After all, if you can’t trust the person standing next to you, what do you do?
You walk away.
Only, Coop wasn’t leaving the team. Mac would never allow him to make that choice. That’s why, once this was over with, she’d be the one walking away.
From him and from R.I.S.C.
His dark brows turned inward with suspicion. “Okay, fine.” He threw his arms out to his sides before letting them slap against his strong thighs.
A breeze passed by, blowing some hair into Mac’s face. She brushed it from her eyes, her heart mourning the loss she knew was imminent. “What do you want to know?”
Coop stared back at her. “How ’bout we start with something easy. What’s your real name?”
“You already know—”
“I want to hear you say it.”
Swallowing the knot of regret filling the base of her throat, Mac opened her mouth to utter the name she hadn’t spoken in years when a loud crack echoed through the air.
Rough bark splintered as the bullet hit the tree beside them. Mac reached for Coop, ready to pull them both behind the tree for cover.
“Get down!” His body slammed into hers, sending them both flying to the ground.
The impact knocked the air from her lungs. Coop was on top of her, putting himself at risk while trying to protect her. She wanted to yell at him to get off and take cover, but she couldn’t catch her breath long enough to speak.
Another bullet hit the ground next to them.
“Fuck!” Coop growled.
He grabbed her shoulders and rolled, moving them so the large trunk’s protective barrier could shield them from the shooter. Pulling his gun from his waistband he lifted his head and looked toward the direction in which the two shots had originated.
“It’s coming from the north.”
She pushed against Coop’s chest, and thankfully he relented. Sitting with his back against the tree, he reached for her hand and pulled her up next to him. Wasting no time, Mac lifted the hem of her shin-length dress in order to access the weapon secured against her thigh.
“Can you see the shooter?” she asked, cautiously glancing around the tree’s edge. Its rough bark bit into her back.
“There was a black SUV on the hill over there that just took off in a real fucking hurry.” Coop’s phone began to ring. “It’s Trevor.” He answered the call with a quick, “We’re okay. You on him?”
There was a long pause, and Mac wished like crazy she could hear what Trevor was saying.
“Stay on them,” Coop told their teammate. “We’ll try to catch up.” Another pause and then, “You sure? All right, man. Holler if you need help.” Coop ended the call.
With adrenaline rushing through their veins, they both took a few seconds to calm their breathing.
“What’s the plan?” Mac looked at her partner anxiously.
“Trev’s staying on them. He wants us to meet him back at your hotel.” His gaze lowered to her exposed thigh holster. One corner of his lip curved upward. “I’m guessing now’s probably not the time to mention how hot that is, huh?”
“You think?” Mac sent him an incredulous look, though she secretly welcomed the teasing.
He always pulled crap like that when they were on an op. He’d joke and she’d reprimand him for it. It was kind of their thing.
That he was doing it now gave her a tiny spec of hope.
Maybe he doesn’t hate you for lying after all.
But then the half-smile that made her heart do all sorts of funny things fell, all traces of humor on his handsome face vanishing.
