Madeline’s elegant cheekbones. "Teagan has graciously offered to assist you," she scolded, her tone suddenly glacial. "For a decade, he’s placed his life in danger to protect our interests. He’s sacrificing his vacation for your benefit. I’m appalled by your manners."

She ran nervous fingers through her hair, leaving it standing on end. "I-I don’t want to make it worse."

He’d enjoyed Maddie’s speech until Alyssa’s worried voice gut-punched him. For a revealing flash, her expression stripped of veneer-- leaving only fear. Failure. "Lyss-" He compelled her to look at him, wishing for a moment they were alone. "I'm good at this."

Compassion washed over him. She had everything to lose. "I'll find the pictures," he vowed, knowing he'd do whatever it took. He wouldn't rest until she was safe again. "Once I'm done," his gaze shifted to Mullaney. "You’ll square it with the mayor's security."

"Why Sean?"

"I won’t be here for a trial," he reminded. "I don’t want to be associated with the take-down. Sean can tie up the loose ends."

"Could be good for business." Mullaney scratched his salt and pepper crew cut. "As long as you don’t fu-" He intercepted Madeline’s icy glare. "Screw it up."

Alyssa rose from her chair. Hands on her hips, she studied him with sudden interest. His deprived body tightened to red alert status. What was she playing at?

"There’s no way you’ll be invisible to all the drooling women at city hall," she admitted. "You’ll be their damned IT hunk-of-the-month."

"Women confide in men they’re attracted to," Mullaney offered.

TJ nodded. "I'm highly trained in the art of diversionary tactics."

Luscious lips twitched into a reluctant smile. "Thank you for your service to our fair city." Her eyes sparked with inspiration. "At least I get to fire you when it’s over."

"You know how it is with government workers-- we’re hard to get rid of."

* * *

Maddie handed Sean a sudsy wine glass for rinsing.

"I don't see why we're washing glasses when we have a dishwasher," Sean muttered.

"These are expensive." She thumped his arm to shush him. "I can't hear what they're saying out there."

Sean closed his eyes. "Let me guess . . . they're perfect for each other."

Madeline squeezed his hand. The sparks had been flying all afternoon. "How could it happen so fast," she whispered. Unless- Her brain shifted to auto-pilot, tracing back through years of catalogued files. With all the hours Teagan had spent there . . . had they met before?

"Mads-- I know where this is going." Sean finessed the glass on the counter as though it were a live grenade. "Love, this isn't the time." At her scowl, he tried a different tack. "Can't you see how worried she is?"

Leaving the sink, she peered around the doorframe. Teagan was bouncing TJ in his lap, his stoic expression trying to hide the fear he'd do something wrong. She closed her eyes on a fervent wish. They were perfect for each other. Her daughter needed someone like him. His calm, rational, unflappable nature. And TJ-- the boy she'd grown to love like a son-- needed to be grounded. To a family. A place he could call home.

When Sean's hand swallowed hers, she allowed herself to be tugged back to the sink. She blinked back rare tears. “She needs someone to keep her safe.”

"No, love, you need that." He pulled her against his chest, his chuckle rumbling against her ear. “Lyssie needs someone who is amazed by how damn smart she is. Who looks at her and thinks ‘I can’t believe this beautiful woman wants me'.”

She snuggled against him. “I love you, Sean.”

“I know, Sweetcheeks.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Maybe someday we’ll be talkin’ about us.”

She knew his words cost him. He’d been asking for months. “We will, Sean—I promise.” The endlessly patient, stoic, love-of-her-life wiped the tears rolling down her face.

“I know.” He sighed. “Lyss doesn’t need some suit and tie phony like she had the last time.” His eyes narrowed as he warmed to his topic. “Real men don’t claim to be protective, Mads. They just are." He pondered his statement. "Mostly because we’re selfish.”

She pulled back to look at him. "Huh?"

“No one’s gonna steal the miracle I found. Bastards like Paul talk a big game. But when it came down to it, he left her in an alley.” His body tightened with anger. “I wish I’d been around then. I would’ve punched him in the face.”

She hugged him, wondering how washing wine glasses had led to all this. “You still can,” she placated. “If we see him, you have my permission to beat the hell out of him.”

