Agent U7: Keegan (The D.I.R.E. Agency Series Book 7) (2 page)

Clint stopped beside her, knowing most of that hostility was probably intended for him. Breathing hard, she looked his way, her exotic eyes wild with adrenalin.

Holding up his hands in surrender, he spoke in a cautious voice. “Are you okay?”

Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly before nodding. “Yes. Do you mind calling Riordan?”

Mind? She’d just made quick work of a guy bigger than her, and she wanted to know if he’d
call
? It was the least he could do.

Sending a message to all of the agents and Mitchell, he turned to grin at her. “That was impressive. I take it you’ve been working with Saint?”

With a smug grin, she said, “Yes. It was the first thing on my to-do list when I got back.” Shaking her head, her grin disappeared, her voice distracted. “I won’t be a victim again.”

Did he tell her about Monica and Austin? She had a right to know. Yet, it wasn’t his place and, God forbid, he ruin her week. Saint would kill him, for sure.

The man groaned against the pavement. Clint gave him a hard kick in the face, knocking him out.

“I can be an insensitive bastard sometimes.” He gave her an earnest gaze. “I didn’t mean what I said back there.”

“Yes, you did,” she said, looking away from the attacker. “And, like you said, you’re entitled to your opinion.” Stepping close, she stood a few inches shorter than him, the scent of sex and salt water swirling in his nostrils. “Right now, the only person’s opinion that matters to me is mine. That may sound selfish and conceited, but at this point, I don’t care. I’ll do whatever I want, whenever I want.”

She tugged on his tie, her hazel eyes swirling with heat. The breath lodged in his throat, his body stirring to life.

“You see, Clint, no one and nothing will control me again.” Her palm trailed up his chest and over his shoulder, leaving a shadow of heat in its wake. She whispered in his ear. “And, if I wanted you, I’d have you.”

* * *

“We need to postpone the wedding.”

Keegan shifted where she sat on the desk. She knew someone would say it. Leave it to her sister Natalie to sacrifice her own big day for Keegan’s safety, and all over some loser that approached her in the parking lot. She wouldn’t have it.

“No, Nat,” she said, ignoring the team of big, scowling super agents sitting around her in the operations center of the D.I.R.E. San Diego office. The room wreaked of cologne and leather, the hum of a small refrigerator in the corner carrying to her ear. “I’m not going to let this ruin your wedding. I’ll stay close so there’s always an agent nearby.”

“You’re not our only concern.” Mitchell Jacobs, D.I.R.E.’s first in command, turned his chair to look at her, his wife, Angela, sitting on the arm. “Monica tells us she’s after Teague, too.”

The
she
in question was some woman who called herself
the Madam
. Keegan wanted to laugh aloud at the absurdity. It made her think of prostitution rings and gaudy clothes. If this woman was tied to Cyrus like this Monica person said, Keegan probably knew her. She also probably knew Monica. Unfortunately, she and Austin Rose, Jaydan Rose’s brother, were recuperating in the hospital from gunshot wounds they’d sustained when he’d rescued her from the Madam’s south Texas farm.

Regardless, she wouldn’t allow Cyrus to control her life anymore. She was
done
. She wouldn’t rest until her life was free.

“I realize that,” Keegan said, before nodding at Dylan McCall standing by his fiancée Teague Hamilton. “But, you’ve destroyed Cyrus’s Mongolian compound, his grandfather’s Hawaiian island home, you’ve confiscated his genetic enhancement program, and destroyed his time machine. He’s locked up wherever you have him, and from what you’ve said, Austin and Col. Montgomery killed many of the clones on the Madam’s farm. Are you, the most powerful security agency in the world, really not up for the challenge of protecting people you care about most in the world?”

The scowls deepened, particularly the one on her soon-to-be brother-in-law’s face. These agents were the epitome of alphas everywhere. They didn’t like to hear someone question their skills and ability to get the job done.

If that hadn’t given them a swift kick in the rear, nothing would.

