“I knew what I was signing up for when Porter laid the truth out four months ago. I was well aware of the risks. I had to prove to the Volkovs I wasn’t entrapping them. But now, with the missing sources, it’s clear someone at Headquarters is dirty. Possibly sabotaging me. The timing can’t be a coincidence, not when I’d planned to have Katya go missing last week. Everything was falling into place until—”
“The missing sources,” he finished on a frustrated sigh. He was terrified for her, but he also admired her determination. Now more than ever, he knew why Ana was so tense and wound tight. Saying she had a lot on her plate would be an understatement.
“Yesterday, I tried to buy myself some time and offered up the identity of the FBI’s second Volkov source, knowing full well they wouldn’t be able to get to him in Miami.”
He thought back to the car with Chris just yesterday outside the Hoover Building. It felt like a week ago, though. “That was the pass you made with Dominick yesterday?”
“Yeah, and earlier today, I told Grigory I found the forger, but I had no choice. I didn’t want him to question my loyalty and lose the chance to get to him.”
A.J. closed his eyes at her admission. His heart squeezed uncomfortably. “You talked to him today?” he asked again to ensure he’d heard her correctly, doing his best not to feel betrayed at the news she’d been on the phone with a dangerous criminal without his knowledge.
“Yes, and as poorly as everything turned out with having to look guilty to my colleagues, this plan might actually work. I think Grigory will arrange a meeting in Budapest. He wants the key himself. He won’t trust anyone else to get it first.”
“You’re seriously considering meeting with the new leader of the Volkovs, a man the SVR wants dead, without the FBI backing you up?” He did his best not to sound sarcastic, but damn, was she insane?
“Of course not. Porter was going to arrange a team to follow me, but then he had to go dark, and now I am too, so . . .”
“I’m thinking I won’t be able to stop you from going through with this, but can I at least back you up?” If she said no, though, he’d have to piss her off and protect her anyway.
“Are you sure you’re okay with that? I don’t want to endanger your team.”
His eyes stretched. “I’m here with you through this. My team is in Bama, too. We’ll figure this out together. You don’t have to keep all this bottled up inside anymore. It’s not good for you.”
She swiped a fallen tear and looked away from him as if suddenly worried that one tear was more painful or revealing than the ones on the porch earlier.
His palm slid up her leg, stopping shy of her shorts. “But, Ana, what if Grigory Volkov knows your parents were the ones who stole the ledger and key in the first place? They’re the reason forged copies exist. What if the revenge he might be looking for includes hurting you?”
“Porter mentioned that risk, too.”
“And you ignored it?” His free hand knotted at his side with his need to protect her from the likes of the Volkovs of the world. And from men in suits at the Bureau who were willing to do whatever it took, including risk Ana’s life, to close a case.
“It’s worth the risk.” She reminded A.J. of Natasha and her conviction to chase down The Knight. But that case had brought Wyatt and Natasha together, and now they were getting married in a month.
“Not in my eyes.” He stood and removed his hat, on edge thinking about the million things that could have gone wrong had A.J. and his team not been assigned to surveil Ana.
Everything happens for a reason.
“A.J., please.” She rose and stepped around the blanket to get closer to him.
“Who else, aside from Porter, knew about your undercover work?” Something was still bothering him about all of this, well, aside from all the other things bothering him.
“I don’t know, but Porter didn’t want a record of my assignment in the system at the Bureau, too worried about sensitive information being hacked, or falling into corrupt hands.”
“And you don’t find that suspicious?” He wasn’t too keen on Porter at the moment.