“How the fuck did they find us?” I asked Zane.

As soon as I’d come back downstairs, I’d called in. I wasn’t surprised when Zane answered and told me he was putting me on speaker so the rest of the team could talk to me as well. Even at the late hour they were all still at the office.

“That’s unknown,” he answered.

“What do we know?”

“We know the woman from the hotel is Alena Zoellick, and her partner, who rigged up Erin’s apartment is Conrad Volle.”

“How in the hell did he get in?”

“Maintenance. Erin put in a legit request with the building. Conrad waited and found an opening,” Declan answered.

“Shit.”

“That about covers it. They’ve been playing the long game. Conrad’s been working at Erin’s building for over six months. Though his employment application lists his name as Connor Vicks,” Garrett added.

“Who are they working for?”

“Henry Shultz. Conrad was all too ready to give up his boss once Zane and Leo applied some pressure.” Declan chuckled.

I didn’t doubt the other man caved under Zane’s demands. I had first-hand experience what Zane’s idea of pressure was. He would’ve rained hellfire down on the asshole until he was begging to spill his guts.

“Abe said the guys from Texas have been detained.”

“They have. Each were paid five K to detain you. From the description of Shultz, it seems he’s behind the attack and the surveillance on Erin.”

“What the fuck? Why can’t we find Shultz? And, again, who leaked our location?”

“Tex and Garrett are working on both,” Zane assured me. “You sit tight and don’t let anything happen to her.”

It pissed me off Zane was treating me like I needed a directive to protect Erin.

“No shit, Sherlock.”

“Or we could end this sooner rather than later, and you can bring her back to Maryland and we can—”

“I swear on all things holy, if you even suggest we leave her unattended and use her as bait, I’m gonna lose my mind.” The team erupted in laughter, and I didn’t find anything funny about what Zane had said. “You think I’m fucking joking? I’m five minutes from locking her ass in an underground bunker and going hunting myself. These fuckers were in her house. Violated her privacy. They crashed into us. They shot at her. But more than all that, they’ve scared the shit out of her. She’s trying to be brave. But she’s terrified. That ends for her. And it ends soon. So, either you and Tex shut this shit down, or I will. And when I’m done and have a warrant for my arrest, she’ll be safe.”

“Just checking,” Zane weirdly said.

“Checking what?”

“That you’re all in.”

“I’m all in,” I confirmed, realizing the meaning of my statement went beyond the mission.

“Good to know. We’ll check in later. Garrett has eyes on the outside perimeter, but there are no cameras in the cabin. Someone will be watching the monitors twenty-four seven.”

“Copy that.”

“Colin?” Leo spoke up.

“Yeah.”

“That master shower is big enough—”

“Fuck off,” I cut him off. A fresh wave of laughter came from my team, and to my surprise I smiled. “Assholes. Got shit to do. I’ll call in later.”

“Yeah, like—” I disconnected before Jaxon could finish.

I pocketed my phone and took a moment to gather my thoughts. I could remember a time in the not so distant past when it was just Jasmin, Zane, Jaxon, Leo, Drew, Eric, and me. Then Drew retired and Linc replaced him. Thankfully, he and Jasmin sorted their shit and everyone could finally tell Jasmin the truth about what happened to her in Russia after she’d been captured. Lying to her had gone against everything in me, but it had been necessary.

Then Olivia had come along and brought Leo to his knees. I’d never seen a man fall for a woman so quickly. Not long after that, Violet barged into Jaxon’s life, bringing her twin brother, Declan, with her. Then Eric died. A moment in time that will haunt me forever. He selflessly gave his life to save the team. I still missed him every fucking day. Now Zane had Ivy. And somehow, she’d done the impossible and rounded his jagged and sharp pieces. He was still a ruthless son of a bitch, but with her, he was a different man. He showed her a side of himself he’d never shown us.

Was it possible Erin could be that for me? The woman who could take all the broken and splintered fragments of my soul and puzzle them back together.

“That bad, huh?” Erin’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

I opened my eyes to find her sitting on the stairs with nothing but a towel wrapped around her body. Good Christ, she was beautiful. Even with the worry lines on her forehead and puffy, red eyes, she was prettier than any woman I’d ever seen. I hated that she’d obviously waited until she’d been alone to cry. I didn’t want her to hide anything from me. Not anymore. I wanted her to seek me out when she needed comfort and reassurance. She’d been alone for far too long.

“I’ve been in worse situations.”

“Someone really wants to kill me?”

Her whispered words gutted me. I was serious when I told Zane he only had a few days left. There were places I could stash her where no one would find her and I could go in search of this Shultz guy by myself. I didn’t care what it took, or what happened to me as long as, in the end, she was safe.