* * *

"Stop gloating," Alyssa ordered an hour later as they walked to the car. "It’s typically not easy to gain access to the mayor." She glanced at Teagan, suspicious he might be laughing. "It's hard, okay?"

"I’m sure it is." His long stride made short work of the distance. When he noticed her struggling to keep up, he adjusted his pace. "Sorry-- I'm used to hustling. Harder to hit a moving target."

She let the telling comment slide with only the slightest quiver of fear. "The only reason this process didn’t take weeks is because Sean knows everyone in the city."

"Your mother’s connections greased the wheels, too." He held the door for her, waiting while she climbed in. "Sweet-- I’m on your side, remember? Sean calling in favors-- that's a good thing."

"I know," she admitted, wondering why she felt frustrated.

"That old buzzard has serious connections. He’s already talked with the mayor’s security guy-"

"Luther?" She shivered involuntarily. Burke was Theo's body man. She found him to be annoyingly quiet. Always there, but never a part of anything going on around him.

"What?" Teagan glanced at her as he fastened his seatbelt.

"Nothing-- he's just a little weird," she admitted. The sort of guy she would cross to the other side of the street to avoid on a dark night. "He's one of those freakishly stealthy people. No chit chat."

Teagan paused. "You mean he's a body guard? Staying focused? Keeping his eyes on the prize?"

"Chit chat would kill him?" She turned into the street.

"Does he have to call it chit chat?"

Her gaze on the road, she could sense his amused expression. "I've known the man six years . . . he doesn't even say good morning. He nods." She glanced at him. "That's not the same thing."

"Anyway-" His expression begging her to stop talking, he ran a hand through his hair. "After chatting with Luther, I’m basically set for tomorrow-- which saves you pulling strings. The less you have to do, the better."

That didn't mean she had to like it. The sense of guiding her own destiny had ended with the arrival of the photos. Control of her fate now rested in the hands of the dangerously attractive man at her side.

"I sense you’re ticked off but I haven’t done anything yet."

She clutched the steering wheel as the car ate up the miles hurtling toward her doom. Fifteen minutes 'til they met with Theo. He could shoot down their plan. He could fire her, letting her take the heat. "You anticipate doing something to tick me off?"

"Probably." He adjusted the side mirror.

He was right. For the foreseeable future, someone else would pull the strings. "What are you doing?"

"Checking for a tail."

A tail? A shiver rolled over her. “I hadn’t thought about that.” The insidious feeling of vulnerability hit her. An unknown stranger-- controlling her. Frightening her.

In the past week, her panic had grown. It came in waves that threatened to pull her under. Each day her confidence eroded another notch. Each day, it took longer to claw her way through the haze of fear and pretend everything would be fine. Since he'd arrived, she'd subconsciously clung to Teagan. But the battle to remain in control was causing her to vent her frustration on the man trying to help.

"Sorry I'm so edgy." Loosening her death-grip on the wheel, she glanced at him, his face lit by passing street lights. "It’s driving me crazy not knowing who’s doing this."

He waved off her apology. "Until we make this go away, you’re forced to trust we know what we’re doing."

"We?"

"Mullaney," he acknowledged. "He has a much better set-up than I gave him credit for." Shifting in his seat, he gave her hand a squeeze. "Have a little faith."

Teagan had no idea how difficult honoring his request would be. She'd lost faith in just about everyone . . . including herself. Truth, justice, systems-- were all fallible. But like it or not, for the next several days she would be forced to trust TJ. "I hated leaving TJ," she admitted. "This was supposed to be my week with him. I promised Matt."

She sighed, gloomy over the thought of missing precious time with her nephew. How had her life devolved to this point? "I can’t seem to get away from this job."

"Even someone with your organizational skills couldn’t anticipate this." Teagan shook his head. "I still can’t believe Matt’s a father. How could his life change so drastically in only a year?"

"For the record, my brother had to beg Julie to marry him."

He straightened, his gaze following the lights at Fenway. "Once I get you squared away, I plan to camp out for their next home stand."

"You resolve this, I’ll guarantee skybox seats for the rest of your leave."

He shot her a scowl. "Don’t joke about something that important."

"I can deliver," she assured. "Julie’s company has a skybox."

"That’s why he married her." He bolted upright. "Who would pass up a lifetime skybox?"

