BRENDEN WAS DONE WITH the crowded back yard. There were too many people. It was draining. And yet the day was a success.He dumped a few abandoned cups in the sink, rinsed them out then stacked them to await the next run of the dishwasher as the appliance was currently chugging away.Priscilla and her sister stood near the back porch with his mother and aunt, their conversation involving a lot of hand gestures and laughter.She fit here. With him. In his family."Hey there." Oaklynn stepped up next to him, the baby passed out in her arms. She bumped his hip with hers as she swayed."Hey." He reached over and tugged on Oaklynn's long hair, earning a playful swat from her.She turned to face him. "Okay, so, like, when are you two getting married? Are you going to ask her tonight? Because you totally have that look.""What?" Brenden frowned at her. "What look?""The she's-all-I-think-about kind of madly in love look."Brenden turned his attention back to Priscilla who wa

GRANT ANDERSON STARED DOWN the empty hall, still reeling from his exchange with Melody.What the hell just happened?He'd known things were off between them lately, but he hadn't seen this coming. With their last job wrapping up so fast, he'd made plans. A God damn private chef was supposed to be here in half an hour to cook lunch then a masseuse. He'd warned the guys to stay away, that he and Melody would be working. In reality what Grant really wanted was to lay his claim on her publically. Let everyone know they were together. But he'd never done that because that wasn't what she wanted.And now she didn't want him.How was it they were breaking up? And she didn't even want to talk about it? She'd just decided how it was and that was it?Grant pushed off the chair and strode to the other side of the house where the neatly manicured lawn butted up against a high fence dividing this property from the neighboring one.It was a tropical paradise, and he'd thought if they sch

Wednesday. Safe House, Playa d'en Bossa, Ibiza.GRANT REALLY SHOULD HAVE called the chef as soon as Melody had walked away from him. Now he was going to be on the hook for the rest of the payment. He couldn't imagine eating the meal he'd hoped to share with her by himself. Or leaving it by her door to enjoy the meal cold, if she'd take it at all.The doorbell peeled again."Coming," Grant called out as he jogged across the floor to the entry.He paused to peer through the peephole. Some habits just didn't go away.A man stood on the other side, his head bent, the sun glinting off his dark head of hair. He wore a dark jacket. A chef's coat?Had Grant ever gotten a picture of the person that company was sending over?He blew out a breath and mentally kicked himself.The op was over.He shook his head, banishing the paranoia that came with every job, and unlocked the door. There was no reason for a retaliatory attack. Besides, they'd ensured the last assholes could ba

Wednesday. Hard Rock Hotel, Ibiza Town, Ibiza.THE DAY STRETCHED ON; the hours seeming to last days as the party raged outside. The news hadn't told them anything new since the first newscast except the names of the victims were bystanders who'd gotten caught in the crossfire. Wherever his team was, Grant had to believe that they'd gotten away and they'd all connect in the morning.It was going to be a long damn night.Grant glanced at Melody sitting at the table bent over a book of some sort she'd found in a drawer. They hadn't spoken much, not since she'd recovered from the initial shock of it all.Melody's strength, her resilience, was something Grant admired about her. She was cool under pressure. He hated that it had taken him almost a year to realize how valuable she was not only to the team, but him. He'd been an ass in those early months, but he'd said his apologies. He'd believed they were past that.So where had they gone wrong?He studied the back of her head,

Wednesday. Private Yacht, Ibiza.LIMAN STARED DOWN AT the two men bound and gagged, secured to a bulkhead."Where are the other four?" he asked Khaled.The man fidgeted. It appeared even he was feeling the pressure. Good. "The men are still looking, sir."Liman grimaced. This plan only worked if he had all of them. He needed bodies to barter with, to prove his point.He kneeled next to the big one, the one who'd nearly taken out four men.Liman switched to English. "Where are your friends?"The man just stared at Liman."This will go easier for you if you cooperate."They both knew the prisoner wasn't going to speak.Liman patted the man's cheek then straightened. It was time to handle this personally."Move them to the shore. I want a report ready by the time we land.""Yes, sir."Khaled scurried off to relay the order, leaving Liman alone.He took the stairs back up to the deck and stared out at the ocean. A few years ago when he'd been approached about