Chapter 5

Delta Team Headquarters

Later that afternoon…

Rocky satin his usual seat at the long oval table. Like every other man there, his gaze was directed toward the massive flatscreen mounted high on the north wall of Delta Team's expansive conference room. But just as it had been for the past several hours, his focus was split between work and thoughts of a woman he barely knew.

Raegan's a security guard. With a gun. A gun she used to shoot at a man.

When Rocky had shown up at the bank, he'd pulled the first uniformed officer he saw to the side, flashed his Delta Team ID, and then…the guy opened his mouth and started talking. As soon as the young officer saw the R.I.S.C. name, he was all too eager to share what he knew.

Definitely a perk of the job.

The guy told Rocky all about the attempted robbery, as well as the heroic actions of the "smokin' hot" guard who'd been on duty. While he freely gave Rocky the scoop on what had gone down, a witness standing nearby eagerly filled in the rest after inserting herself into the conversation.

By the time Rocky had made his way inside the bank—by the time he'd made his way to her—he'd had a pretty clear picture of what had gone down. And when he saw Raegan standing in that black badged uniform with her arms wrapped tightly around her center…her appearance slightly disheveled and her cheek bruised and starting to swell…all he could think was…

She could have died today.

Now, here he sat, hours later, and he was still reeling from that knowledge—and the fact that Raegan went to work every day packing heat.

Sure, his new neighbor was a bit feisty, and her perfectly timed, sarcastic quips and hilarious one-liners had left him in stitches the night he'd been over to her house. But even just trying to imagine her engaged in a life-and-death gun battle…

That was a picture Rocky's mind refused to let him see.

You really need to chill the hell out, dude. It's not like she's yours to worry about.

No, she wasn't his. He'd just met the woman two days ago, for fuck's sake. But despite that, there was something about the sexy blonde he couldn't seem to shake.

From the moment he'd first laid eyes on her from high atop his roof, Rocky had felt this sort of force pulling him to her. The confusing sensation only grew stronger after their shared meal of pizza and wings.

And despite the fact that they'd only spent a single evening together…so far…he'd be lying if he said there wasn't a tiny part of him that wished Raegan was more than just his neighbor.

Only a tiny part?

"I appreciate you all taking the time to meet with me this afternoon," Agent Talia Foster—the team's new Homeland Security handler—appeared on the giant flat screen. "I know my request to meet was very last-minute."

Rocky blinked himself back to the present. Less than an hour before, their team leader had gotten a message from Foster's assistant requesting the virtual conference call. And when the agent in charge of a specialized task force that answered directly to the President of the United States asks you to meet…

You meet.

Forcing all thoughts of a certain pretty, confounding blond from his head, Rocky locked down his focus and gave Agent Foster his undivided attention.

Technically, the woman's given name was Natalie. Not Talia. But a few months back, during their first introductions by the team's former handler, the thirty-five-year-old brunette had been quick to share her preference for the Syrian version of her name, instead.

My father is from New Jersey, but my mother's family came from Syria. When I was born, she agreed to name me after my paternal grandmother on the condition that they address me as Talia, which is the Aramaic version of the name.

The explanation made sense, but in truth, the men of Delta Team couldn't care less what the woman wanted to be called. The only thing that mattered to them was that she did her job, and she did it well.

So far, so good.

"Of course," Christian greeted Talia from his place at the head of the table. "Luckily, we were all in-house, so it worked out well."

"That's good because we could potentially have an all-hands-on-deck kind of situation brewing in your neck of the woods."

Rocky and the others shared a collective look, and just like that, every man in the room hung on the woman's next words. But what he didn't realize—what none of them could even beginto predict—was just how close to his home the government agency's newest concern would hit.

"I don't know if you're aware yet, but five of Chicago's twenty US Bank branches were either robbed or involved in an attempted robbery earlier today."

Rocky went completely still as a heavy knot formed deep inside his gut. "Five?" he asked for clarification.

He knew of two—Raegan's branch down the street and one up north shortly after. But he hadn't heard about the other three. Of course, he and the team had been busy since he'd gotten back to the office, so there was that.

They'd had two previously scheduled client meetings and another with a potential new client. Each of those was followed by the team's usual pow-wow afterward to discuss what they'd learned from those meetings, and he'd barely had time to take a piss before Christian sent out the all-call requesting they return to the conference room ASAP.