"Can we get back to business?" A reminder she should heed. She couldn't afford to lose her mind like she had that morning. Getting naked with TJ would be exactly that. Crazy. The only guarantee he offered was an expiration date-- in twenty four days. "Theo will expect a strategy briefing."

"Will anyone else be there?"

"The staff leaves early on Sunday, but I can’t guarantee he won’t insist on bringing in some of his team."

"That figures."

"There’s a great deal at stake," she reminded. "This is a disaster for me, but for Theo-- it could spell the end of his career-- and any aspirations he has. It could ruin his marriage." She expelled a sigh, grateful Maggie wouldn’t be there. Unsure how the older woman would react, she'd like to postpone the inevitable as long as possible.

"What about the wife and kids?"

"Theo assured me Maggie will be upstairs and the kids are away. Bridget’s on a band trip for spring break and Michael is visiting grandparents. Hopefully we can resolve this before they return."

"What do I call him? Mr. Mayor?"

"Mayor Robbins is fine. Or ‘sir’," she added.

"Mayor Robbins it is."

She smirked. "I suspected you wouldn’t like the ‘sir’ option."

"Feels too much like my day job." He slouched back against the seat, long legs crowding her compact car.

"You mentioned you’ve got secret clearance?"

"Actually, it’s Top Secret, SCI. Sensitive Compartmented Information," he explained. "For mission-related stuff that’s super sensitive. Essentially, it means ‘eyes-only’."

"Sounds like fate-of-the-world type stuff."

Lights from the highway splashed his face, contrasting his shadowed eyes. "Goes with the territory." Stretching in his seat, he scanned the area. "Where the hell are we?"

Unlike the traffic she'd face in the morning, the highway was deserted as she sailed down the exit ramp. "I’m avoiding construction. Theo’s place is in Back Bay. Maggie’s PR business is there-- not that she can do anything with it now," she admitted. "She gave it up while Theo’s in office.”

“Did she have to?”

“Theo asked— to avoid any appearance of conflict. Once his term is up, I assume she’ll go back."

"I thought you said he might run for governor?"

"They're considering it," she corrected. "But it's a huge decision-- one that will affect the whole family. They've already had a few issues with Bridget-"

"Issues?"

She hesitated to reveal anything that wasn't absolutely tied to the blackmailing problem. Six years with the Robbins family had left her feeling overprotective of them. "Problems at school . . . with bullying. The media doesn't help."

Teagan grimaced. "That sucks. Kids should be off limits."

"It doesn't work that way anymore." Why anyone chose politics anymore bewildered her. Running for office meant twenty-four hour scrutiny. "The party hasn’t commit to him yet. There are several months to get through."

Teagan smirked. "Meaning if he does anything unpopular . . . they choose someone else?"

"Basically," she confirmed. "Like this situation-- if the pictures go away-- problem solved." She sighed at the shallowness of it all. "If not . . . he can be replaced." More than a particular candidate, the party wanted to win. Despite the shadowed interior, she felt the intensity of his scrutiny as Teagan tried to read her thoughts.

"Will you go with him?"

Startled, her hands wavered on the steering wheel.

"Whoa, Sweet." His gaze shifted to the windshield when she drifted. "We’re only allowed one side of the road. And that light we’re approaching? It’s red."

Nothing like being obvious. She quickly corrected their course and braked for the light.

"Did I hit a nerve?"

"When Theo decides-" She shot him a glance. "Assuming I’m still around to hear it—I’ll make my decision."

"Isn’t that a natural next step?"

"I got into this to make a difference." She paused when he chuckled. "Yeah-- I know. It didn't exactly work out that way."

"It’s still a huge opportunity. How could it not be your future?"

"There’s this little scandal brewing-" She was tired of Teagan minimizing what could whip to a frenzy with one whisper to the press.

"Jeez-- stop worrying."

"If you’re wrong, my future involves a name change and a stint in the witness protection program."

"I noticed you’ve avoided my question. You’d be the right-hand person to the governor."

Everything about her future seemed up in the air. How could she think about what she'd like to do? "I’m a senior staffer, nothing more."

"In psych language, we call that avoidance."

"I didn’t say I wouldn’t-"

“And that’s a double negative,” he said conversationally. “You’re distancing yourself from your words.”