“No, sunshine. There’s nothing pointing to that.”

“So, just take me then.”

“What are you doing down here?” I asked, not wanting to answer.

“I don’t have clean clothes. My bag’s in the car.”

“Damn. I’m sorry. Give me a second.”

I jogged out to the car and retrieved both packs as quickly as I could. I took a few deep, cleansing breaths and tried to rein in my anger at the situation. I also needed the time to get my libido in check. We may’ve been in the middle of an uncomfortable conversation, but I was still a man. And she was a sexy woman, with only a towel wrapped around what I knew was a terrific body. I’d have to be dead for my cock not to jump and take notice.

When I got back into the house she was still sitting in the same spot. “Come on. Let’s get you dressed before you get cold.”

She nodded but didn’t speak when she stood and went up the stairs. I tried my hardest to keep my eyes off her ass, but it was damn near impossible. The sexy sway of her hips called to me. With each step the towel gathered, revealing more skin. Toned, tanned flesh I wished I could sink my teeth into.

“Thanks.” I hated the fear I could hear.

I set the bags down on the bed and pulled her close. “I’m gonna keep you safe.”

“I’d rather die than let them take me.”

“What?”

“I know what they’d do to me. It’ll make what happened to Olivia look like a walk in the park. If someone wants me it’s so they can torture my father. I can’t . . . I couldn’t . . . I wouldn’t survive that.”

“I promise you, I’ll do everything in my power to stop that from happening or die trying,” I vowed.

“What did Zane say?”

“Can we get you dressed and fed first? Then I’ll tell you what I know.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

She dipped her chin and gave me a nod before she dropped the towel and turned to open her bag. My hands shook with need, and I shoved them in my pockets before I could reach out to touch her. My feet were cemented in place as I watched her dress. When she finally pulled a shirt over her head, covering the last of her exposed skin, I reached a hand out and waited for her to take it.

“Let’s go make something for dinner.”

She let me lead her back downstairs and into the kitchen. With very little conversation we made dinner together. By the time we’d sat down to eat, and I’d filled her in on what the team had found, she’d pulled further into herself. When I suggested we call it a night, she agreed without argument. I didn’t like her easy acquiescence, I fucking hated that she looked and sounded defeated. I wanted her full of snark and humor. Confident and at peace.

I helped Erin into bed and didn’t bother to leave the room when I changed into a pair of sweats. She stared blankly at the ceiling, and I silently vowed to take out every person who was responsible for her retreat.

“Come here, Erin.”

She rolled to her side and with tear filled eyes whispered, “Make love to me. Please make me forget.”

“No, sunshine. But I’ll hold you.”

“But you said—”

“I know what I said. And I stand by my previous statement. However, the first time I make love to you, it will not be because you want an escape. It will be because you want me so badly, you’re mindless.”

“But I do want you. I’ve wanted you for months.”

Once again, I was at war with myself. I knew what it felt like to want to escape from the thoughts racing through your head, even if for only a little while. However, I couldn’t give her what she wanted, not fully. I wouldn’t be a regret; someone she looked back on with remorse or worse—shame. But I could give her something.

“Kiss me, Erin.”

She started to lower herself and I met her halfway, immediately taking over. My hands cupped her face and pulled her closer. All I needed was for her to take the first step and I’d lead her where I wanted her. The kiss was smoldering from the moment our lips touched and our tongues tangled. Damn, the woman could steal my breath. Erin broke the kiss, ripped her shirt over her head, tossing it aside, and I was dumbstruck for a moment; she was perfect. Not too big, not too small. The right amount of mouthful, with pink, puckered nipples I needed to taste.

I leaned up and sucked one into my mouth. Her moan filled the silence, and I watched her eyes flutter closed. I pulled off and moved to the other side. She was struggling to get her pants off and with an audible pop she freed her nipple from my mouth to accommodate her movement. And seconds later she was gloriously naked. Only this time, I could touch her.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Her answer was certain and quick.

“Roll to your back.”

She licked her lips, dropped to her back, and my cock jumped at the sight before me. So pretty. So innocent. I shouldn’t have allowed things to go as far as they had, but I wasn’t stopping. I wasn’t going to deny either of us what we both wanted any longer.

I came up on my elbow and looked down at her. “Tell me if I’m hurting you or if you want me to stop.”

A slow, sexy grin settled on her lips, and she answered, “I will.”

The smile told me she thought she’d gotten her way. She hadn’t. But she was soon going to learn, I didn’t need to make love to her to make her forget. My fingers would be enough. And next time, and there would be a next time, she’d learn that my mouth was even better.