Page 80 of Stealth Mission

“You are wrong.”

This conversation is maddening.

“I’m not sleeping with him again. He’s a damned tourist… no wait! He’s not even a tourist. I don’t know what he is, but Iknow one thing—the man is not sticking around. He’s going to blow out of Karma like a plastic bag in the wind.”

Vik shakes his head, almost smirking.

“I’m serious, Vik. I’m not going to talk to him again. He hurt me once. I won’t let it happen again.”

God, this man could stare down a statue and win.

Sagging tiredly, I lean a hand on the counter. “Do not look at me like that. I’m not interested in him. I have a job. My sole purpose is to keep this farm running… to see my grandfather’s dream continue on.”

“I know men like him.The SEAL knows that something dangerous is going onvithyour father. And that man is not going to stop until he’s gotten to the bottom of the problem. He will protect you with his life.”

Like a smack in the face, this makes me shut up.

Because I can think of nothing else to do and my stomach is now gnawing at my lungs, I grab the fork. It clinks loudly when I stab the eggs.

“Are you happy now? I’m eating!”

“Good, you need your strength.”

I swallow something too fast and it goes down the wrong hole. Vik slaps me on the back. I almost fly over the island.

When I can breathe, I rasp, “F-for what?”

“The battlevithyour father.”

Oh god. That sounds bad. “What do you know?”

“He hates this man.”

After a few more minutes of holes being bored in me by Vik’s unwavering eye warfare, I blow out a breath. “My father needs to stay out of this.”

He kicks the stool aside, snaps his laptop closed and walks toward the door. “Come on, Marianna. You know that is not going to happen.”

A flurry of angry, weird nerves tighten my stomach.

I don’t know what I’m feeling inside. “Where are you going?”

“To talk to him.”

Wheeze. A spell of dizziness hits me as I rasp, “Evan?”

A flick of his icy glare makes me flinch. “Yes.”

“About me?”

“Yes. The bomb problem is my business. His business too. Both of us now.”

I groan and push the plate of food away. “What was I thinking when I called you to come pick me up at the hospital?”

He slings the door open, laughing darkly as he strides out into the sunlight.

This situation is impossible.Dammit.

They can do what they’re going to do. I have business to take care of.