RILEY JOGGED DOWN THE STAIRS.Melody and Grant had retreated to opposite ends of the house, which meant their nightly sparring for who was really in control was over. Riley knew what he was about to do was over the line. Grant wasn't going to forgive him for this easily, if ever. But it was the right thing to do."Hey, Melody?" He leaned against the kitchen counter where she stood going over something on her tablet."Hm?""Can I speak to you? Upstairs?" He kept his voice low.Melody didn't say anything but her body grew still and her gaze slowly slid toward him."It's about Erin," he said even softer.Melody jerked her head once.Here went nothing.He turned and led the way back up the stairs, sweat breaking out under his arms and along his spine. Before Melody, when the team was divided, he and Grant weighed in with voting. Now that Melody was in the picture, there were three of them in charge. If Riley got her on his side, Grant would be out-voted. He would see this

Riley tossed the phone on the bed and let go of Erin. He undid the Velcro holding his vest on and shed it, grateful for the cool air. Erin turned away from him and paced toward the tinted, floor to ceiling windows, worry following her like a shadow. The borrowed dress swirled around her feet, making her seem to float.He crossed the room to stand next to her, staring out over a park in the heart of Erbil."We're going to figure this out," he said."How?" She glanced at him. "Whoever these people are, they're organized. They have equipment and tools. What did I do to piss them off? If this was directly related to NexGen, wouldn't there have been something else? An attack on them? Other employees?""Zain will find out.""You think?""I know." Riley snorted. "I'm glad he's on our team because that bastard can uncover shadows under a rock. If there's something to find, he'll have it for us. Just give him time.""How'd you get into this line of work?" Erin nodded, but the weig

"I still am. That's different." Erin glanced at him, her gaze locking on his bare chest. She was a sucker for a six pack in cans or flesh. Something about those little ridges of muscle did it for her in a way that didn't make sense."How's it different?""Because... Those people were hurt because I didn't make people listen, and now they're involved in something someone wants to cover up. I need to get to the bottom of this before anyone else is hurt, and then..." She shrugged."You want to do something else?""Maybe? I mean, I'm missing out on my nieces and nephews growing up. My parents growing old. And for what? A job? I'm not sure it's worth it, in the big picture. Anyone who knows the language can work with the locals. There are people here who could do my job, maybe better than I can, so why not let them?""That's a good question," Riley said. "Is that what you were lying awake thinking about? Work?" he asked."Sort of." She wasn't ready to reveal her weaknesses to hi

Erin was a goner.Riley wrapped his arms around her, picked her up. Erin yelped, but he moved too fast. One moment she was sitting on his lap, the next she was on her back, laid out on the lounge. He grinned down at her, far too pleased with himself. Her heart did a painful somersault. She couldn't even tell herself to lower her expectations because she already knew he wasn't a selfish lover.He dipped his head, their noses bumping before he kissed her mouth. She curled her arms around his shoulders. His hand slid past the waistband of her yoga pants and into her panties. She groaned, already acquainted with his talented fingers. He cupped her mound, stroking her folds. She groaned and lifted her hips, but he kept the contact gentle.Erin's body was too hot, her insides twisted up with need. If she didn't come soon, she'd burst. Riley clearly had a slower pace in mind, but she couldn't handle that. Not right now. She was too raw.She slid her hands down his chest, but the farth

SUNDAY, BEST INN, ERBIL, KURDISTAN.THOMAS EYED HIS CARDS and then the pile of money sitting in the middle of the table. It wasn't much, mostly some coins and a few bills, but it was the biggest pot they'd had all morning."Come on, you guys aren't really going to let me take this?" Vaughn thumbed at the pot of money."You don't have shit," Nolan said without missing a beat."You don't know that." Vaughn grinned.Thomas was ready to put a bullet in both men's skulls. Their constant banter grated on his nerves. They wouldn't stop talking, and yet they never said anything useful. Nothing at all about what they were doing to find Erin Lopez or what their next move was beyond lying low at the hotel.For all he knew, the fifth team member had absconded with Erin and was out of the country already, which would mean they knew where Thomas' loyalty lay and what he'd been doing here all along.He eased back in his chair, slouching a bit, as though he could fall under their rada