Unmasking the Mercenary by Jennifer Morey

is impeccable. I’ll give you that.”
    Rem’s smile said his timing had been deliberate.
    “Habib was run off the road today,” Locke said. “Apparently he was on his way to deliver some diamonds to a client when a white SUV drove alongside him. He was knocked unconscious in the crash, but the man in the SUV stole the diamonds.”
    “Who was the client?” Rem asked, satisfaction radiating off him. “And why was he calling you?”
    Locke’s expression hadn’t changed. “He wanted to know if I’ve seen you.”
    “You didn’t tell him.”
    “Was it you?”
    Rem said nothing.
    Locke grunted a short laugh. “I wasn’t surprised you knew about the diamonds, but I never would have guessed you’d be stupid enough to take them. You’re as good as dead. You know that, don’t you?” He laughed longer this time. “I don’t have to do a thing.”
    “What’s Ammar planning to do with the money he gets from selling the diamonds?” Rem asked.
    “How should I know?”
    “I think you do.”
    “You think wrong, my friend.”
    “How much are they paying you to help them?”
    “I sold diamonds to a merchant. It’s only business.”
    “A merchant who’s working for Ammar.”
    Anger brewed in Locke’s eyes. “You’ve got balls coming here.”
    Haley agreed. How had he known Locke wouldn’t kill them the minute he discovered who’d taken the diamonds? He couldn’t have. It was a risk, but one he wasn’t afraid to take. Even with Haley along.
    “Where are the diamonds?” Locke asked.
    Rem didn’t tell him and Locke looked past them at the two guards standing near the patio door. “Escort these two to their room and make sure they don’t come out.”
    Haley leaned closer to Rem, not liking her fear but unable to control it. He slid his arm around her waist as the guards herded them toward the hall.
    “Sleep well,” Locke called to their backs, and Haley looked behind her. Between the two guards she saw him smiling wickedly.
    Rem closed the door in front of the guards and Haley was glad to see they couldn’t be locked inside the room. Not that it mattered, since they still had to get past two armed guards.
    She rounded on Rem. “You knew he was going to find out.”
    He glanced at her but said nothing.
    “Why did you risk it?” she demanded. “You’re not the only one in this now.”
    That got his attention. His gaze stayed on her this time. “You heard him. He doesn’t have to do anything. He’ll leave that up to Ammar.”
    “Yes, and he’ll keep us here until Ammar arrives.” That’s why he hadn’t bothered searching them. He knew Rem had the diamonds and would let Ammar take them as planned.
    “We aren’t staying here.”
    “There are two guards outside the door.”
    Turning to the bed, Rem opened the duffel containing the diamonds and pulled out his gun. Then he approached her, taking her hand and leading her to the door.
    “What are you going to do? Shoot our way out of here?”
    “Stand here.” He guided her so she leaned her back against the wall a few feet from the door.
    Weird, how she believed he actually could shoot their way out of here.
    “Wait.” If he thought she was going to let him do that by himself, he was wrong. She pushed off the wall to go to the bed. Digging in Rem’s duffel bag, she found her P99 and returned to the door, leaning right where Rem had wanted her.
    He looked from her gun to her eyes and then kissed her once before leaning his back against the wall beside the door, standing next to her. He turned the knob and swung the door open, firing as he moved into the opening. The first silent shot caught the guards unprepared. Haley heard one of them fall. The second got a loud shot off before Rem dropped him.
    He ran back into the room to grab his duffel and then took her hand. “Come on!” He pulled her down the hall.
    It wouldn’t be long before a horde of other guards came after them. They made it almost to the patio door before more gunshots