Now they were back in here for yet another meeting, and this was the first they were learning of what sounded a hell of a lot like a coordinated attack. One that had targeted several branches of the same national banking chain…all in the city of Chicago.

What the hell is going on?

"Even if I did believe in coincidences," Brody began. "Five branches of the same bank in one day? No way those aren't connected."

"I'm with King." Rocky gave the former SEAL a nod. "That many locations involving the same national banking chain all getting hit in one day?—"

"In the same damn city…" Cade jumped on board Rocky's train of thought before turning his clean-cut head toward the screen. "You got times on when each one went down?"

Agent Foster typed something on the laptop to her right before returning her attention to the team. "I just sent each of you a copy of the report I was given. Everything I know is included. But to answer your question directly, Mr. Ellis, yes." She turned her hazel eyes in Cade's direction. "The branch on East Washington was struck first, followed by number two at the branch on North Clark a few minutes later. At nearly the same time, three additional branches reported an armed robbery in progress."

The team listened as their handler named off those banks' locations and times of the remaining three robberies. By the end of Agent Foster's briefing on the incidents at play, the evidence she'd relayed all but proved what everyone was thinking.

"So this was a coordinated attack," Rocky stated the obvious.

The ends of Foster's long, straight, dark brown hair slid up and down along her shoulders as she nodded with unwavering certainty. "Going off the evidence we currently have, yes. The FBI and local law enforcement agencies have spent the afternoon prepping their people in case a second attack is being planned."

"Do we know who was behind it?"

"Unfortunately, no. Not yet. The three young men in custody aren't talking, and with the other two in the wind, we're pretty much at a standstill."

"Search warrants?" Christian asked next.

"Warrants were expedited on the homes of those arrested. The FBI's top team is leading the case, and Agent Atwell is keeping me in the loop as close to real-time as possible. If there's anything in those locations that will help us with this case, Atwell's team will find it."

A stretch of silence passed before Liam's internal thoughts made him frown. "Why banks?" he asked no one in particular.

As usual, the team's tech guy was already analyzing the few details they knew.

"What do you mean?" Cade turned his dark gaze Liam's way.

Liam's brown eyes slid the other man's way. "If the intel Homeland received on this is accurate, the people who robbed…or tried to rob…those five banks were working together. They hit at roughly the same time, but to what end?"

"I'm with Cutler," Brody piggybacked off Liam's point. "It had to be orchestrated by someone, but I don't know…" The muscular operative gave a shake of his clean-cut head. "The way this whole thing played out; these guys don't exactly scream ‘professional' to me."

"I agree." Rocky nodded. "If my five-foot-nothing neighbor was able to take one of them down, no way these were pros."

"Raegan Perry is your neighbor?" Agent Foster's pretty hazel eyes grew a bit wide. "I spoke to her at the scene, but I wasn't aware you two had a connection."

"We don't." He shook his head. "Not really. She recently rented the house next door to mine."

Settling back into her cushy black chair, Foster considered what he'd just revealed. "So your new neighbor is a security guard at the bank just down the street from Delta Team's building…which also happens to be the first branch that was hit today?"

"Don't forget the part where she took down the armed asshole," Jagger finally spoke up for the first time since the meeting began. "Ask me, the woman deserves a fuckin' medal."

The woman on the screen nodded. "I've watched the security footage from inside the bank. She acted swiftly, professionally, and without the slightest hesitation or concern for her own safety. At least, that's how it seemed."

Rocky frowned. "What do you mean that's how it seemed?"

"My people are digging into your neighbor's background as we speak. As long as nothing concerning pops up, and if she truly was acting strictly out of duty for her job and the protection of the bank's customers and other employees…then Mr. Brooks is right. The woman does deserve a medal."

Her unsure tone had Rocky sitting up a bit straighter in his chair. "What do you mean if she was acting out of duty to her job? From what I understand, Raegan singlehandedly took down the suspect, with zero loss of life or injury to anyone other than the guy with the gun. A highly volatile situation involving open gunfire and hostages…" He glanced around at the others. "That's impressive by anyone's standards."

"I'm not implying Miss Perry had anything to do with the robbery or its planning," Foster addressed him directly. "In fact, Agent Atwell gave her props when she spoke to Perry at the bank shortly after the incident. But you know as well as I do that in cases such as this, everyone's a suspect until they've been cleared. Especially the bank employees. In addition, knowing she recently moved into a house that's right next door to a Delta Team operative, we also can't rule out the possibility that this has something to do with you or your team."

