Agent E2: Aidan (Superhero Romance) (The D.I.R.E. Agency) by Joni Hahn

transport to our medical facilities the following day.”
    “I’d rather die.”
    “That can be arranged,” Aidan said. “In seconds.”
    Robert pointed at Dar. “If you hadn’t tried to shoot Kate, none of this would’ve happened. I blame you for all of this.”
    “So what the hell’s new?”
    Robert squinted his eyes at Dar. “Look here, you son of a bitch-“
    “ Enough .” Mitchell’s cry rattled the empty dishes on her father’s food tray.
    “Aidan, you’ll fly with Cassandra and Dar after the funeral. Tristan, I expect you as soon as possible after Rachel settles in at home.”
    “She’s coming with me.”
    Robert glared at him. “You stay away from my daughter, Jacobs.” 
    Tristan laughed. “Go to hell, Naylor.”
    “After Mitchell,” Robert said, his tone snide.
    “You threw me in hell a long time ago, Bobby.” Mitchell walked to the door and motioned for two agents to escort Cass and Dar. “Welcome to my world.”

Chapter 8
     
    Aidan put the D.I.R.E. SUV in park as they sat outside the wrought iron gate of Ben Adam’s ranch.
    Make that Rachel’s ranch.
    Rustic pipe fencing framed the perimeter of the property, the half mile drive up to the limestone and rock house lined with oil barrels. The black barrels held a variety of flowering cacti, bottlebrush, skyflowers and blackfoot daisies. At least two hundred barrels lined the drive alone.
    Aidan leaned both arms on the steering wheel. “Ben said it’s in the barrels. Hensen was right, there has to be hundreds, if not thousands of them out here.”
    “I’ll get the gate.” Tristan climbed out of the SUV, leaving Aidan alone with Rachel.
    Thank God she’d decided to sit in the front seat. Each glance in the rear view mirror reminded Aidan of Cassandra coming apart for him last night.
    “I can’t believe this is all yours.” Aidan gave her a small smile.
    She dabbed at her cheek with a worn tissue. “I’d rather have Ben back.”
    Aidan hugged her close.
    Rachel stiffened. “Sorry. I still expect a shock when you touch me.”
    Tristan climbed back in the truck. “Dammit, Monroe, are you making her cry again?” He leaned over and kissed her.
    She hugged Tristan close. “You are such a wuss, Jacobs.”
    Aidan laughed aloud. Only Rachel could get away with telling the world’s greatest super-agent he was a wuss.
    Tristan leaned over to stare at Aidan. “Keep laughing, Monroe. We all know you saved Naylor because Cassandra was crying… Major wussage.”
    Clamping down his jaw, Aidan started forward in the SUV, taking his time up the paved road. He didn’t want to think about her any longer. She’d made a choice yesterday and it wasn’t him.
    “Where do you want to go first?”
    Rachel said, “After the funeral, Brody said he’d meet us at the house. He’s anxious to show Tristan the gun collection that Ben left him.”
    Aidan put the truck into park in the circular drive.
    “Why did Ben live in assisted living when he had a place like this?”
    Tristan gazed up at the two–story monstrosity in front of them. He helped Rachel out of the car.
    “He said it was too big. He got lost in it.” Rachel smiled. “I think he was just lonely.”
    Did lonely mean the same thing as being alone? Aidan had felt lonely since Cass went to Dar last night in the hallway. Although he’d spent the morning with Rachel and Tristan, he felt like a third wheel, an intruder on their life.
    However, Rachel had insisted he come with them to the ranch. His sister seemed scared, as though everyone could disappear at any moment. After what had happened last night at the hospital, Rachel knew she’d lost any hope of growing close to her sister now.
    “Howdy, folks.”
    Brody Tybeck greeted them on the porch. The middle-aged man had run Ben’s ranch for years. He’d cried like a baby at the funeral earlier. His eyes were still red-rimmed, hours later.
    Tristan shook his hand before Brody dropped a set of keys into Rachel’s palm. “Here you