Page 31 of Rafe’s Future

“Someplace quiet where we can question him without being heard or seen.”

“And after that?”

Rafe shrugged. “Depends on his willingness to cooperate.”

He wouldn’t murder the man in cold blood, of course. No matter how tempting the thought may be. That was a line he had yet to cross in his fifty-plus years, and he had no plans of doing so anytime soon.

“I want first crack at him.”

Lena’s declaration gave him pause.

“He may have shot my daughter.”

“He may have murdered Sanchez and Calhoun.” She turned her unyielding stare his way. “I get that you want to go at this jerk, and you’ll get your chance. I promise. But I can’t—” Lena’s voice cracked with emotion before she cleared her throat and tried again. “We finally have a chance to stop Kozlova once and for all, and I can’t risk losing him a second time.”

After a brief but tense moment of silence, he decided to do things her way.

Even so, he felt compelled to remind her, “You do realize he’s of no use to us dead.”

Lena’s gaze slid back to his, her lips forming a slow, calculated smirk. And with a tone as lethal as the woman herself, she said, “Guess it’s a good thing I don’t plan on killing him, then.”

CHAPTER SIX

Former government black site

Rural Charlotte . . .

“He’s late.” Lena checked her watch as Rafe stood texting someone from a few feet away.

After their close call with Speedy McGee—aka, the jerk behind the wheel of the other car—they’d brought him here, to a modest-sized building in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by trees.

“West will call as soon as he can.” Rafe’s deep rumble was as calming as it was sexy. “Try to be patient.”

Pointing at a closed door across the room, she countered with, “I’d be a lot more patient if we knew more about him.”

Their hitman-turned-captive was currently being held in a room down the hall from the closed door. Game of highway chicken aside, the suppressed pistol, sheathed KA-BAR, and switchblade they’d found in his pockets after the crash was proof enough.

He’s our guy.

And once they were ready to roll, Lena was going to try her best to get him to talk.

“He’ll call,” Rafe repeated his assurance that they’d hear back from Derek West soon.

Rafe had already spoken to his team on the drive here, having filled them in on the latest development. When they’d arrived at yet another one of Rafe’s off-books sites several minutes later, they’d carried their unconscious prisoner inside. Now all they had to do was wait for West to return Rafe’s call so they could gain access to the guy’s phone.

“Sorry,” Lena begrudgingly muttered, admitting, “I’ve never been very good at this part.”

Rafe’s small grin sent her heart racing.

“I remember.” His gaze slid to hers. “Asking you to relax was like asking a fireman to stand by while his house burned to the ground.”

A huff of laughter broke from her lips. “Patience is definitely not my strong suit. I’d like to think I’ve gotten better over the years, but⁠—”

The ringing of Rafe’s phone drowned out the rest of her words.

“See?” The mouthwatering Brit’s expression turned deliciously smug. “I told you he’d call.”

With a roll of her eyes, she went to where he stood, glad to see it was a video call.