“Should I be offended you didn’t show up to my wedding?” Orchard teased, staring at his screen. Even though he made a joke no one laughed.
“Your venue was a little hot for my situation.” Gabriel left it at that.
“There you go again, talking about things we can’t see. Next thing you gonna tell me is Santa Claus is in the chimney and Sasquatch is locked in your garage?” Daniel’s comment came off as a joke, but Gabriel sensed it was anything but.
Gabriel could go into details. Jaden and Daniel would want—no need—to help. There was no way Gabriel could allow that.
These guys had found true happiness and he wouldn’t, couldn’t, take that away from them. Besides, the man who was after him was the worst of the worst. He was relentless and patient—two qualities that put soldiers on top. He wouldn’t stop until Gabriel was dead.
“Don’t you have a honeymoon to go on?” Gabriel teased.
Daniel cracked a rare smile. Although, seeing him smile hadn’t been so rare in this conversation. There was something different about him. Happy? “As a matter of fact, I do.”
“And you’re about to say those last two words with an official-type person present.” Gabriel couldn’t help himself. The joke told itself.
Music had started. It was time to make an exit.
Gabriel listened to Lauren as she lowered her voice and leaned in close to speak to her husband.
“The caller said to tell you that a hit has been ordered on a young female college professor. Her name is Dr. Kinsley Greer.”
There was no way Gabriel heard right. His mind played tricks on him because he’d been thinking about Kinsley a lot lately.
“Does he know why?” Jaden’s concern was stamped in the creases in his forehead.
“He didn’t say,” she admitted.
“Does he know who ordered the hit?” Jaden continued.
“Someone who goes by the name of The Russian.”
Chapter 2
“What did you say?” Gabriel turned his laser focus to Lauren. He gave a little head shake in order to clear his ears. There was no way in hell he’d heard correctly. Why on earth would The Russian be after Kinsley?
Lauren glanced at her husband who nodded, urging her to repeat what she’d said. Jaden had connected the dots.
“Dr. Kinsley Greer is in trouble and if we don’t get to her…” Lauren flashed her eyes at Gabriel like she was unable to say the words.
“Did I hear you right? The part about a hit?” Talk about a small world. Gabriel couldn’t begin to process the coincidence but he sure as hell was glad that he was there to overhear the assignment. He knew firsthand how deadly The Russian could be.
Lauren looked at him bleakly. “Yes.”
“When? Where?” Could Gabriel stop the attempt on her life in time?
“She’s in Dallas at Southern Methodist University. The Presidential Library is there and she’s scheduled to give a speech today.” Lauren studied him. “You know her, don’t you?”
“You could say that.” Kinsley most likely never wanted to see him again but she couldn’t deny knowing him once or how much they’d meant to each other back in the day.
Jaden stood there, arms folded, his mouth twisted in the way it always did when he was thinking hard on something. “Who called this in?”
“He said he’s been trying to reach your friend, Gabriel, and would only say that his name is Puma,” she said.
The three men exchanged glances and now it made sense. Puma’s real name was Lincoln Stanwick, a.k.a. Linc, and all of Gabriel’s close friends had heard about Kinsley. He wasn’t much for words but when he did speak it was about her.
They all told their one who got away stories while spending weeks and sometimes months together on a mission. They talked during long, boring stakeouts or while hold up at a safe house for days or weeks on end. Out in the real world of 9–5 jobs, grocery runs and wedding dates no man would divulge as much about himself to another man.
There was something about being on a mission or out in the jungle for days that turned into weeks that got their lips moving. Secrets spilled in the jungle, stayed in the jungle.
In this case, Gabriel was glad because Jaden and Daniel knew how much Kinsley meant to him. Clearly, so did Linc.
“Did you tell him that Gabriel is right here?” Jaden asked.
“No.” She was already shaking her head before she spoke. “I didn’t know he was here.”
Made sense.
“But I wouldn’t have said anything even if I did. This Puma guy…is he real? Is he someone you know?” she continued, speaking low like she didn’t want the baby to hear.
Jaden nodded and the thought that everyone’s past could come back at any time—good or bad—seemed to strike Jaden and Daniel at the same time. Daniel bowed his head and lowered his voice when he said, “We all knew the risks when we took the job.”
Somehow, Gabriel doubted it. There was no way his friend would’ve taken that job if he’d been able to look into the future. Seeing the difference in him now, seeing him happy, felt right.
Gabriel refused to see how empty his own life seemed by comparison.
“We know the tip is solid. What’s the plan?” Daniel asked.
“You’re going to get married,” Gabriel quipped. “Jaden is going to stay here with his wife and child. I’m going to handle whatever threat Kinsley is facing.”
“There’s no reason for you to do this alone, man,” Daniel said.
“I’ll snatch her and we’ll figure out a plan together. There’s no reason for all three of us to go for a quick grab,” Gabriel reasoned.
Neither of his friends seemed thrilled with that answer. Gabriel would break out on his own if he had to. He hoped it wouldn’t come to that.
Lauren touched Jaden’s arm. “I’ll leave you men to talk.”
Jaden kissed his wife and the tenderness between the couple punched Gabriel in the gut.