Riordan said, “Keegan, it isn’t that we’re unable to do it. We just don’t want to take any unnecessary risks. Natalie and I are committed, whether we make it legal or not.” He looked over at Dylan. “I’m sure McCall and Teague would say the same thing.”

The couple nodded in unison.

Committed. Keegan understood the concept, but couldn’t fathom why anyone would want to be tied to one person. For years, she’d lived tied to Cyrus and had cried nearly every day.

She wanted to live life, to see the wonders of the world. She wanted to bungee jump, learn to ride a motorcycle and play in the snow. Her short-sightedness must appear immature and selfish, and she knew she had to settle down soon and decide what to do with her life.

However, right now, she wanted to make Natalie happy. Thankful didn’t begin to describe how she felt about being here to experience her sister’s big day. She’d be damned if she’d let Cyrus and this Madam ruin it for her.

“Keegan,” Hope said, “You were just attacked in the parking lot. You should be all for this postponement.”

Riordan’s sister had quickly become her best friend. Despite the strained relationship between their fathers, the two of them, and Natalie, were close.

“We don’t know if my attacker was sent by the Madam or not. For all I know, he was just a mugger off the street. From what we do know, she doesn’t have many men at her disposal, anyway. If he was a clone, your regular sweeps would’ve killed him.”

The man’s attack in the parking lot had been a true test of her progress. When he’d stepped out from between two cars in the desolate parking lot, her body didn’t quake in fear. Her self-defense lessons with Riordan had given her a confidence she’d never possessed before, not to mention the security of the knife she kept strapped to her wrist beneath her sleeve. Adrenalin had shot through her blood in seconds, her body poised to fight. The knowledge pleased her, knowing she could only get more confident as time went on.

“You were lucky you weren’t hurt,” Jaydan said, with an arm around Hope’s shoulders.

“Luck had nothing to do with it,” she said in a defensive tone. “I defended myself fair and square.”

Riordan’s serious blue gaze swirled with determination. “You’ve done well with your self-defense lessons, but Jaydan’s right, you got lucky.”

Leave it to these men to discredit her win. Just like Cyrus, they thought her weak and vulnerable.

Clint Robinson’s deep voice broke into the tense silence. “As the only witness in the room, I’d say he was the lucky one. She kicked his ass.”

Shock filtered through her at Clint’s praise. Her gaze shot to his face, but he wouldn’t look her way.

She grinned to herself. He was still sore she got his…
hackles
up.

He wasn’t really attractive, although he was quite masculine for a laboratory rat. With a square, dimpled jaw and pale, grey-blue eyes, he was more old-fashioned than his rugged appearance. He wasn’t a blond, polished pretty-boy like Cyrus, but a blond, shaggy-haired, uncomfortable-in-a-suit kind of man. She wouldn’t be surprised if he rolled out of bed and went straight to work without a thought to his appearance. He had more important things to think about.

“You’re not helping, Clint,” Riordan glared at him.

Clint crossed his arms over his chest, his back against the wall. “I just want to make sure we have a true picture of what went down, that’s all, Saint. I’d hate to see you postpone after all we’ve gone through to get here.” He glanced her way.

She smiled at his surprising show of support.

“But,” he added, with an acquiescent tilt of his head, “I understand why you’d want to do it. She remains vulnerable until they’re stopped.”

Damn him
. With a lethal glower, she turned away.

Tristan Jacobs turned to his father. “Mitchell, we only have the rehearsal and wedding left on the agenda. I say we take over the entire hotel and bring in every D.I.R.E. agent on staff. If this Madam’s out to destroy the agency, our agents have a vested interest in the situation.”

Aidan Monroe nodded. “I agree. We continue to scan for clones with the device and distribute photos of the assassins to everyone involved. Keegan’s right—we’ve got them while they’re down. Why let them intimidate us?”

Dar Naylor gave Aidan a fist bump. “We have the upper hand. Let’s get through this, then bring them down for good.”

Keegan like d’Artagnan Naylor. A lot. He knew what it was like to be controlled. His father had done the same number on him and his twin, Cassandra. From what she’d heard, both had thrived since Robert Naylor’s demise.

