the door. Staring after him, Brittany touched her still tingling lips, wondering what had just happened.
“What do we have?” Fuse pulled out a chair in front of the bank of screens and sat down.
Deke took a seat next to him. “Wrath pulled the men from here for the op. They’re taking off now. Mitch’s additional men will arrive within the hour.”
Fuse adjusted the brightness on one of the screens. “Did Wrath give you any details?”
“He’s working on final plans with Rock, Ghost, and Grayson. We’ll get them as soon as possible.” Deke lowered his voice. “How’s Brittany?”
“As you’d expect. Pissed at how we handled it. Ready to get this over with and head back to her job.”
Massaging the back of his neck, Deke’s mouth twisted into a grimace. “I may have been a little heavy-handed.”
“No worse than me. Brit had to hear it straight.” Still, Fuse had a sour taste about how it all went down. Scrubbing a hand down his face, Fuse stared out the glass doors to the side patio. “My gut is exploding. Never a good sign right before an op.”
Deke leaned forward, resting his arms on his legs. “Talk to me.”
Scratching his forehead, he shook his head. “Nothing specific, just a sense we don’t have all the Intel required for tonight. I’ve been on a lot of ops with these guys. If they sense anything is off, the teams will evaluate and adjust.”
“Whatever your instincts, the op is going ahead tonight. Our job is to keep Brittany safe until it’s over.” Standing, Deke paced to the hall at the sound of someone in the kitchen.
“I didn’t lock Brittany in her room. That’s probably her.” Fuse picked up his ringing phone. He listened, walking to join Deke. “Roger that, Wrath.” He slid the phone into his pocket, mouth thinning. “The op’s a go at midnight. Rock will lead one team, Ghost the other. That’s all he gave me.”
“Wrath wants us focused on protecting Brittany.” Deke turned toward him. “We don’t need details on the raids. Did you tell her about the plans tonight?”
Fuse shook his head. “She’s a civilian. No reason to bring her into our work. The less Brit knows, the better.” He hoped what went down tonight would result in her freedom. Fuse checked the time. “Seven hours to go. I’m getting something to eat.”
The sound of engines had the two moving to the front of the house, neither sparing a look at Brittany in the kitchen. She stopped the food preparation to follow. Standing several feet back as they opened the door, she spotted three vehicles parked in the circular drive.
“Who are they?”
Fuse and Deke shifted to look at her. It was Fuse who spoke. “They work for Mitch. We’re changing out the guards, nothing to worry about.”
She watched Mitch join them, shaking hands, motioning around the property. After a few minutes, he led them around the house toward the side yard and barn.
Retracing her steps to the kitchen, she finished chopping onions for a large pot of chili. She’d already browned the five pounds of hamburger, which had been neatly stacked in the refrigerator. Checking in the pantry, she’d spotted several cans of kidney beans and jars of seasoning. Easy, simple, and filling for men who barely tasted the food they chowed down.
Dumping garlic and onions into a large pot, she stirred, oblivious to anything except her own muddled thoughts. Brittany felt as if she fought two battles. One for her life, the other to protect her heart from Fuse.
Firm hands on her waist had her startling. She hadn’t heard him come up behind her. As in the bedroom, he kissed her neck, letting his lips draw a path to her jaw. Brittany shivered at the light touch while doing her best to focus on the sautéing onions. Instead of protesting, her head fell back against his shoulder.
“You’re distracting me,” she breathed out as the wood spoon stilled in her hand.
“That’s the idea, babe.” His hot breath whispered across her skin. Lifting his head, he studied the ingredients on the counter. “Chili?”
Feeling his hands move around her front to press against her stomach, she tried to regulate her erratic breathing. “Hope that’s all right.”
“The guys will love it. Guess I didn’t know you cooked.” Pulling her close before releasing her, Fuse looked out the kitchen windows.
“I had to learn sometime. My favorites are Italian, Mexican, and southern foods. My apartment near D.C. is loaded with recipe books, although I pull a lot from