Guardian Ranger (Shadow Agents #2)(14)

“Now you’re running headfirst at a killer? With no cover?” Her words held the snap of a whip. “Jasper was on the ground, covering the woman. He didn’t have your back. You didn’t wait for me or anyone else to come and help. You just...attacked.”

Because he wasn’t the kind to sit back and wait.

“If you’ve got some kind of death wish, you could be putting the whole team at risk.”

The team. His team. The Shadow Agents who worked as a unit in the EOD. Sydney was part of his team. As was Jasper and their field leader, Logan Quinn. Jasper figured that Logan would be making an appearance soon, right after he finished his recon work in the area.

This case was big. Very, very big. All-hands-on-deck big. The EOD had sent in their best unit in order to find Cale Lane, and the Shadow Agents weren’t going to stop until they brought the guy down.

Shadow Agents. They’d earned that nickname after their first few missions. No one had even seen them move in for their attack. Move in like shadows. Make no sound. Attack. Leave without a trace. That was the way the team worked. Normally.

This wasn’t a normal situation. This time, they were hunting a killer who’d targeted some of their own. Other EOD agents. They weren’t shadows this time. They were hunters who wanted their prey to be afraid.

“So do you have a death wish?” Sydney pressed, and she turned that deep gaze of hers on him. As always, when he stared in her eyes, he felt as if someone had just punched him in the gut.

Beautiful Sydney Sloan. Untouchable Sydney. Deadly Sydney.

“Worried about me?” He forced a mocking tone into his voice.

“Yes.”

He wouldn’t let his expression change. He’d always had to keep his guard up with her. Off-limits. Sydney wasn’t for him. He knew that.

He didn’t need his brother’s ghost to remind him. But when he looked at her, he could almost hear Slade’s voice. “I know you want her, man. I’ve seen the way you look at her. But she’s mine. She’s going to marry me.”

Only Sydney hadn’t married Gunner’s brother. Because Slade Ortez had died in the jungle, and Gunner had been the man who pulled Sydney away from his body.

Gunner rolled his shoulders and forced his gaze from hers. The sheriff was pacing around the scene, looking furious. He was justified. Someone had just blown up his station. Gunner was surprised he was keeping any level of cool.

Sydney kept staring at him. Waiting. He could see her from the corner of his eye. The woman never gave up. Not on anything.

Or anyone.

“I don’t have a death wish,” Gunner told her quietly because it was obvious she wasn’t going to let this drop. “So don’t go running to Logan telling him I’m dangerous.”

“That’s not what I meant—”

He knew that. Sydney cared—that was the problem for them both. He tried to distract her, saying, “I didn’t even realize you had surveillance set up last night.” Now he felt as though he could glance back at her. “Tell me you caught sight of our killer.” An image of Cale would cement the case against him.

She shook her head. “I’d just installed one camera. Thought it might be good to keep eyes on the station. I’d made it back to base and was testing the equipment when I saw—well, the flames were pretty hard to miss.” Her voice dropped. “I saw the men fall, then I saw you take off. I knew I couldn’t get to you fast enough.”

“I can handle myself.” She should know that.

“Can you?”

Before he could respond to what Gunner was sure had to be a deliberate taunt, the sheriff glanced his way. Then Wyatt began to march toward him.

“Wyatt Halliday,” Sydney murmured. “Divorced, age thirty-four. Did a brief tour in the army, got a BA in criminal justice from Texas A&M. Got shot in Dallas, almost died tracking a perp, and then the guy came out here. Guess he was looking for some peace and quiet.”

Peace and quiet weren’t on the day’s agenda.

Wyatt huffed as he approached. “You.” He jabbed a finger at Gunner. “We need to talk.”

Gunner shrugged. Then he inclined his head toward Sydney. “This is Special Agent Sydney Sloan.” That was her title at the EOD. He hadn’t exactly lied to the sheriff just now. He was just letting him believe Sydney was a special agent with the FBI.

Wyatt hesitated. His gaze darted to Sydney. Lingered just a little too long for Gunner’s comfort.

“You wanted to talk?” Gunner snapped, trying to draw Wyatt’s attention away from Sydney.

Wyatt jerked his gaze back to Gunner. “I want to know what’s going on. I got a friend at the bureau. I called him. He said there weren’t any missing persons’ cases that fit this attack profile, that he didn’t know of a suspected perp who—”

Gunner raised his hand. “I’m not in town to investigate kidnappings. That was a cover I needed to give until we could get my team better established in Whiskey Ridge.” Just like his cover with the FBI. But Sydney would have put safeguards in place for the FBI bit. If anyone investigated, if the sheriff got too curious, he’d find that there was a record for a Special Agent Gunner Ortez and a record for Special Agent Sydney Sloan.

Sydney was always good at creating the covers.

“Then just why are you in town?” Wyatt pushed. “And why is my station destroyed?”