Chapter 26

26

Kate had a fiancé?

Fenn's mind reeled as he sat next to Kate, trying to process the bombshell that had just been dropped. Of all the reasons he could think of why she'd turn him down if he asked her out, having a fiancé she thought she'd helped get killed would never have made the list.

Bad breakup? Check.

Fear of intimacy? Possibly.

Living, breathing man with a really stupid name that she was already promised to? Not even.

What that meant for his own, non-existent future with Kate, he'd…not think about.

Just…not.

The tiny room was overheated, but Fenn couldn't blame the temperature for the sweat beading along his hairline. He breathed in the faint smell of diesel exhaust coming from the main warehouse. Great. Now he'd forever associate that smell with the day his world blew apart.

His mind whirled, but he leaned into his decade of training. Outwardly he slipped into the poised, neutral interrogator mode. Inside, he was a ball of fury. But he could deal with that later.

Underneath the disguise, the man was way more handsome than the beat-up dude from the tavern. Tall, with hefty muscles and piercing eyes, Steele was the perfect Hollywood approximation of a special forces operative. He and Kate would have made a movie-star-quality couple.

Fenn studied him, trying to get a read on the man. He appeared calm, straightforward. But lots of deep cover operatives got coaching in how to suppress their emotions and lie well. The man's rational, reasonable demeanor didn't really tell Fenn anything.

Fenn leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms, the casual teammate asking casual questions. For her part, Kate looked like she was about to throw up.

He sucked in a breath of overheated air and started the interrogation. "So, let me get this straight. You faked your death, left Kate to mourn you for over a decade, and now you're back because you need her help?"

Steele had the decency to look uncomfortable. "It's not like that."

"Huh. ‘Cause it looks exactly like that. How about you enlighten us?" He aimed for calm, but there was an edge to his voice he couldn't quite hide.

Steele sighed, a deep, heartfelt sound. Exactly what a script would call for right now. "I was recruited for a deep cover mission. I couldn't tell anyone. Not even Kate. It was too dangerous for her."

Fenn's eyes narrowed. "And over the past ten years you couldn't find a way to let her know you were alive? To spare her the grief?"

Kate reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "Fenn, it's okay."

He turned to her, his expression softening. "No, it's not okay. What he did to you… It's not right."

"You're right about that," the other man acknowledged, but he didn't offer anything else.

Fenn shot Kate a questioning glance before turning his attention back to Hawk. "You're the one who left Kate those notes."

Though it wasn't really a question, Steele nodded.

"Why here?" he prodded. "Why Kate, and why now?"

Steele spread his big hands in a helpless gesture, which didn't fool Fenn for an instant. The man knew exactly what he was doing.

Steele cleared his throat. "I knew Kate wouldn't want her team knowing about her past. Figured she'd stay in the area to hunt down the writer."

"And bashing me in the head?" Fenn raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, that." The guy had the decency to look apologetic. Or he was a better actor than Fenn wanted to give him credit for. "Sorry about that. Wanted to get Kate alone. Thought if I disabled you, I'd get my chance."

Fenn snorted. "Didn't work out so well for you, did it?"

"No," Steele admitted, a hint of frustration in his voice. "Once you two got back to the hotel, Kate never left your side."

"Imagine that," Fenn said dryly.

Steele shot him a pointed look. "Seems like you might be more than just a teammate."

"Nope," Kate interjected, "a teammate. As if I'd leave a team member––" Her face paled.

The anguish twisting her beautiful features whipped Fenn's anger back into a fury. Clearly sensing his heat, Kate spread her fingers, pressing down in a universal gesture.

Calm down .

Chastened, he nodded. This wasn't his rodeo. He was here to offer support. Defend her, as needed, and help solve this weird puzzle. He could box with his own emotions later, on his own time.

Steele seemed oblivious to the byplay between them, concentrating all his attention on Kate. "I need your help. I didn't want to involve your team. The note was the only way I could think of to get you to ditch the rest of them," he added, glancing at Fenn.

Fenn touched the back of his head, wincing slightly. "Yeah. Not such a great plan, dude."

Steele ignored him, focusing on Kate. "I've been on the run from the Consortium since that night in Loaita Cay. I need your help to escape them, but I couldn't risk showing my face. The Consortium has eyes everywhere. Even out here, in Endurance, I couldn't risk contacting you directly."

He leaned forward, his expression grave. Academy Award quality sincerity. "This works both ways. You and your team are going to need my help, too. The Consortium is aware that Jason Reilly is after them. They're hunting him back. They're going to come after you and your team next."

Fenn watched the mix of emotions play across Kate's face. She'd just taken the worst body blow he could imagine. She'd be reeling, numb and off-balance. Certainly not her normal, razor-sharp self.

He needed that Kate back.

He eyed Steele. "We need a minute."

The man hesitated, then nodded. "Sure. I'll step outside."

As soon as the door closed behind him, Fenn turned to Kate, his frustration and anger bubbling over, despite his vow to tread gently. "Hawk Steele? Seriously? No way that's the guy's real name."

Kate looked like she didn't know whether to laugh or punch him in the face. "That's really where you want to start?"

"Probably not." He resisted the urge to dig his fingers into his hair and pull. Man, he was off his game by about a million miles.

"And yes," she added. "It's his real name."

"No way. Hawk Steele is a Tom Cruise character in a Marvel Comic movie."

"That's a fair point."

It sure was. But not what they needed to be discussing.

He heaved himself up. Paced the tiny space. "Why are you believing this guy? I know you have history. I get that. But it's been almost fifteen years. He shows up out of nowhere and you're ready to jump in and help him?"

"He's not just some guy, Fenn. He's…he was important to me. And if what he's saying is true?—"

"If," he interrupted, his voice rising. "That's a big if, Kate. We have no proof. No evidence. Just his word."

"And what reason would he have to lie?" She shot back, her own frustration evident.

His pulse pounded along the side of his neck. "I don't know. Maybe he's working for the Consortium. Maybe this is all some elaborate trap."

Kate shook her head, her expression softening. "I know it's hard to trust him. But I have to believe that there's still some good in him. That he wouldn't come to me for help unless he really needed it."

Fenn sighed, running a hand through his hair. He knew Kate was right. As much as he hated to admit it, they had to at least hear the guy out. But that didn't mean he had to like it.

Or the overblown action hero.

"You're right." He took her hands in his. "You call the shots."

She nodded decisively. "Let's get back to it, then. Hear the man out."

"Roger that." He resisted promising to behave, though.

There was only so much a man could take.