“Yeah, no problem,” he said, trying not to look too eager. “If someone has to take a hit for the team, it might as well be me.”
Chapter 3
Croatia
“Has anyone ever mentioned that you clean up nice?” Brielle murmured, glancing at Caleb as they followed the hostess through the crowded restaurant.
“No,” Caleb said casually, one of his hands resting warmly on her lower back, completely oblivious to the attention he was getting from the other women seated at the tables in the fancy dining room.
Brielle couldn’t blame them. With his shaggy, dark-blond hair that looked like it hadn’t seen a brush in a week, Caleb was the closest thing she’d ever seen to masculine perfection. Throw in the way he carried himself, all animal grace and power, and he simply demanded attention. It didn’t hurt that the expensive suit he wore fit him so perfectly. The dark material highlighted his wide shoulders, broad chest, and long, lean body like it had been tailored specifically for him.
All in all, he was scrumptious.
And even if the only reason for thisdatewas because the STAT team needed somebody inside the restaurant close to the person they suspected of stealing the nuclear weapons, Brielle was still thrilled she was going out to dinner with him. Which, when she thought about it, was a rather sad commentary on her nonexistent love life.
Caleb pulled out her chair when they reached their table. As she sat, he carefully nudged the seat in for her, and she could feel the warmth of his breath on her cheek as he leaned down to put his mouth close to her ear.
“You look absolutely gorgeous yourself, by the way,” he murmured, his deep, husky voice doing crazy things to her pulse. “That dress is breathtaking on you.”
She glanced down to take in the black, off-the-shoulder gown that was easily the most expensive dress she’d ever worn. In addition to the slit up the side that showed off a lot of leg, the bodice did amazing things for her cleavage. From his position behind her, she had no doubt that Caleb was taking advantage of the view. And she enjoyed knowing he was looking. Which was absolutely crazy, since she was only here with Caleb as a means to get her brother back safely.
Right?
Wrong.
Or at least, partially wrong.
She’d felt an inexplicable attraction to the big, handsome werewolf from the moment she first laid eyes on him all those weeks ago. And the strange, almost mesmerizing sensation she felt around him had only grown the longer she’d been around him. That was the main reason she had turned tail and run as soon as the mission in Calais was over.
Since she was a little girl, Brielle had been able tosensepeople around her—some more than others. It hadn’t taken long to figure out that the people she could sense were different…unusual…supernatural. That realization had scared the crap out of her, and she’d gone out of her way from that moment on to ignore her gift and any of the sensations that came with it. When she’d met Caleb and felt a connection like nothing she’d ever experienced before, she’d run as far away from him as fast as she could. She hadn’t known what those tingling sensations up and down her spine meant whenever she was close to him, and she hadn’t wanted to hang around long enough to find out.
Now, here she was, having dinner with him, and the electrical tingles were more powerful—not to mention more confusing—than even the first time.
“Have you ever been to Zagreb?” Caleb asked as he moved around the table and took his own seat, then picked up the menu their server had set in front of him.
Brielle saw him glance casually at the large table in the back corner of the restaurant, where their suspect, arms dealer Surinda Lestari, was supposed to be having dinner with his potential buyers tonight. But the table was completely empty at the moment, leaving Brielle to wonder if the information STAT had come up with might be wrong. She hoped not because that would mean they weren’t any closer to finding Julian. She only prayed her brother was still okay.
“No, I’ve never been anywhere in Croatia.” Brielle picked up her own menu but didn’t open it right away. Instead, she took a moment to look around the beautiful restaurant with its high tray ceiling illuminated with soft pink lighting, delicate crystal chandeliers, and antique wood floor inset with large marble tiles. Semi-private booths hidden in alcoves were all around the perimeter of the main dining room, and there was even a small dance floor at the far end. Two older couples swayed to the soft music coming from the speakers in each corner. “Though if I’d known it was this beautiful here, I would have made it a point to visit,” she added, turning her attention back to Caleb. “You?”
Caleb snorted. “Does it make me sound stupid if I admit I didn’t even know Zagreb was in Croatia? Hell, if we’re being honest, I would have a hard time even finding Croatia on a map, much less Zagreb.”
Brielle didn’t bother to hide her smile. In her experience, there weren’t many men whose egos could handle admitting they didn’t know something, especially in front of a woman. The fact that Caleb could do so without giving it a second thought was a trait she found very attractive.
“No, it definitely doesn’t make you sound stupid,” she told him. “Lyon, the place where I grew up in France, is probably only a thousand kilometers away from here, and I don’t know much more about this place than you do.”
Caleb regarded her thoughtfully, like he was trying to decide if she was lying about that or not, but before he could say anything, they were interrupted by their server. Caleb ordered a Jack and Coke while Brielle went with a glass of white wine.
The woman just left to get their drinks when Jake’s voice came through the tiny earpieces Brielle and Caleb were wearing.
“Surinda Lestari and his entourage just arrived in the parking lot,” he said.
“The bug I put under the table earlier is transmitting loud and clear,” Misty added. “We should have no problem hearing everything they say.”
Less than a minute later, the hostess led six men into the dining room and directly to the table in the back. Two of them moved to take up positions in the furthest corners of the room, probably so they could keep an eye on the main entrance, the kitchen, and the other diners, along with the table in the back, which meant they must be Surinda Lestari’s bodyguards.
“Copy that,” Caleb said into the microphone hidden in the lapel of his suit jacket. “We have eyes on him.” Turning off his mic, he regarded the men for a moment, then looked at Brielle. “I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I thought a man ballsy enough to steal twenty nuclear weapons from the United States would look a little more…I don’t know…badass?”
Brielle swept her eyes across the room, making it seem like she was taking in the beautiful decor as she got a closer look at the man STAT intelligence believed had stolen the nukes. While Lestari might not look as intimidating as Caleb, with his jet-black hair and dark eyes, the man didn’t exactly seem like a pushover, either.