“Yes,” Keegan said. “If they come to us, it’ll be easier to bring them down on our own grounds.” Excitement pumped through her. “We just have to be prepared.”

“Wait, just a minute,” Natalie said, looking at Riordan before her gaze went back to Keegan. “There is no
we
in this, Keegan.
You
hide.” She pointed at the agents around the table. “
They
bring them down.”

Anger chomped at her insides. There was no victory in watching someone else gain her vengeance. She needed to be a part of their defeat. A part of her would never rest until she knew, first hand, Cyrus was gone for good.

“Nat, I know how they think better than anyone. I need to be involved.”

Mitchell finally spoke up. “Walking out into that parking lot alone was a foolish move, Keegan. Mistakes like that can cost lives and I won’t risk my agents—or my lead scientist. Until I
know
you won’t run off half-cocked, you remain in hiding.”

Obviously, he hadn’t heard anything she’d said. Hopping down off the desk, she walked past the others, toward the door. “Just try to detain me, Mitchell. I dare you.”

Chapter 2

Chairs scraped against the tiled floor in an explosion of clatter, as Riordan and Jaydan hopped up from their chairs, Natalie and Hope following. Clint knew the agents well, knew the two men would do anything to secure the well-being of the women they loved, and Natalie and Hope loved Keegan.

In their inherent need to assist, the other four agents rose because, after all, they were a team. And, as the better halves of the four agents, their women rose too, in support of their cause. So, with one simple statement, Keegan Meeks had managed to put the entire D.I.R.E. super-agent team on alert.

The woman had a gift.

Clint knew they were all wasting their time. Short of using a tranquilizer dart, there was no way they would stop her. She believed in her mission. As a matter of fact,
it
controlled
her
, whether she faced it or not. Stubborn didn’t begin to describe her, with rash a close second.

Taking his wife’s hand, Mitchell leaned back in his chair and looked at Clint. “You’re not going, too?”

With a wry chuckle, Clint shook his head. “I know when something is a waste of time.”

“Do you?” Mitchell said, with a cocked brow. “What would you do in the situation?”

“I’d test the DNA samples Monica brought back from the farm, determine who the assassins are and put their DNA into the DNA tracker. I’d also get Cyrus’s DNA and put it in the tracker, too, in case the Madam is a relative. While I doubt she’d do her own dirty work, she may want a front row seat in light of the circumstances. Either way, we’ll know they’re coming.” He shrugged. “What Keegan does is really irrelevant. She’s on a mission of her own and no one is going to sway her. If she gets hurt, or worse, it will be her own doing.”

He’d seen that first-hand. Not that she hadn’t scared him to death, but he now knew she had a practice of rushing in before assessing the risk. Obsessed with finding her own peace, she would stop at nothing until she accomplished her goal.

“Saint and Natalie deserve this wedding, Mitchell. I want to see it happen as much as anyone. I think we need to take a step back and look at this objectively, rather than personally. We need to treat this like any other op.”

Mitchell took a deep breath and let it out. “I should put you in charge and take Angela back to Tristan’s place in Trunk Bay.” He glanced at his wife.

Nodding, she leaned down and kissed his cheek. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

Stunned, Clint could do nothing but stare. To receive a compliment like that from Mitchell Jacobs was a once-in-a-lifetime event.

“Don’t look so surprised, Robinson. Jim and I had always planned to put you and Tristan in charge when we retired.” His mouth turned down at the corners. “Then again, Jim and I always thought we’d retire together.”

Clint studied his boss. He could see the exhaustion in Mitchell’s face, the frustration. When this was all over, he would insist he and Angela take a vacation.

“You just started the agency, Mitchell. You can’t seriously consider retirement.”

He gave his head a dismissive shake. “I’m not. I’m just damned tired of Matheson’s name coming up on my to-do list. It’s exhausting.”

Relief washed through him. Mitchell Jacobs was the backbone of the organization. To lose him meant to lose D.I.R.E. as they all knew it.

“Besides, I can’t retire until you’re settled down with the right woman. As long as you’re single, you have the freedom to go elsewhere. I need to know you’re here to stay.”

