Nodding, Jordan poured himself a stiff drink before knocking it back and relishing the burn in the pit of his stomach. Nothing could sear away the disgust eating at him, though, or the restless anger at the game he was playing with Tehya’s emotions. The excuse that it was for her own good wasn’t helping in the least.
“Find out who these bastards are.” Jordan diluted the furious snap in his voice for the women’s sake.
There was no sense in pissing their husbands off because he knew he was getting in over his head with a woman.
Still, they stared back at him, uncertain why this mission suddenly counted so much more than all the others before it.
“We’re searching, boss.” Micah was the only one brave enough to answer. “Until then, we have Tenneyson and Arthurs covered.”
“Something else seems to have come up, though.” John Vincent had sat silently at the conference table until now. “We have a new player.”
Jordan turned to him with a heavy sigh. “And who might that be?”
“Journey Taite’s boyfriend arrived,” he drawled. “Several years older than she. Beauregard Grant. He’s a third cousin to Andrew and Melissa Grant.”
“And fifth cousin to England’s Lord Lowden Grant,” Lilly added. “He’s considered a black sheep, though. Dropped out of college, joined the military for a while. He was discharged for unsatisfactory performance of duty and conduct unbecoming.”
“I’m surprised Taite is allowing him anywhere near his daughter,” Jordan murmured.
Lilly’s smile was all teeth and disgust. “He’s still royalty, my dear Mr. Malone. As fifth cousin to Lord Grant, he’s also somewhere around twelfth cousin to the Queen Mother.”
Jordan’s brow arched. “Lineage, huh?’
“Lineage.” Lilly rolled her eyes. Anyone related to the Queen Mother placed a stamp on that kinship and proclaimed it far and wide.
“Beauregard won’t be a problem,” Jordan said. “Journey knows Tehya’s identity as Teylor Johnson and nothing more.” He looked at each man in turn. “Don’t take your eyes off her. Tehya is of primary importance, and tracking down whoever gave the order to attack her home is imperative. I want it over.” His voice hardened. “I want her safe.”
And as each man stared back at him he knew they understood, and they agreed.
Nothing mattered more to them than the protection of their wives, just as nothing mattered more to him than the protection of his … He gave himself a mental shake. Nothing mattered more than protecting Tehya and returning her to the life she had chosen for herself.
Because any life she chose would be far better than that of a life with a man who had learned long, long ago the perils of believing in love, and in happily ever-afters.
Nothing lasted forever.
CHAPTER 11
Tehya could think of far better things to do than to make an entrance at a party of politicians and their supporters. A root canal. A broken bone. Hell, being in the middle of a violent conflict in the most dense of jungles. And she hated the jungle. She hated it almost as much as the political parties.
But she had to admit there was a sense of excitement, a flare of pure feminine pride as all eyes turned to view their entrance, especially those of the women.
Like Tehya, they couldn’t take their eyes off Jordan.
Savage and dangerous, a sleek mature male animal, confident and primal, he was an instinctive draw to any female with hormones. And the women here seemed to have plenty of hormones if their sudden interest was anything to go by.
Walking down the short flight of steps, her hand placed comfortably in the crook of Jordan’s arm, she let herself pretend for the moment that they were a true couple. They were simply there to support a friend. There was no danger, no haunting past. There was nothing to worry about, no reason to be concerned or frightened.
He had asked her earlier to trust him. What he didn’t know, what he didn’t understand, was that she had always trusted him.
“Jordan Malone.” Senator Richard Stanton stepped forward, a warm smile on his face as his blue eyes twinkled merrily. Hand outstretched, he welcomed Jordan’s handshake with obvious familiarity before clapping him on the back and turning to Tehya. “Teylor Johnson, you’re as completely gorgeous as ever.”
“Senator.” Face uplifted, she accepted the brush of his lips against her cheek as a real smile tugged at her lips.
She had always enjoyed the meetings she attended where the senator was in attendance. As Jordan’s personal assistant for the past six years, she had had the pleasure of working with the older man often in his capacity of a committee member of the Elite Ops Command.
“You’ve met my daughter and son-in-law?” The senator turned to Kell and Emily Krieger.
“Hello, Tey.” Emily greeted her cheekily, her blue eyes sparkling merrily at the obvious knowledge that Teylor wasnt her real name.