ONE
So, she botched upan assignment. It hadn’t hurt anyone. Not really.To err is human,right?
Not according to the FBI.
Agent Whitney Lawson tightened her fingers around the steering wheel as she drove slowly through John F. Kennedy International airport’s parking lot. She wasn’t here to catch a perp or even a suspect. Oh, no! That kind of assignment was way above her now. Two weeks ago she would have been undercover, or on a stakeout, or making arrests. Those were the important assignments.
But now... she was a babysitter. Seriously!
Although Zack Greyson was one of the country’s wealthiest men – according to a popular magazine – he wasn’t exactly ababy. Unless you were a love-crazy stalker and sighedbaby-oh-baby, where have you been all my lifewhen looking at his picture.
Because Whitney messed up on an assignment two weeks ago, her boss forced her to play guard-dog to a billionaire. Zack was the key witness to the trial-of-the-year in New York City and was supposed to be in hiding. Senator Sterling had been arrested for conspiracy to commit murder, for fraud, and for running a human trafficking ring.
Zack Greyson’s association with the senator had been ongoing for six years until Zack accidentally observed the senator commit two out of three of these charges. Zack was now in danger. The FBI had wanted the billionaire to enter their Witness Protection Program, but Zack had declined, stating he could hide just fine without having the FBI run his life.
Whitney rolled her eyes. Just because the man had loads of money didn’t make him the Almighty and untouchable. The FBI suspected that the senator had put a hitman on his payroll, and her unit worried that Zack might wind up dead.
She’d fought like crazy not to get this assignment, but obviously, had lost. It was now up to her to watch over Zack Greyson and make sure he was hiding well enough. But he wasn’t. If she could find him each time he moved locations, she was sure the hitman could find him.
A movement from a parked truck caught her attention. She slowed her black SUV, watching carefully as the man exited his new Chevy truck. He reached into the uncovered bed of the vehicle and grasped a forest green wheelie suitcase.
The popular celebrities’ magazines always used three words to describe him whenever they talked about Zack Greyson: tall, brawny, and gorgeous. She had her own way to describe him: arrogant, built-like-an-ox, and too conspicuous.
For someone who was trying to stay hidden from the senator’s hitman, the billionaire failed miserably. He could have at least colored his hair or worn secondhand clothes instead of designer brands. But Zack’s dark brown hair was still shoulder-length, he wore his usual classy, button-up long-sleeved shirts that somehow showed off his muscles – and drove top-of-the-line, brand-spanking-new vehicles. He grabbed a black leather jacket off the seat of his truck and shrugged it on before heading toward the terminal.
Grumbling, she circled back around the lot, hoping to find a parking stall. She had to stop him from getting on the airplane. Hopefully, between now and just before he checked in, she’d think of something clever. There was no way she could keep an eye on him if he left New York City.
Whitney found a parking place and scrambled out of the SUV as not to lose Zack. She probably looked suspicious by not having luggage, but she couldn’t worry about that right now. Her mind scrambled for a way to convince him that leaving the city was a bad thing right now, and that he really needed the FBI’s help.
Throngs of people crowded the terminal. She groaned. Finding him would be harder now.
Skimming her gaze around the different sections of the terminal, she noticed many loved ones saying good-bye to their families. Couples embraced and kissed before one of them left to enter the security section.
Because Zack had a lot of money, he’d probably checked in online, which meant he’d be in line to check in his baggage. Yes! This was what he’d be doing right now, she just knew it.
She pushed past people on her way to the baggage check-in desk. Thankfully, a long line of people stood waiting. And, standing taller than anyone was Zack Greyson.
Whitney breathed easier as relief washed over her. But what should she do now? Would walking up to him and flashing her badge be the key to convincing him not to leave?
“Oh, Tommy,” a woman nearby wailed as she threw her arms around the man in his twenties who stood in line for the security check station. “I can’t believe you’re really leaving.”
“Cami, please don’t cry.” He kissed her briefly on the mouth. “I’ll be back to get you. I just need to secure a job and find us a place to live, first.”
The curly-haired blonde woman nodded. Her make-up smeared down her cheeks from her tears. “Okay. I’ll miss you.”
He gave her one last hug before moving into the line.
Whitney rolled her eyes. She’d bet twenty-bucks that Tommy never returned for his girlfriend.Men!She would never understand them.
Suddenly, an idea struck her, and she sucked in a quick breath. Dare she do something so obnoxiously... stupid? But, she was desperate. She couldn’t botch another FBI assignment.
She hurried toward Zack, trying to psyche herself up for the ridiculous play-acting she was about to perform. Three feet away from Zack, she let out a cry and screamed his name.
Several people standing in line jumped and swung their gazes toward her. Zack looked over his shoulder, and when he saw her, his eyes widened. She wasn’t sure if he’d remember her from when her unit had talked with him two months ago, but she kept on with her performance, regardless.
“Oh, Zack,” she sobbed and launched herself against him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She was taller than most of the women in her office, but she still had to raise up on tippy-toes in order to get in a good hug this way.
“What...”