Two shocking statements from Mitchell in one day. They must have traversed into some sort of alternate universe.

Frowning, he said, “Why would you think I’d go elsewhere?”

“You’re looking for someone to settle down with. You’ve been working out with the agents, changing your look.” Standing up, he helped Angela to her feet and approached Clint. “It takes a special woman to put up with our lives. If you choose one that can’t, we lose you.”

He had no intention of leaving D.I.R.E. Mitchell had given him the freedom to do his thing, to experiment and take his ideas to new heights. He would never consider going anywhere else.

“I have no plans to leave the agency. You know that. You and Jim promised me unlimited research and development. You’ve delivered on that.”

Mitchell clapped him on the shoulder. “Yes, but you haven’t met the right woman yet. All of that could change with just a look.”

He thought of the look Keegan gave him earlier. If a woman like her turned that look on him in genuine interest, he would be hard pressed to deny her anything.

“Don’t hold your breath, Mitchell.” He held open the front door and let them pass. The group stood in the distance, speaking in raised voices. “So, what’s the plan?”

Mitchell’s voice held a note of frustration. “Your plan, with one caveat.”

He fell into step beside them. “What’s that?”

“I want you to keep an eye on Keegan.”

Clint stopped in his tracks. The last time someone asked him to do that, it didn’t turn out well.

“I’m a scientist, Mitchell, not a bodyguard.”

He stopped and turned back to Clint. “I know that. But, I need all of my agents on duty and your lab is back in Nevada. Keegan needs someone with your patience and good judgment.”

In his opinion, what she needed was a good wallop to her backside.

“If something happens to her, Saint and Rose will kill me.” Between Saint’s magnetic hands and Jaydan’s super strength, his death would be excruciating at best.

“Then don’t let anything happen to her.” Mitchell gave him a crooked, half grin. Angela chuckled.

Clint’s mouth dropped open. “But, I just—”

Mitchell held up a hand to stop his rant. “Look, I know she’s going to do her own thing. I just want you around to be a voice of reason. Maybe you can make her think twice about taking risks.”

He knew a sales job when he heard it. Mitchell was putting the responsibility of her safety on Clint’s shoulders. Just like his parents had done when he was a kid. He hadn’t put much thought into it at the time, but now, he knew better. He wasn’t cut out for that sort of thing. That’s why he wanted to marry a woman that would be happy staying at home and raising their kids. The idea of a family appealed to him immensely.

He just didn’t trust himself to rear them.

“I’d have to handcuff her to my arm.” Which, considering her sex life, wouldn’t bode well for him.

Mitchell’s mouth twitched. “It worked for McCall.” He turned to walk away.

“Keegan and I don’t get along,” he called out.

Mitchell stopped and looked back at him, his eyes round beneath lowered brows. “Really?”

Clint shook his head once. “Not at all.”

He mumbled something under his breath that sounded like
he never saw that coming
before he gave Clint a confident nod. “You can handle it. I have faith in you.”

Clint shut his eyes and released a long breath. That’s what his mother had said, too.

* * *

“Don’t tell me…”

Clint walked past Keegan into her hotel room, the clean scent of springy bar soap lingering behind him. Drops of water clung to the ends of his blond hair where it curled against his nape. A navy t-shirt with a rip down the right side stretched tight across his wide shoulders. It hung loose over the waistband of his faded jeans, which fit his firm, muscled backside as if they were custom-made. One black sock and one blue sock covered his average feet as he padded to the curtains and turned around, hands on hips.

“Yes. Your little outburst cost me babysitting duties.” His blue-grey eyes swirled with irritation, the bands of his shirt sleeves taut around his sculpted biceps.

Shutting the door, she walked to the edge of the bed and hugged the mahogany post, her gaze taking in the stunning change in his appearance. This was the real Clint Robinson, not the guy in the Calvin Klein suit she’d talked with in the bar.

She liked what she saw.

Unfortunately, they stood on opposite sides of the room, at a standoff, rather than rushing to the bed and diving under the covers.

He’s everything you
don’t
want, remember?

