Dawn Endeavor 3: Julian's Jeopardy by Marie Harte Page B

releasing that scent anytime it looks like I'm winning. That's cheating.”
    Hayashi raised a brow but didn't reply, and Jules chuckled. He sat on the comfortable leather couch and tried to lose himself in some mindless television while the pair sniped and tried to outdo each other. Friendly competition, a rivalry based on love, mutual respect, and need.
    It had taken Hayashi long enough to admit he was gay, not that Jules hadn't known it for years. But for some reason, Hayashi had thought the team would kick him out if they knew his natural proclivities leaned toward loving men. Jules shook his head. The whole team had fucked one another more times than he could count, and Hayashi worried about them rejecting him for taking a man as mate?
    At least Hayashi and Morgan didn't seem to have any major issues, nor did Fallon and Olivia, fortunately.
    “Oh, here you are.” Ava entered the room, looking pissed as hell.
    He groaned. So much for relaxing for once.
    “Ava, baby. What's Kisho holding?” Morgan asked, distracting her.
    Hayashi frowned at his mate. “That's cheating.”
    “All's fair in love and cards, kitsu .” Little fox. The endearment Morgan called him brought a blush to Hayashi's cheeks.
    Ava grinned at them. “Two jacks and two fives. You're screwed.”
    “Ava.” Hayashi muttered something under his breath in Japanese.
    She turned her attention to Jules. “We have a problem.”
    “Look, I talked to Tersch. He's better now. Okay?” Jules squinted at the screen as some actor shot an alien with three heads, hoping she'd leave him alone.
    “Our problem is sitting in her study right now, refusing to okay our medical transfer until she talks to you.”
    Hayashi and Morgan froze.
    “What transfer?” Morgan asked.
    “Medical? Are we finally getting a Circ doctor? Man, it's about time,” Hayashi added.

    Jules ground his teeth and reminded himself not to take out his annoyance on Ava. “Dammit, I told her we didn't need any new staff. Not with Montaña's men still out there. We can't trust anyone until we nail the leak we seem to have. Montaña is like a ghost. Any time we get close, he disappears. I was taken three miles from a damned US Marine Corps base by men wanted by the CIA. Now how the hell do you think they got so close to me without help from someone in our organization?”
    “I'm not disputing that. I'm just telling you, you need to talk to Mrs. S. about this.”
    “I don't want anyone else in the one place we should be able to think of as safe.
    And I don't want to talk to Mrs. Sharpe about it again . Hell, I'm all talked out.
    That's all she's been arguing about for a week.” Ava huffed. “So tell her, not me.”
    “No. I want to relax for once,” he muttered, taking the coward's way out. “Hell, Ava. Just tell her I'll talk to her about it tomorrow, okay? I'm tired, I have a headache, and I—”
    He broke off when he noticed the concerned glances from the others.
    “Fuck it.” He quickly rose and stormed from the room, tired of being constantly watched like he might break. Hell, he felt like Tersch.
    Tersch, though, had given them signs he was unstable. Jules hadn't. Since his return to the group, he'd been the same leader, the same take-charge SEAL trying to find and take down their enemy. Not his fault they couldn't seem to nail Montaña's location. During his time back, however, the Dawn Endeavor team had found and stopped two hits on members of the admiral's staff and ruined a failed kidnapping attempt on the admiral himself.
    So why did the others continue to treat Jules like a wounded animal? Probably because Fallon can’t keep his mouth shut. I knew that bastard was combing through my mind a few days ago . And just when Jules had flashed back to Montaña's wicked knife. Trust Fallon to share with the others.
    He scowled and increased his pace toward Mrs. Sharpe's study. The woman practically lived in there. Day or night, he could always track her down at her desk.
    He reached