Sydney hurried around the desk to read them over his shoulder. A long tendril that had escaped her French twist brushed against his shoulder and her sweet scent wafted in his direction.
He turned from the computer to her, and drank up her beauty. She was super-focused, scanning both documents,while she nibbled a fingernail. Then, she flicked her gaze to his and smiled.
“They’re not going to Dubai,” Teddy said.
“Where are they taking them?”
“My gut says they’re trafficking those women to Karakistan.”
“That’s justgreat.” Her sarcastic tone was front and center. “Because things can’t get any more complicated.”
“We got ‘em. All we need is an army of ALPHA Ops to ensure the jet doesn’t leave the ground, and everyone connected to this trafficking ring gets arrested.” After a beat, he said, “Those motherfuckers won’t see us coming.”
“Tara’s gonna be angry—all those women will—until we tell them where they were going and what they’d be doing for the rest of their lives.” Sydney shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. “It’s terrifying to think about.”
He pulled her onto his lap and held her. “My badass woman has a heart of gold.”
She shook her head. “My heart was painted black a long time ago, but it still bleeds red. Their lives would have been a living hell.” She hugged him hard, and he held her trembling body.
Months back, Teddy had confessed to Greystone that he didn’t understand women. Greystone had told him that he didn’t need tounderstandwomen. He needed to love and protect them.
“Sydney, I will love and protect you for as long as I live.”
A beautiful smile filled her face. “I’ve been chasing these monsters my entire career, and I’ve been going it alone. Half the time I was lonely, the other half I wondered if I’d survive to see the next day.” She kissed his cheek. “Now, I’m neither.”
“What are you now?”
“I’m with an amazing man I adore who loves and respects me.”
He dropped a kiss on her lips. “You ready to throw some lead.”
That made her smile. “I’ve never been more ready in my life.”
BING!
The computer program he’d written had enabled him to get past the bank’s initial firewall.
“Nice,” she said as he began coding to gain access to Robby’s account.
Knock-knock.
She pushed off his lap so he could open his office door.
Tara glanced in, smiled at Sydney. “I’ve got a guest who wants a comped dinner, but he didn’t say anything until after he’d eaten it.”
Sydney laughed. “He ate it, then complained he didn’t like it?”
“That’s a first,” Teddy said.
“Same,” Tara said.
“You gonna be okay, Sierra?” Teddy asked Sydney.
“Barely,” Sydney dead-panned.
Tara laughed as Teddy mumbled, “Smart ass.”
Tara led him to the patron’s table. The man looked like he was in his early forties. Dining with him was a woman.
