Page 41 of Benny

“Or it could be used in ways we can’t even imagine. To silence people. To change the very core of them,” Benny said quietly. “We were the trial. Think of what they could do with it once they’ve been able to tweak it.”

Jordan squeezed his fingers.

“We have to shut this down and shut it down now.” Benny turned to Jordan. “I don’t think your nanites are non-functional.”

Jordan just stared at him, uncomprehending. “What do you mean? My wound still hurts like a bitch.”

“You disabled two armed gunmen in a span of ten seconds and had a conversation with a third before you took him out. I mean, I know you were probably a good shot as a Phoenix Raven, but the odds of what I saw are off the charts. Also, you moved almost faster than I could see,” he said quietly. “You were a blur.”

~

Jordan sat back in her seat, much like Dev had, and while she was surprised by his words, the feeling quickly turned to consideration. “They moved so slowly,” she said. “Like they were underwater or something. And I shouldn’t have gotten La Sombra that cleanly. Not when he could have shifted his weapon back to me.”

She pondered that for a moment, then wondered if she should feel bad that she’d killed him. Besides the shootout with Turner, she’d never killed anyone before, even as a cop in the Air Force. Then she remembered Cassandra’s pinky finger in the box and decided she was just fine with it after all.

Thinking about it made her remember the tattoo, and she searched her memory, now that they were no longer under fire or being questioned, for where she’d seen it before.

Then it hit her and she whirled toward Dev. “Pull up the footage of Benedict getting killed,” she said urgently. “I need to see it.”

Dev did so on his tablet and handed it over, cutting around the corner of the table so he could watch with her and Benny. She got to the part where Benedict had been trying to bribe Tate into handing over Beth, where the enforcer had stood behind him.

Just like when they’d reviewed it yesterday, the light in the video was so low that the man who’d killed Benedict wasn’t identifiable. Tate had gotten the clearest look at him through his sniper scope and had been able to describe him.

The movement from the limousine was next, and she slowed the playback to half speed, then quarter speed. They watched as a leg clad in an immaculate suit and Italian loafer became visible, then an arm gestured to the enforcer, giving him the order to kill Benedict.

There it was. The unmistakable tattoo she’d seen on La Sombra just a little while ago.

“Holy shit,” Benny said. “La Sombra killed Benedict?”

Jordan nodded slowly. Yeah. La Sombra had had Benedict killed, probably for moving into the drug business without permission.

Dev took back his tablet and walked away from them, speaking into the microphone, dictating what sounded like a text message to his FBI contact.

It looked like they were beginning to wrap up her side of this mess, and they were doing it with a bang.

When Devin turned his attention back to them, his expression was one hundred percent professional again. “Video prebrief tomorrow at 0800. We’ll coordinate pick up times and the final plan at that point. Get your rest, because this ends tomorrow.”

He left, and for the first time since Benny had reappeared, she wondered if they had a fighting chance. Wondered if their love story might just have a second chapter.

“Are you okay?” Benny asked. He gestured toward where she’d been grazed, but his gaze clearly asked whether she was all right mentally, as well.

“I am,” she said. “To both. A little sore, and while I’d never taken a life before four days ago, I feel pretty damn justified in each of the shots I’ve taken.”

She sank down onto the poofy couch. “I’m definitely starting to feel the aftereffects of the adrenaline crash, though,” she said wearily. “I think I want to hit the sack early.”

“I think that’s a really good idea,” Benny said. “Do you mind if I join you? While my wound is healed, I don’t think a nap would be a bad idea.”

They rummaged around in the refrigerator for a snack to fuel both of their healing processes, then snuggled into bed, Jordan pillowing her head on his uninjured shoulder while he wrapped his arms around her.

She let out a sigh. “I missed this,” she said quietly. “Just falling asleep with you.”

She felt the vibration of his sleepy agreement as he hugged her closer, and then she dropped off, comfortable and secure for the first time in almost a year.

She woke sometime in the dead of night to the decadent feel of his hands on her body as he stroked and teased, his mouth on her breast as his fingers slid between her legs, stroking through her wetness.

She made a little breathy moan as his finger circled her clit, then dipped lower, collecting more moisture.

“Oh, I see you’re awake,” he murmured against her breast, giving her a little nip that had her jumping against his hand.