Page 25 of Steel Vengeance

“What now?” She cradled the teacup. “Are we still working together on this, or have you got what you wanted?”

Now he knew what Omari and the CIA were up to, there was no reason to keep working with Sloane. But for reasons he wasn’t about to get into, he was reluctant to call it quits.

“It wouldn’t hurt to find out a bit more about this shipment,” he murmured, after a beat.

She exhaled, unable to hide her relief. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

His stomach did a funny twisty thing, and he hoped he wasn’t making the wrong decision. This wasn’t his fight. Omari and Ghani were going down no matter what.

It was late when Stitch finally made it back to the safehouse. He’d walked the four blocks from Sloane’s apartment to town, then all the way back to Mrs. Bhatti’s. His landlady was already in bed, so he made himself a quick snack, showered, and collapsed onto his mattress.

Had sticking with Sloane been a mistake?

He had what he came for. He knew who she was, who she worked for, and exactly what Omari and his cartel buddies were up to.

Another shipment was on the way.

Scum. That’s all they were. Drug dealers. The kind who’d burn entire villages to the ground just to keep their operation running smoothly. He clenched his fists, his entire body tensing with the rage that simmered just beneath the surface.

Breathe.

Let it go.

But he couldn’t. He never could. That anger was the only thing holding him together. Without it, he had nothing left. Soraya, his family, his home... all of it gone.

Revenge was his only companion now. The only thing driving him forward. Without it, who the hell was he?

But then, in the middle of the haze, Sloane’s face flashed in his mind. Her laughing brown eyes. Those soft, cherry-red lips—sensual, kissable.

He squeezed his eyes shut.

No.

Hellno.

He couldn’t be thinking about another woman. Not now.

It was too soon.

It’s been over a year, a voice whispered in the back of his mind. But he shut it down. Time didn’t matter. It was still too soon.

So why the hell was his body responding to her like that?

A year without sex will do that to you, he reasoned. It was biology, nothing more. When you’re face-to-face with a woman like Sloane, your body reacted. Simple as that.

Even if his body was ready, his heart sure as hell wasn’t. He needed to walk away. Let her handle her mission by herself.

Staying would only make things worse. It would complicate everything. She’d fail because of him. He already knew that much. In the end, he’d disappoint her like he disappointed everyone.

Omari would be dead.

Her mission would be over.

She’d get sent back to D.C.

Then what?

Not my problem.