The powerful woman had a point, and Rocky fucking hated it. Oftentimes, bank robberies ended up being an inside job. Not that he believed Raegan would ever be a part of something like that.

Because you know the woman so well? It's been less than a week, Rock. And in that time, Raegan's shared bupkis about herself or her past.

His inner voice was right. She had been pretty tight-lipped about herself the other night. In fact, the woman had changed the subject damn near every time he'd tried asking more about her.

Raegan had also seemed more than a little interested in the private security firm he worked for. But, like an idiot, he'd gone straight to her being in danger.

The extra locks…the woman's somewhat odd behavior when it came to revealing anything personal…breaking eye contact the second he mentioned her childhood or where she'd grown up.

It had all seemed like blaring signs of distress or some sort of perceived danger. But what if he'd had it all wrong?

Feeling more confused than he had in a long damn time, Rocky's muddled thoughts churned up even more unsettling questions…

What if Raegan wasn't in danger herself, but instead, she was the danger? What if she and the men who'd robbed the banks were working together, and this whole thing really was part of a bigger plan to terrorize the citizens of Chicago?

A swirling pool of doubt began to churn deep inside his gut as he went back over Agent Foster's other concern. The one implying the possibility that Raegan had purposely rented the house next door to him because either he or the team as a whole were the real targets.

That can't be it…can it?

Rocky let his back fall against the chair's deep red leather as he ran a hand over the slight bit of stubble covering his jaw. God, he hated feeling this way. It was like his thoughts were all over the fucking place where she was concerned.

Best case, Raegan was simply in the wrong place at the right time today, and she had nothing to do with the bank robbing scheme. Worst case, she was involved ass-deep, and her decision to relocate next to him was either part of the plan or pure coincidence.

Either way, he was determined to uncover the truth.

"I'll dig into Rock's neighbor and the dumbasses the feds have in custody first," Liam offered. "Once I see where they stand, I'll start in on the other bank employees. If there's something there, I'll find it."

"I have no doubt." Agent Foster smiled.

"Anything else we can do from our end?" Jagger's dark gaze fell on the attractive Homeland agent. "You know…something other than sitting on our asses and waitin' for shit to happen, that is?"

"Well, Mr. Brooks…" Foster turned her pretty gaze Jagger's direction. "I assumed you'd be reading over the files I sent a few minutes ago. But feel free to stand while you look it over. I'd hate for your ass to get too tired from all the sitting."

Rocky's lips twitched with the urge to smile. Cade and Liam both let out audible snorts, while Christian and Brody did their best not to smile.

I think I might like Agent Foster even more now. After all, any woman who can stand up to Jagger Brooks…

"I'll contact you again when I know more," Foster addressed the group as a whole. "Until then, watch your backs and stay diligent. Today could easily have been a one-off organized by a low-level gang of bored, entitled millennials. Or?—"

"It could be something else," Rocky finished for her.

"Exactly. And until we know for sure, we have no choice but to treat this as a possible start to something bigger. With that in mind, I'd appreciate you keeping yourselves available. Just in case."

"We'll clear our schedules for the rest of the week and go from there," Christian offered.

"Perfect." A friendly smile lifted Agent Foster's bow-shaped lips. "Thanks again, gentlemen. I'll be in touch."

The screen went black, and Liam immediately turned Rocky's way. "Give me a few hours, and I'll have everything there is to know about your neighbor. If you want, I can just email it all over when I'm through."

"Actually, can you hold off sending it to me?"

The other man looked thoroughly confused. "You want me to wait? I mean, I can, but…why?"

They had no choice but to dig deep into her life, he knew. Not when the city's safety was potentially on the line. But until he had the chance to talk to her first…

"Do the dig, just don't send me what you find until I ask for it," Rocky clarified.

Liam's dark brows were still pushed inward, and the skin between his eyes had bunched together. "Again, I have to ask why. I mean, don't you want to know everything you can about the woman living right next door to you?"

"I know I sure as hell would," Cade muttered from his place at the table.

"I do, too." Rocky nodded. "I just…I'd like to hear it from her first."

Bringing himself closer to the table, Cade rested his elbows on the smooth wooden surface, loosely linking his fingers together in the process. "You know, Rock. I get that reading people is like your jam and all, but you really think this woman's going to fess up if she is involved?"