“Any chance you could stop?” She stared at the red light she’d nearly run. "It’s premature to discuss it." She’d discovered she didn’t care for life in a political fishbowl. Six years of her life. Would she want to sacrifice four more?

"What can compete with that?"

Uncertainty warred with annoyance, especially because she didn’t know the answer. Was there something more meaningful she was meant to do? If she left the mayor’s staff, there was no guarantee she'd be successful. She might realize she’d left the most important job she’d ever hold. But not trying-- meant giving up the dream she could make a difference. After months of soul-searching, she was no closer to an answer.

Groping for an explanation, Alyssa sighed. "There's more to life than politics."

"More important than power? Than making history?"

"I want kids someday-" His sudden burst of laughter confirmed exactly what Teagan thought. "I’m thirty-two and I work fourteen hours a day."

"You can have kids anytime."

Why had she thought he would understand? "I’d like to do something that could benefit a population in need," she said, taking the tentative step to bounce her idea off someone who wasn't family. She could practice on Teagan.

"Like what?"

"Like running . . . a skills training center for the under-employed." Unwilling to risk seeing his amusement, she focused on the dark road. "Lots of people were forced to take low-paying jobs after the recession," she explained. "They haven’t recovered like the rest of the economy. I think I’d be good at it," she continued, warming to her subject. "I’ve handled fundraising for Theo. I have tons of contacts from my years in his office. I know budgets,” she ticked off. “And there’s a true need for specialized job-training to help people become financially stable."

He turned, skepticism evident in his eyes. "Or you could be seated down the hall from the most powerful man in the state. Use that office to lobby for your jobs thing."

Disappointment flooded her. "Right. I could just do that." There was a reason he'd leaped from her window a decade earlier. He might be beautiful to look at. Fascinating to talk with. And she already knew he was incredible in bed. But he wasn’t emotionally invested-- in anything. TJ was the guy who slipped away before dawn, leaving a woman physically satisfied-- and emotionally bereft at the same time.

For reasons she couldn’t fathom, the acknowledgment deflated her. Accelerating from the light, she masked her disappointment. Despite his determination to cloak his life in secrecy, she’d learned a few things about the stranger beside her. He was ruthless. Ambitious. Lurking under the easy-going facade, he was a loner-- content to live a solitary existence. Nothing to get in the way of his goal—whatever that was. Not a woman, not friendship, not family.

Forcing a levity she no longer felt, she tried again. "What about you? You have a big decision to make. I’m guessing it’s about going back—to wherever you’ve just been. What’s your hesitation?"

The silence lengthened into something almost tangible, as though she could reach out and capture the tension in her fist. It grew bigger and heavier, until she finally broke under the weight of it. "Jeez-- forget it."

"I’m not sure I want to go back."

His voice jolted through her, startling her from her fractured thoughts. Instinct had her holding her breath, unwilling to shatter the rare moment. "Why?"

"Maybe it’s about the way things are going-- compared to the way we convinced ourselves the campaign would go."

His gaze drifted to the darkened window, as though realizing he was steering uncharted waters. "Or maybe I’m more like you than I thought. I’m tired," he admitted, his laugh sounding hollow. "I’m getting too old for the 24/7 gig, especially now when I’m starting to realize. . ."

Alyssa waited, her body tight with the desire to move, but too afraid to budge for fear she’d break the spell.

"That maybe my particular skills only prolongs our presence. That what I do is hurting, instead of helping."

The resignation in his voice suggested hours of heavy contemplation. Whatever he was feeling had been coming for a while. What did he do? She bit back the burning question. What did he want to do? That one was dangerous, too. She hesitated, aware the conversation would inch forward or slam shut. "If you could do anything . . . regardless of skill, what would it be?"

Another dose of silence. She peeked in his direction, surprised to find a smile. "I’d play centerfield for the Sox."

They wove through the Sunday night quiet of Back Bay. A single guard was posted at the end of the driveway. After a flash of her badge, he nodded her through. Alyssa parked by the three car garage. The trickling of an elaborate fountain drew them up the walkway to the residence. She hesitated, hand on the intricately carved door.

There was no turning back. What she was about to do could spell the end of her career. Or it would work like a charm-- eliminating a dangerous threat to the mayor. She turned to Teagan. "Are you sure-"

Covering her hand with his, they knocked. "Ready or not, Lyss. Here we go."