Page 10 of Croatia Collateral
Hammer’s lips pressed together. “Thus, the need to kill all access to phones and internet on the island.”
“What you need is a limited-range EMP generator,” Dax said.
A grin spread across Hammer’s face. “Knowing Hank and his tech guy, Swede, I wouldn’t put it past them to invent one for the occasion.”
All the talk had begun to bore Giva and make her anxious to get moving again. “So, Mr. Franklin, are you still in? Or is it too dangerous for your liking?”
Dax faced Giva. “You aren’t getting rid of me that easily. The mission is more of a challenge than I expected, which makes it even better than I imagined.” He held out his hand to Hammer. “I’m in.”
Hammer shook his hand and nodded toward Giva. “Looks like you’ve got yourself a partner.”
Her jaw tightened as she met and held Dax’s gaze. “For the record, I prefer to work alone. Unfortunately, even if I tried, I could never pass for Maas. Just don’t get in my way.”
Dax held out his hand. “I’m sure we’ll work well together.”
Giva placed her hand in his, liking how coarse and strong it was. She let him draw her to her feet.
Before she was completely balanced on her heels, Dax gave her hand a quick yank.
She teetered on her heels and then crashed into his chest.
Dax’s arms came up around her, steadying her. Then he bent and pressed his lips to hers in a hard, fast kiss that was short but intense.
When Dax raised his head, Giva’s mind was strangely muddled. Her blood coursed through her veins so fast she thought she might black out.
His hand cupped her elbow and stared into her eyes, a warm smile spreading across his face. “Are you all right, darlin’?” he said softly.
His low, sexy tone made Giva’s pulse race and her core flare with heat.
For a moment, she forgot that she was a tough, former Sayeret Matkal who could shoot with more accuracy than the majority of the men on her team before she was discharged from the IDF. Hell, she forgot to breathe.
Her reaction to Dax and his kiss shocked her to her very core.
He released her and took a step back.
For a moment, Giva swayed. Then sanity rushed back in with a vengeance. Her hand shot out, aiming for the man’s smirk.
He caught her wrist before her palm could connect with his cheek. A dark eyebrow rose. “Is this how you treat your lover?” he murmured. Louder, he said, “We’ll have to practice a lot. You need to work on your kissing skills if anyone is to believe we’re lovers.”
The temptation to slap him again and the control it took to hold her hand fisted at her side was almost a physical pain. She lifted her chin. “You call that a kiss? I’ve kissed strangers with more feeling and conviction than that.”
“Care to put your mouth where your money is?” Dax asked.
Hammer chuckled. “You two are going to be perfect together. I was just reading somewhere that Maas and Sasha have a fiery relationship.” He slipped an arm around Jasmine’s waist. “We couldn’t have picked a better match.”
Jasmine smiled, her gaze on Dax and Giva. “Agreed. Now, you two should get some rest.
“Hank and Sadie are due to meet up with the real Maas and Sasha as we speak,” Hammer said. “Once they make it to the island and Hank puts measures in place, he’ll contact us on his satellite phone. Until then, you’re to stay in your hotel, keeping your heads down.”
“We arranged for you to share a suite under the names Sandra and Edward Hughes,” Dmytro said.
Hammer nodded. “When we get the all-clear from Hank, you can begin shopping under your fake names while word spreads that Evan Maas is in Zurich with his girlfriend. You’ll have the opportunity to play your parts in public before you travel to Croatia.”
Jasmine’s brow dipped. “Anywhere other than here in the Brotherhood Protectors Office, you need to project yourselves as Evan Maas and Sasha Royce. You never know who will be watching.”
“True,” Hammer said. “While you’re roaming through the streets of Zurich, you’ll have bodyguards surrounding you, just like the real Evan Maas. A chartered plane will take you to Dubrovnik at the end of the week to the scheduled meeting of the Nexus Collective. You’ll need to be ready.”
Dax nodded. “I will be.”
