Unaffected by the warning, Coop gave him an unapologetic shrug. “I needed to know the kind of man I was entrusting my sister to.”
“Why me?”
“I need to be here with Mac. Trevor’s wife’s pregnant, so I don’t want to risk bringing danger to their doorstep. Grant’s wife, Brynnon, just gave birth a few weeks ago, and Jake...”
“What about West?” The man hadn’t mentioned the team’s computer genius.
“Derek needs to focus on the case. He’s already back home, running through the bazillion computer programs he has in hopes of finding something that will lead us to our guy. I don’t want D missing something important because his attention’s being split between that and keeping my sister safe. But if this makes you too uncomfortable, I can ask Derek to look over Ems.”
Not waiting for a response, Coop pulled his phone from his pocket and began typing out a text.
Trace should have felt relieved. After all, it was the most logical solution.
Derek was part of Coop’s team. Emma knew him. Probably trusted him. Asking Derek to protect Emma made perfect sense.
Yet, in the very next second, Trace heard himself blurting, “I’ll stay with her.”
The young sniper stopped typing and shot him a look. “You sure?”
No.
“The team should be with their families. Just in case this wasn’t an isolated incident.”
“Emma’s probably going to fight us on this,” Coop pointed out, even as he was shoving his phone back into his pocket. “She doesn’t know you. I don’t either, for that matter.”
If this was another test, he was about to pass it with flying fucking colors.
“No, you don’t. But McQueen does.” Trace slid his hands into his pockets. Doing his best not to think about his friend lying in the ICU, fighting for his life, he said, “Jake and I served together. And when he was ready to form a new team out east, he came to me. Hell, the guy practically begged me to take the job. Whichshouldtell you all you need to know.”
Coop nodded. “You’re right. Sorry for making you think I was questioning your integrity. I just had to be sure. She’s my baby sister, you know?”
“I do.”
“You have a sister?”
“No.” Thank fuck. “But I’ve worked with enough big brothers to know the drill.”
The unspoken rule was as old as time. Sisters were strictly off-limits.
Which was fine, because this wasn’t about him trying to get into Emma’s pants. It was about keeping her safe.
Yes, but why is this woman’s safety so important to you?
It was a question Trace couldn’t answer. For reasons he didn’t understand, he felt an overwhelming need to protect her.
And that was exactly what he planned to do.
“I get that I’m new to R.I.S.C., but I’ve known Jake a long damn time.” He stared back at Coop. “I want to find the bastard who tried to kill him as badly as any of you, but I also don’t want to see anyone else get hurt. I have the experience and the skills to keep Emma safe, so don’t worry. I’ll guard her with my life.”
“Thanks, man.” Coop drew in a long breath before exhaling slowly. “I’ll go tell Emma you’ll be staying with her tonight. I can drive you guys to her apartment, and then come back...” Coop pinched the top of his nose. “Damn it.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I rode in the ambulance with Mac, so my truck’s still back at the office.”
Trace was in the same predicament. He thought back to what the scene looked like before they left.
The area was swarming with police setting up barricades, a multitude of first responders, and investigators working the scene. It was going to be a pain in the ass trying to get their vehicles out of there today.