“Not quite.” Sykes looks rattled. “They’re two of Petrov’s top men. They spend most of their time in Moscow. If they’re here…”
“It’s serious.” Conor’s voice is flat. “Which is what I’ve been reiterating for the past hour.”
“This could be huge,” Sykes murmurs. “The Evanoffs have been on the Most Wanted list for years, since they set off that car bomb at the American Embassy a decade ago. If we can bring them in…”
“Picture your promotion later, Sykes. We’ve got more important things to deal with. Namely, getting Hunt to a safe house. Now that you understand the threat, surely you’re on board with that plan.”
“On the contrary,” she retorts. “I’m more certain than ever that we need Shelby to return home — under constant surveillance, of course — to draw these bastards out into the open so we can finally take them down.”
“Out of the question,” Conor growls.
“It’s not just your decision!” she snaps back.
“Like hell it isn’t. She’s my asset. This is my case.”
“This is bigger than one asset! Bigger than one case, even!” Sykes is breathing hard. “Five Americans died in that embassy bombing. Don’t we owe it to them to take down their killers when we have a chance?”
“Stay out of this, Sykes.”
“We might never get this opportunity again, Gallagher. You know I’m right, even if you don’t want to admit it. ”
His hands curl into fists.
An ugly silence descends over the small room.
“Um,” I chime in, clearing my throat delicately. Both of them whip their furious faces my way, and I gulp. “Yeah. Hi, there. Me again.”
They keep glaring.
“So… Are you planning to keep up this verbal sparring session until one of you drops dead of exhaustion? Or would you like to hear my thoughts on the matter? Since your entire plan hinges on whether or not I decide to cooperate?”
“No,” Conor says flatly, frowning.
“Yes,” Sykes says at the same time.
I take a deep breath. “If these Evanoff brothers are as bad as you say they are, I’m not going to be safe at some remote location. I’m not going to be safeanywhere.” I pause, ignoring the racing of my pulse. “So… I might as well go home and let you catch them when they come calling again.”
“You don’t understand what you’re risking.” Conor takes a step toward me, expression furious. “You don’t understand how much danger you’ll be in.”
“They could’ve killed me yesterday,” I point out. “They didn’t. They barely laid a hand on me.”
“I doubt they’ll be so merciful the second time.”
“Like you said, they think I have information about Paul. Even if they get close enough to hurt me, they won’t — not before I can tell them what they want to know. That gives you the perfect opportunity to take them down.” My eyes move to Sykes. “Right?”
“Exactly.” She’s actually smiling. “We’ll have eyes on the house at all times. They’ll never get close enough to touch you.”
“Forget it.” Conor crosses his arms over his chest. “It’s too risky.”
I meet his cold stare. “This is Paul’s mess.Mymess. If there’s something I can do to help fix it, I’ll do it.” I sigh. “I just want this over with, so I can finally move on with my life.”
“Hunt, you might nothavea life if you go through with this plan.” Conor leans in, trapping me with an intent look. “You’re not putting yourself in the crosshairs. I won’t allow it.”
“You won’tallowit?” I jerk my chin stubbornly. “Last I checked, you aren’t my father or my brother or my husband. You don’t make decisions for me. Starting now, the only one who makes decisions for me… is me.”
His eyes flash with dark rage. I get the sense he’d like nothing more than to take me by the shoulders and physically shake some sense into me.
“You are making a mistake,” he growls. “Trust me on that.”