True. She definitely didn’t want to sleep with anything remotely similar to Cyrus. He haunted her enough, without comparing him to Clint. Flushing out the old and taking in the new was her mantra. Clint had to go.

“Well, you’re not staying here, Doctor Robinson.”

Dropping down in the desk chair, he sat legs wide. “I don’t like this any more than you do, but Mitchell says otherwise, so I’m staying.”

Back at the D.I.R.E. parking lot, she’d agreed to behave if Natalie and Riordan continued with the wedding. The standoff had been exhausting, but worth it.

Until Clint walked in the door.

Hatred should be forefront in her mind right now. The man had all but called her a whore for wanting to know what good sex felt like, for trying to learn what excited her and what didn’t.

For trying to wipe the memory of Cyrus’ sexual abuse from her mind.

Yet, something about Clint’s composed, unassuming nature attracted her. His ordinary looks were actually kinda extraordinary when they weren’t buttoned up in an expensive suit. How odd.

“Do you always do what Mitchell says?”

His gaze bounced off her breasts, bare beneath her
I Am Invincible
sleep shirt, before looking up at her face. “If I think it makes sense. If it doesn’t, I question it.”

She sat on the end of the bed, her legs crossed into a lap. “Did you question
this
?”

He tipped back his head to look up at the ceiling, the muscles in his neck distending. He gave a sarcastic chuckle. “I fought it.”

“Why? Afraid of me?” She couldn’t help but provoke him.

His smile disintegrated, a scowl in it’s place. “No. I just didn’t want a front row seat for tonight’s one-night stand.”

Wincing inside, she cursed herself for allowing that to hurt. He didn’t understand her, didn’t understand her motives, didn’t understand that, despite her freedom, she still felt trapped.

Still felt Cyrus would come back for her.

“Kiss my ass, Clint.”

Jumping up from the bed, she went around the side and pulled down the covers. Reaching over for the lamp, she turned off the light, leaving him sitting in the dark.

“Are you serious?” His voice carried over the hum of the fan beneath the window.

Fluffing her pillow, she turned on her side, leaving her back to him. She pretended to snore.

He let out a breath, his footsteps light against the carpet. The bed dipped behind her, the lamp illuminating the room again.

“Keegan.”

Snoring louder, she didn’t want to talk. Didn’t want some politically correct apology that meant nothing.

Didn’t want to cry. Again.

His touch on her arm sent a shiver racing through her. What was he doing? He didn’t belong in her bed, didn’t belong in the room.

She didn’t want him there.

He pulled the covers over her shoulder. “You’re cold.”

Actually, you are…
“Go away, Clint.”

“I can’t.”

She pulled the covers tighter around her. “Yes, you can. You stand, walk to the door, open it, and pull it shut behind you. It’s really quite simple.”

He breathed through his nose. “Or, you could roll over, look at me, and let me apologize again for acting like an ass.”

“I don’t
think
so.”

“Why not?” He actually sounded offended.

“Because you wouldn’t mean it.”

His swallow echoed in the room before his gentle hands turned her to face him. Something in his soft touch made her allow it, the swallow telling her whatever he said next had to be difficult. She squinted against the dull light.

“Believe it when I say I really am sorry. That was rude and…unprofessional.”

Obviously, she was wrong. His words were just as empty as she’d expected. She sputtered with laughter. “Really, Clint? What does professionalism have to do with any of this?”

His eyes widened in panicked confusion. “Well, we’re working together.”

Pulling her arm from under the covers, she waved her hand between them. “Does this look like work?”

A lopsided grin blossomed on his face. “Depends on your line of work.”

They shared a smile before hers disappeared. “I’m not a whore, Clint.”

His shamed gaze strayed to the coverlet before he nodded. “I know.”

“Then why do you judge me?”

His gaze returned to her, his voice lined with exasperation. “I don’t understand. I mean, look at you, you’ve got to be one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen, you’re smart, wealthy, strong, and you’re having random sex with random men. Why? Your actions seem stemmed from desperation yet…you’re not.” He gave a self-deprecating laugh. “It would make more sense coming from someone like me.”