Riding The Edge - Elise Faber Page 0,24

back from the glass, I saw movement.

Coming in from the water.

And in the distance?

Boats.

A whole line of boats.

Eleven

Southern Italy

20:12hrs local time

Dan

The knock on the bathroom door sent my blood pumping, and for one instant, I thought that Ava had acted on the heat I’d seen in her eyes.

The same heat I was feeling.

Desire drawn tight after the kiss.

Since that day in the gym, I’d promised myself I wouldn’t push her again, that I’d be patient until she made the next move. I’d soak up every nugget of information, file away every detail.

But I’d be patient and wait.

I just . . . hadn’t known it would be so difficult.

She was so fucking strong and locked down, and yet I could feel her pain beneath those walls. And God, I just wanted to make it go away.

That was just wasn’t reality.

I couldn’t wish away pain and bad memories. I couldn’t give her a decent family and an easy childhood. I—

The knock came again, sharper this time.

“Boots on,” Ava said. “Two minutes ago.”

Yanking myself out of my head, I didn’t waste time by asking questions. I just yanked on my shirt, old habits making it so that I’d already put on my jeans, socks, and boots. I’d take a bare chest over bare feet any day of the week.

Turning the handle, I yanked open the door and stepped out into the hall. Ava thrust a bulletproof vest and jacket at my chest. “The beach.”

I nodded, got busy strapping everything on, then reached for my gun. “Tell me.”

Ava was checking Luna in rapid, efficient movements before breaking her down and putting her into a large beach tote. Inconvenient, yeah, but it wasn’t like we could start running through the hotel with weapons.

“Boats about a hundred meters out. Olive and Ryker have already moved into position. They spotted Sergio and Romeo moving toward the dock behind the hotel.” She lifted the bag onto her shoulder, busied herself strapping a blade to her thigh over her jeans, shoved her feet into her boots. “Laila is watching their backs at the bar while organizing the other teams.”

I quickly checked my weapons, slid them into the various holsters. Guns on my chest, knives in my boots. “Where does she want us?”

“Rendezvous point six.”

So, on the far side of the beach, behind the dock. “Got it.” I shrugged into my jacket, headed for the door, and checked the peephole.

Clear.

I flicked open the bolt, tugged open the heavy wooden panel, holding it wide and glancing back at Ava. “So, you and Luna ready for a midnight stroll?”

I’d checked the peephole.

But the peephole didn’t show everything.

And by the time I processed that there was panic on Ava’s eyes, by the time I’d recognized her reaching for her weapon, it was too late.

I spun, deflected one blow, dodged another.

Click.

“Put the gun down, Evelina.”

I glanced over at Ava, saw the indecision on her face.

“Take the shot,” I mouthed.

I knew she wouldn’t miss. It was a fact of life, just as I knew the Earth revolved around the sun, that gravity pulled objects down, that I would give her my heart, if she only asked.

The barrel of a gun pressed against my temple. Hard.

“I can’t,” she mouthed, still holding her gun, but her eyes were flicking back and forth.

Fuck.

I knew then it wasn’t that she didn’t want to take the shot, but rather it was that she didn’t have the shot.

I dropped my weight, got out of the first hold using one of the tricks I’d learned from her, spinning and kicking out, thrusting up with my elbow to knock the man who held me unconscious. Then I lurched back, intending to make it to the door, wanting it between me and Ava and the bad guys. We’d be trapped, but we would have more weapons and time to call in backup.

But there wasn’t space to be had, wasn’t space to move and maneuver.

Not when the hallway was crowded with fuckers speaking Italian and our backup wasn’t in the room next door. Not when we were alone, and I couldn’t make my way to Ava.

I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and ducked.

Not fast enough.

Something hard collided with my temple, exploded into red-hot pain.

And the last thing I heard before blackness swarmed up and pulled me under was Ava crying out my name.

Unknown hrs local time

I didn’t know how many hours had passed by the time I woke up.

But I emerged from unconsciousness, carefully slitting my eyes open and finding myself