She’d been running on instinct, and her instinct had been to protect him. He needed to train her to protect herself instead since he was the one with all those skills, but damn it had felt good.
He’d been pissed as hell at Drake, but Maddie had risked her life for him.
If that wasn’t a shot, he didn’t know what was.
“His name is Drake Radcliffe. He works for the CIA, and he’s been with them since he was barely out of diapers.”
“I heard that, Murphy,” a loud voice called from the kitchen. “How about we keep classified information classified.”
“If you wanted to keep your identity on the down low, you shouldn’t have tried to take advantage of her.” He kissed the top of her head and lowered his voice since it seemed Drake had superhearing. “Do not trust him. We might have to work together, but you need to understand he’s got an agenda.”
“I’m not going to trust that man. He lied to me and went totally against the terms of service for the dating app. It clearly states that you have to use your own name,” she replied.
He smoothed a hand over her back and felt her starting to relax. “I assure you that when they go to block his profile, it will already be gone. He’ll have protocols in place to clean up any hint that Dan Gray had ever been on the app. Maybe you shouldn’t try to find love online.”
She huffed and took a step back. “Well, I wasn’t finding it anywhere else.” She frowned and glanced down the hall. “Is he the one who was watching my door?”
It was a pretty good bet, but at least now they could know for sure. He reached for her hand again, happy when she let him entwine their fingers. He tugged her close. “We’ll ask him, but it would be a good idea to let him believe we’re together. I don’t want him thinking he can drive a wedge between us and use you the way he planned to.”
Drake would still try to find a way, but he needed to keep Maddie as close as he possibly could. He’d wanted to give her more time, but Drake showing up meant time was something they didn’t have. It also meant that there was no question something bad was happening on her project. Drake’s involvement proved she’d been right.
“Okay,” she replied.
She was right back to nervous again. He squeezed her hand. “Let me handle this. It’s going to be all right. This is exactly what I’m here to do. I’m here to protect you and handle all the crappy security stuff. I’ll deal with him.”
She sniffled and seemed to find her footing again. “Good. I think I’m going to open a bottle of wine while you deal with the spy guy.”
He led her into the hallway and down to her kitchen where Drake was sitting at the bar. Kyle stood at the refrigerator, the freezer door open.
“Well, I guess you don’t work in biotech.” Maddie frowned Drake’s way.
Drake’s expression softened. “No. I don’t. I’m sorry, Madeline. I needed to figure out what’s going on at Byrne with the satellite project.”
“How about asking her?” Deke did not understand the spy’s need for subterfuge.
“Because she could have been in on it.” Kyle pulled an ice pack from the freezer and handed it to Drake. “He doesn’t have years of history with her, man. You know how the Agency works.”
They worked in the shadows and didn’t care who they hurt. “So you tried to get in her bed? You know what that makes you?”
He was feeling mean.
“It makes me effective at my job.” Drake put the pack over his nose. “Or it would have if I’d really tried. I thought I could get close to Madeline without hurting her, but I had to figure out what she knows.”
“Nothing. I know nothing.” Maddie found a corkscrew and started working on a bottle of Pinot. “I didn’t even know who I was dating, so I’m pretty sure I can’t help anyone at all.”
“You know more than you think,” Drake said. “I need you to understand that I decided you’re not involved in what’s going on. I will admit that I went in with some suspicions, but getting to know you has led me to believe you’re not capable of what I think Byrne is planning.”
“And what is that?” MaeBe came down the stairs, Boomer following her. She frowned Kyle’s way. “I assume it’s safe enough for me to come back down now?”
So Kyle had sent MaeBe up to her room when things had taken a nasty turn. Deke would bet that had gone over sensationally.
Kyle didn’t look at all worried about that expression on her face. “Yes. Now it’s safe.”
“Hey, MaeBe Vaughn. You are looking good, girl,” Drake said with a nod.
“If you don’t want that ice pack shoved up your asshole, you won’t look at her at all.” Kyle stared at Drake.
MaeBe’s eyes rolled, and she joined Maddie. Yeah, she would probably need a lot of wine to survive Kyle.
Drake ran a hand over his hair, smoothing it back. “You have spent far too much time with your uncle. As to MaeBe’s question, I’m not about to show my cards until I know we’re working together and not against each other.”
Deke had a few questions of his own. “If you did any research at all on Maddie, you knew her connection to me. So why the hell didn’t you call me when you found out she was involved in something dangerous?”
“Well, first of all, I absolutely knew the connection. I also knew you haven’t spoken to her in over fifteen years. You know most of us move on from our high school girlfriends.” Drake sat back. “Secondly, Big Tag has made it plain that he doesn’t want to work with me.”
“I think that is more about the Agency and his history with them than you.” Deke was fairly certain Drake was the only CIA employee Big Tag could stomach for short periods of time. “It’s not like you haven’t worked with us lately.”
After all, Drake had worked with Chelsea a few months back. While Chelsea wasn’t an MT employee, she was definitely in Tag’s family. Drake had also been pivotal in taking down Levi Green—a man Tag had considered extremely dangerous.
“Given what I knew about Madeline’s connection to Deke, I rather thought if I brought Big Tag in, I would lose control of the op. This particular mission requires finesse, and your team isn’t known for its subtlety,” Drake explained. “There is a delicacy to the matter.”
Deke could figure out what was so delicate. “Who’s invested in Byrne? I’m going to assume the people you’re working for have some sort of financial stake or they would just walk in and get what they want.”
“Of course they do. Byrne’s companies make billions,” Drake admitted. “And that’s precisely why there are people in the upper echelons of my agency who don’t want me investigating at all.”
“Are you sanctioned to be here?” Boomer asked. “Or have you gone rogue?”
“Hey, why is the CIA involved?” Maddie poured a glass for herself and one for MaeBe. “Shouldn’t some FBI agent have been creeping on me instead of you? Aren’t you supposed to only sleep with foreigners for information?”
“Oh, she’s going to fit in nicely,” Drake cracked. “No one’s going to call the FBI in for the reasons I just gave you. Too many politicians are in bed with Byrne. Hell, I’m sure Byrne going down would affect the bottom lines of a lot of FBI agents, too. I’m authorized to investigate anything I find interesting, so don’t bother trying to get me off the case. All I have right now are suspicions. I’m pretty much doing three jobs at once, and I’m tired and getting old since I had no idea Madeline was in Dallas. I take it there was no spa.”