Abducted:Reconnaissance Team (Texas Rangers: Special Ops) by Tarah Scott, Evan Trevane Page A

looked down at her hands resting on the sheet that covered her legs. “I’m so sorry, Captain. This is all my fault. If not for me—” 
    “We should have been told Ranger Hunter was undercover,” Richard interrupted.
    “Richard—” 
    “No, Liz. I’ve already spoken with Nina, and she agrees.” Richard shifted his attention to the captain. “We can appreciate the fact that you want to catch this man, but using civilians without their knowledge isn’t kosher.” 
    “Mr. Anderson, it is kosher, and more common than you probably realize. However, I’m happy to give you the number of the two Federal agents running this operation, if you’d like to discuss the matter with them.” 
    “Those agents aren’t the ones who put Liz in danger. Your Ranger—” 
    “Richard,” Liz cut in.” 
    “Liz—” 
    “Don’t Liz me,” she said. “I know you’re looking out for my best interests, but you’re way off base. You weren’t there. So stop before I get really peeved.” She looked at the captain. “Am I in any danger?” 
    “We don’t think Sanchez knows where you are, if that’s what you mean, but we have to make sure you stay safe until we catch him.” 
    She nodded. “I appreciate your honesty. I assume you have a plan?” 
    “We’re working on that. Sanchez is going to be worried. We plan to use that to our advantage. None of this means you should relax. In fact, I’ve arranged for someone to escort you to your hotel.” 
    Her pulsed jumped. Was that someone Ben Hunter? As the dust settled and last night’s events came forward, the recollection that persisted was of Ben’s arms around her when he’d pulled her from the car, then the warmth that surrounded her as he lifted her into his embrace.
    “I’ve got you, Liz,” he’d said. “You’re safe.” And she’d believed him.
    Of course, she’d been in shock, at least that’s what she’d told herself a thousand times. But the memory of his arms around her had remained.
    She pushed aside the distraction as she had every time it had surfaced and said, “Thank you, Captain.” 
    “I can take you to the hotel,” Richard said. “In fact, we can take a plane directly back to Dallas.” 
    “Returning to Dallas isn’t possible just yet,” Captain Medina said. “We need Ms. Monahan to give formal statements to us and the FBI and, when you return to Dallas, arrangements have to be made for your protection until this is over.” 
    “You go on,” she told Richard. He started to shake his head and she cut off the response she knew was coming. “Richard, what are you going to do if someone comes after us? You’ve never shot a gun in your life.” 
    “That’s not true,” he said. “If you recall, Nina has a nice collection of guns. We’ve done plenty of shooting.” 
    “That little Smith & Wesson revolver you shot disappears in your hand. It doesn’t count as real shooting—and neither does target practice. I’ll get things worked out and be on the first plane home.” 
    And she would put this nightmare—which included Ben Hunter-- behind her.

Chapter Eleven
    Later that morning, as Liz packed a few incidentals Richard had brought to her, a knock on her hospital door brought her head up and around. Adam Billings—no, Ben Hunter—stood in the doorway. In a flash, she took in the white shirt buttoned to just below the collar, the Ranger badge pinned over his left breast, Levis that hugged long, lean legs, and brown cowboy boots. Then she froze. This wasn't the man who, dressed in a tux, had escorted her to the gala last night. This was the Ranger who had taken on sex-trafficking mobsters and saved her life in a high-speed car chase through Juarez, Mexico. She couldn't help another glance at the badge. Yes, in full Ranger tradition, the badge was cut from a Mexican coin. It suited him.
    Liz lifted her gaze to his face. A corner of his mouth lifted in an uncertain smile and butterflies flitted across the insides of her