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were.
    “I think we can all use a drink,” Gabe said to the other man. “Then explanations. I want to know what the hell happened and how.”
    He led an unresisting Rachel to the couch and sat down beside her. She gratefully accepted the drink the man who’d greeted them handed to her, knowing she desperately needed something to settle her nerves. She’d gone from hot, sweaty sex to fleeing the city in a too short a span of time and her head was reeling. This whole situation convinced her even more that whatever Gabe did was very top secret.
    “All right,” their host said, sitting in a large chair across from them. “Here’s the situation. Miss Winters, we haven’t met but you may be familiar with my name. Daniel Killian.”
    Rachel’s hand jerked in surprise, nearly spilling her drink. “DRK Inc., right?”
    He nodded.
    She dug into her mind to remember what she’d been told about DRK. Daniel R.
    Killian, Incorporated. A highly respected, low profile security and protection agency specializing in…well…almost everything covered by those two terms.
    Run by a former CIA operative, it employed former Special Ops, Army Ranger, Delta Force and SEALs as well as high caliber former policemen. They operated internationally and no one ever talked about the things they did or their accomplishments. Clients had to be referred to them to hire them. It was whispered they also did “off the books” work for the government when missions required plausible deniability.
    Was this who Gabe worked for? Was this why he was gone all the time and could never tell her where he was going or why?
    She studied the man standing there for a moment. Probably as tall as Gabe but heavier, his dark brown hair shot with gray, piercing chocolate eyes peering out from beneath thick brows. Lines were carved into his square-jawed face and his nose looked as if it had been broken at least once. She was sure the sweater and slacks he was wearing cost as much as her entire wardrobe.
    “You were… Didn’t you… I mean…” God, why did she have to sound so stupid.
    “Yes. We were the ones who rescued Sam Harris two years ago.”
    Rescued. Such a basic word for the intricate mission they pulled off.
    “Of course.” She took a sip of her drink to steady herself. “Not something I’m likely to forget.”
    “You and I did not meet personally at that time but I understand you were extremely valuable in helping the foundation keep a low profile during the entire episode. And also providing support for Loraine.”
    “Both Sam and Loraine are very important to me,” she told him. “As is the foundation.” She looked at Gabe. “When we met at that barbecue…”
    “I wangled an invitation,” he confessed. “I saw you briefly when we returned Sam to his home and I wanted to meet you. I asked a few quiet questions, found out you were going to the barbecue hosted by a couple who owed me a favor.” He reached for her hand again, a surprising silent declaration to the man who was obviously his boss that she was more than just a woman he was spending the evening with. If he meant it to make her feel more secure it was helping.
    “I hope you won’t be offended,” Killian said, “if I tell you that from the moment Gabriel showed an interest in you we had you thoroughly investigated.” He held up his hand as she opened her mouth to object. “Please understand that the nature of our work dictates that anyone my people are involved with must be beyond suspicion. We already knew a great deal about you from our association with the foundation.”
    She looked at Gabe but his face at that moment was unreadable. Was he waiting to hear what she said? She swallowed the angry retort on the tip of her tongue and took a moment to compose her thoughts. Despite her irritation at this unknown intrusion into her life, now that she knew the circumstances a little better she had to admit it made sense. Especially after finding out that Gabe was on