"Maybe." He gave a slight shrug. "Maybe not. But if I go to her directly, before the feds or anyone else question her again, I'll be able to see how she reacts fresh out of the gate."

"That's not a bad idea." Christian's head bobbed with a nod. "If we bring the Perry woman in here for questioning, or the feds decide to conduct a formal interrogation and call her down to the field office, she'll have a heads-up. And that means she'll have?—"

"Time to think," Brody finished for the man in charge. "That's a good point. This early into the investigation, the FBI would probably call and ask her to go down to their field office rather than showing up at her door and hauling her down there themselves."

"And that would give her plenty of time to come up with an alternate but believable story that could clear her of any involvement," Liam joined back in.

Jagger's tone was as casual as the look on the man's rugged face when he looked straight at Rocky and asked, "How much time have you spent with this woman?"

"Her name is Raegan." Rocky's correction came without conscious thought. "And we met the day after we got back from Mexico."

"Did you approach her, or was it the other way around?" Christian asked next.

His chest grew tight as he answered with a truthful, "She approached me. I was working on my roof, and she came over. Said she had a clogged sink and asked if I'd take a look."

"And?" Liam pushed for more.

"And nothing, really. I went over to her place and fixed the issue with the sink, and she invited me over for dinner as a thank you."

"Dinner, huh?" Mischief lit the blues in Cade's eyes as his lips curled into a sideways grin. "What all did you…eat while you were there?"

"Pizza and wings, asshole." Rocky shot his insinuating teammate a glare. "We had pizza and wings; we talked for a while, and then I left."

He didn't dare reveal the part about how he'd laid in bed for hours afterward, imagining what would have happened if he'd thrown caution to the wind and kissed her.

"How did she seem when you were at her place?" Brody inquired.

Seeing where the other man was headed, Rocky told their second in command, "Fine. We talked and laughed as we ate." Tell them about the locks. "I did notice she had a couple of extra locks installed on her front door. They were newer than the door's regular hardware. And she was pretty reserved when it came to sharing anything personal, but?—"

"Bingo." Cade nodded confidently.

The guy acted as if Raegan's desire not to share a lot about herself with a perfect stranger somehow solidified her guilt.

"Look, Raegan may have her secrets, but she didn't strike me as the domestic terrorist type. And when I saw her right after the robbery, she had a bruise on her cheek from going hand-to-hand with the asshole, and she seemed…" He blew out a breath and shook his head. "I don't know. She seemed genuinely shaken up."

"We all know and trust your ability to read people." Christian's brown stare landed on Rocky's. "If you don't think she's hiding anything, then?—"

"Oh, she's definitely hiding something," Rocky admitted. "I'm just not sure it has anything to do with the robberies or Delta."

Liam swiveled his own red leather seat around to face Rocky more fully. "You really think you can get her to talk?"

"I'd like to try."

Because his gut said she wasn't involved in the robbery scheme. Nor did he think those extra locks were to keep the authorities at bay.

"You're right." Christian finally gave him the green light. "If the feds call her down to their field office for more questioning, she'll have plenty of time to come up with a believable alternate story before she ever steps foot in an interrogation room. But you drop by her place as a concerned neighbor, just to check on her after today's ordeal, then she may slip and say something that will lead us in the right direction."

"Or I'll discover she's just a woman who likes to keep her private life private."

I hope like hell that's all it is.

"Liam." Christian looked to the tech genius. "The files Agent Atwell sent have the names and info on all three of the bank robbers in custody. We need a deep dive into each of them, plus the bank employees."

"Guess I know what my plans are for this evening." The tech genius feigned disappointment.

Truth was, Liam lived for that shit.

"Cross reference the employees with the suspects. See if there's a connection between any of them. Also, if the bank's security footage isn't included in Foster's email, access it. We need to see how these robberies went down and…" The man's dark gaze slid to Rocky's as he added, "I'd really like to see your neighbor's reaction as the robbery was taking place inside her bank."

You and me both, brother.

Asking someone point-blank questions was one thing. Watching the robbery take place as it had in real-time…being able to assess Raegan's body language and facial expressions as she returned fire and then physically fought the asshole with the gun…

That would tell him a whole hell of a lot about her state of mind and intent. The witness he'd spoken to at the scene had sure acted as if Raegan was some kind of superhero.

Now it was on him to prove she wasn't actually the villain.