His spine stiffened.
“His name is Vance Freeley.” Elin typed fast, and a photo filled the big screen of a man with a buzzcut, dead eyes and the kind of face that blended into crowds.
“That’s him.” Ellory’s tone hooked a place in Ash’s chest.
She still didn’t meet his stare.
Elin went on, “Former military. Dishonorable discharge for conduct unbecoming. He was involved with a small terrorist cell in Oregon that we believe is part of Cipher’s network.”
Oregon.
Ash’s mind closed gaps even before Con made a decision. Blackout Sierra, the team he’d helped recruit eighteen months ago when Blackout was expanding their West Coast presence, operated out of Oregon.
“Oregon?” Ellory’s voice cut through his thoughts like a blade. When he looked up, she was staring directly at him. A ghost of a smile played at the corner of her lips he’d spent far too little time exploring.
It was also the first genuine expression she’d aimed his direction all day.
“Is there another former member of Charlie team in Oregon to pull into this op?” Her question was light and teasing. And it made his balls clench with desire.
“Actually, there’s a Blackout team in Oregon.” He watched something flicker in her intelligent eyes. “I recruited every man on it.”
“Chase, coordinate with Sierra.” Con’s order had Chase reaching for his phone.
The discussion shifted to logistics, like all ops did. Ash contributed where needed, even as his body attuned to Ellory’s every move. She’d gone back to her notes, but he’d seen her lips tighten at mention of the man who’d almost shot her.
When she finally looked up—their gazes met. In that moment, he understood the force of what was between them.
What happened the night before wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.
That had just been the flicker of a flame, and what was coming was an inferno. One he fully intended to throw himself into.
But first, he had a job to do.
* * * * *
Ash’s hands were moving over Ellory’s breasts, and he tweaked her nipples with tormenting little tugs that had her body arching. With a gasp, she twisted her mouth to his and—
A screech of a chair jerked her out of her daydream of the man sitting five chairs away. But ten seconds later, she was again drowning in the memory of his heated mouth working down her body…between her thighs.
I need to focus on something else. Anything else.
Three things I see.
She glanced at the tablet in front of her, numbers dancing in front of her eyes.
Her gaze dropped to her hand, but that wasn’t helpful when she saw her pulse thrumming too fast in her wrist.
She soughtanydistraction—
And instead looked right at the man who left her reelinghoursafter they gave in to their desires.
His dark eyes locked on to hers, and the air vanished from her lungs like someone had punched it out of her. Heat flared low and sharp, stealing all reason.
One heartbeat.
Two.
She couldn’t move. Couldn’t look away. It felt like standing in the crosshairs—except she didn’t want to escape.
