The Girl Next Door (Shadow Agents #6)(27)
Author: Cynthia Eden

He was already shaking his head before she finished speaking.

Her delicate jaw hardened even as her hazel eyes narrowed on him. “Lockwood and McAdams let the killer in because they trusted him. You trust a man or a woman who has protected your back in the field. They let him in, just as Malone and Flintwood did.”

“I can’t give you access to the files of existing agents.”

“You are tying my hands!”

He rose. “Then find a way to untie them. You’re here to work up the profile so that I can see which of my agents might best fit it. You can build the profile without digging into confidential records.”

Noelle rose, too. She was a tall woman, skirting close to five foot nine, and she had on high heels that gave her an additional two inches. “If I can’t talk to the agents, what about the reporter?”

He smiled. “Of course, but don’t let her know about us.”

“Of course,” she muttered right back.

Mercer headed for the door. Noelle wasn’t the only one who wanted to question that reporter. He needed to find out exactly what the rogue had said to her.

“He may have made similar contact with the other victims,” Noelle said, her words making him pause near the door.

Mercer glanced back at her.

“I figure we have two options with him. Either this is part of his MO—he calls his victims, he taunts them, and then he kills them…”

Mercer waited.

“Or else he’s contacting Gabrielle Harper because she’s a reporter. He wants the attention that she can give him.”

“He wants to expose the EOD.”

Noelle nodded. The light glinted off the lenses of her glasses. “He’s killing agents—”

“Punishing the EOD,” Mercer said. He’d done his share of profiling over the years, too.

“So why not take it one step further? Show the world just how dangerous the EOD truly is.”

That couldn’t happen. Too many lives were on the line.

“I’ll arrange a meeting between you and the reporter.” He just had to pull a few strings.

Then they had to figure out…was Gabrielle Harper becoming the killer’s target? Or did the rogue think she could be another weapon to use against the EOD?

* * *

THE SOB HAD actually called her. Rage still beat in Cooper’s blood. Hours had passed since that phone call. He’d searched the area near the DOC but had found no trace of the killer.

He’d taken Gabrielle back to the brownstone. The cops had finally cleared out, but Gabrielle hadn’t shown any interest in going upstairs to her place.

She’d gone straight for his apartment instead.

The storm that had been threatening all day had finally erupted. He heard the clatter of thunder as the pelting drops of rain fell outside.

Gabrielle was on his couch. She’d kicked off her shoes and tucked her feet under her body. She looked small—delicate.

And scared.

Her fear pissed him off.

He stalked toward her. His knees brushed the couch. “He’s not going to hurt you.”

She looked up at him. He hadn’t been able to hear the caller’s words, not clearly, and he hadn’t wanted to push her for more information with so many eyes and ears around. She’d talked with Carmichael about the call, but the cop had pulled her away from Cooper for that little chat.

He forced his jaw to unlock as he stared down at her. “I need to know what he said.”

Because Mercer had already called him—twice— demanding details.

“He…he told me that you weren’t who I thought you were.” Her arms wrapped around her stomach. “He told me that you were lying to me.”

His heartbeat seemed to echo in his ears.

“He knew your name,” she continued without looking away from him. “And he told me that you weren’t who I thought.”

Bastard. “He’s trying to shake you up. To make you afraid.”

“I am afraid.”

“Don’t stop trusting me.” He reached down, caught her hands and pulled her up so that she stood beside him. “He wants you to turn away from me so that you’ll be on your own, vulnerable.”

I won’t have that. The rogue wasn’t going to take Gabrielle’s life. Cooper didn’t plan to walk into an apartment and smell her blood.

Or find her lying on the floor, motionless.

“Cooper?” Gabrielle frowned at him. “Are you all right?”

No, he wasn’t. His heart wasn’t drumming in his ears any longer. It didn’t seem to be beating at all. His body felt cold, like ice that sank through skin and bone. “I won’t do it.”

Her head tilted toward him. Her dark hair slid over her shoulder. The move exposed the golden column of her neck.

Sliced open, bleeding out…

“Do what?” Gabrielle asked him as she searched his gaze.

“I won’t find you dead. It’s not happening.” He knew what the cold was in that instant—fear. Fear didn’t burn, it chilled, and it was freezing him from the inside, out.

He pulled Gabrielle close and put his mouth against hers.

The rogue couldn’t get her. The killer wasn’t going to drive a wedge between Cooper and Gabrielle, and the guy wasn’t going to kill her.

The kiss was hard, too rough. But Cooper wasn’t in control then. The ice had to melt. He had to get closer to Gabrielle, had to make sure that she was safe.

His hands wrapped around her body. Her mouth was open, so sweet and hot. He drove his tongue past her lips and tasted.

Took.

He lifted her into his arms.

There would be no stopping this time. He couldn’t.

Cooper carried her back to the bedroom, kissing her the entire time.

Desire pulsed within him, growing stronger with every step, tangling with the fear and the fury within him.

Lightning flashed. Thunder shook the windowpanes.

He lowered her to her feet, letting her bare toes skim the hardwood, positioning her near the edge of the bed. Light from the lamp spilled over the bed.

Cooper stepped back from her. He couldn’t give her honesty about all parts of his life, but in this moment, he would give her everything that he could.

“I want you.” His voice was gravel rough with desire. “Trust that. Trust me.”

Her gaze held his. He could see her need shining in her gaze. “I do,” she said softly.

That broke him. The last of his control vanished.

She started to lift up the edge of her shirt. His fingers caught hers. He wound up throwing that shirt across the room.