Eye of the Storm by Dee Davis Page B

so damn angry."
    "That's because you care."
    "It's because she lied."
    "Well then, come sunup we'll just ride away and forget all about this."
    "Like hell we will."
    "So we're staying?" Martin's expression held equal parts triumph and trepidation.
    "I am." Reece was quick to throw a blanket on any ideas Martin might have about coming along. On that fact, he and Simone were in total agreement.
    "What about me?"
    "You're going home. Or at least somewhere out of the line of fire."
    "What if she won't let you come, either?" Martin asked, wisely avoiding an argument about his own situation.
    "It's not like she really has any choice. Either I can go with her, or I'll just follow her." He hadn't realized he'd made up his mind until he heard himself say it out loud.
    "She's CIA." The sentence spoke for itself, but Reece wasn't in the mood for common sense.
    "And I used to be a Ranger."
    "A million years ago." And he didn't even mean it as an insult.
    "That doesn't mean I'm not up to the task. I'm not exactly an old geezer."
    "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. It just wasn't yesterday. But then Simone's been out of the game a while, too. And look at how well you did with the car chase."
    "I drove my car into the ocean."
    "Well, it wasn't like there weren't extenuating circumstances. Anyway, the point is you're not just some green-assed pansy lawyer."
    "Thanks, I think. But maybe you're right. I'd only be a liability." The idea of helping her faded almost as quickly as it had come.
    "No, that's not true. I should have just kept my mouth shut." Martin shook his head to emphasize his point. "You were right. It's really simple. Simone is in trouble and you should help her. She's your wife."
    "We're divorced."
    "Semantics." Martin waved his hand through the air. "Besides, I don't think she's signed the papers."
    "No. I saw her signature. It's over. Believe me." He blew out a breath, his mind spinning. "Anyway, I hear what you're saying. But whether I go or not, you're not coming. That much I'm certain of."
    "You are one stubborn dude." Martin cranked the volume on the television, the talking head rambling on about a charity regatta on Saturday.
    Reece tried to keep his attention on the screen and off the connecting door. What he really wanted to do was go in there and confront her. To try and make sense of everything she'd told him. To make decisions together.
    But that ship had sailed. Hell, as of today, they weren't even married anymore.
    Which under the circumstances ought to be a good thing, considering what she'd put them through, at least indirectly, in the past twenty-four hours. The fact was, the Simone he'd fallen in love with didn't exist. It ought to make him feel self-righteous. But instead it just made him ache. For what he'd lost. For what he'd thought he had.
    Damn it all to hell, she might as well have just shot him. It would have been less painful than having his guts scraped out and dumped on the floor.
    He closed his eyes, trying to shut it all out. Part of him wanted to walk out the door. But another part of him simply couldn't leave her on her own. Competent or otherwise, she needed someone to watch her back.
    Rule number one in the military.
    And despite all the hostility between them, he simply couldn't countenance the idea of it being anyone but him.
    "Hey, Reece," Martin's voice interrupted his internal tirade, "get a load of this." His brother nodded toward the TV and Reece focused on the droning voice. "They're saying you may have had a hand in our disappearance."
    "What?" Simone's picture flashed on the screen, followed by Martin's. And then the anchors were off to a story about food poisoning at a local Mexican joint.
    "According to the report, the police are investigating you in regard to our disappearance. Something about a lover's triangle." Martin was still frowning at the television.
    Reece winced. "It can't be based on anything. I told you I called the police. Why the hell would I have done that if I