Eden’s shoulders sagged in obvious relief. Swanny wasn’t sure how she’d made it this far without collapsing. She had to be exhausted and was still reeling from all Swanny had told her. He wanted to get her to bed and then meet with his team to determine their next course of action.
Sam would need to be called in with the latest developments so he could relay the information to the team tracking the source of the threat. And though he’d certainly made it clear to Eden that she was in no way obligated to call her father, Eddie Sinclair would have to be notified. Once he learned of the event—and he most assuredly would hear of it—he’d want to barge over, and that would only draw more attention to Eden and compromise her safety. It may even be the killer’s motive. To draw out Eddie and set up a scenario where Eddie had to witness his daughter’s death.
Eden would sleep tonight, but Swanny and the others wouldn’t. There was too much to sort through and decisions to be made in regard to Eden’s protection.
CHAPTER 28
THE next morning, Swanny’s team had gathered in Eden’s suite to discuss the day’s events and schedule. They’d spent the entire night tirelessly setting into motion plans for Eden’s protection. Joe had contacted the director and the executives at Aria and had arranged to reconvene to an undisclosed location for the shooting to resume. In turn, the filming crew had spent the night relocating and setting up. The security was tightened and more added, but only KGI would have direct access to Eden and be in charge of her transportation and handling.
Swanny was reluctant to expose Eden in any manner, but she’d been firm when she said “the show must go on” and that she wouldn’t allow some asshole with a grudge to dictate her life or ruin her career. He had to admire her determination even as it scared the shit out of him.
There were two more days of filming before the launch party, and the very last thing Swanny wanted was a repeat of the last time Eden had ventured out for an event. But Eden was adamant that filming wouldn’t be delayed and the launch party would be held as scheduled. Too much time and planning had been put into this campaign, and Eden refused to be the one responsible for its delay.
Joe had reported in to Sam, who had relayed the intel to Rio’s team, which was taking the lead on tracing the source of the threat. Not that KGI had ever taken the threat to Eden lightly, but Sam was even more determined to track down the bastard and take him out. He called in Steele and his team and put them on the job along with Rio’s team so they could cover more ground and dig deeper, flushing the asshole out from underneath his rock.
And oddly, when Swanny himself had called Eden’s father, Eddie’s response hadn’t been one Swanny had expected. He hadn’t lost his shit. Hadn’t freaked the fuck out and boomed out that he and his sons would be on the next flight to Paris. He’d even agreed with Swanny that for now he and his sons should stay put and not risk giving the attacker what he may likely want. The Sinclairs together. Eddie had agreed that it would be putting Eden in more danger and had signed off on KGI’s handling of the situation. That phone call still twisted Swanny’s gut, and his senses were screaming at him that something was decidedly off. But he put that away, because his focus wasn’t on Eddie or whatever the hell he was thinking. Swanny’s sole priority was Eden.
Eden had just come from the bathroom after dressing for the day of filming when a pounding on the door put everyone on alert.
Swanny immediately drew his gun and headed for the door, his team on his six. He checked the peephole, stunned to see Hancock standing outside, a murderous expression on his face.
What the fuck? What was Hancock doing here? And why? Any time Hancock made an appearance trouble was usually in his wake, and Swanny’s hackles immediately rose.
“Hancock,” he mouthed to the others.
The what-the-fuck looks abounded, matching his own reaction. Hancock pounded on the door again and it was clear he wasn’t going anywhere.
Swanny held up his hand and motioned for Edge and Skylar to take the other side of the door while Nathan and Joe stood just behind Swanny, and Swanny reached to unlock the door.
The minute Swanny opened the door, Hancock was in his face, hands gripping Swanny’s shirt in tight fists, so fast and furious that Swanny had no time to react. His team immediately raised their guns and trained them on Hancock, and Joe barked an order for Hancock to stand down or he’d shoot.
“Where is she?” Hancock demanded, ignoring Joe’s threat.
Hancock was one pissed-off ball of bristling male, anger pouring off him in waves. Before the rest of Swanny’s team could follow through with Joe’s threat or Swanny could get his own gun up and between them, Eden’s voice echoed through the room.
“Guy? What on earth are you doing here?”
And then to Swanny’s utter shock, she pushed by Swanny, inserting herself between the two men, and threw her arms around Hancock, hugging him tightly. More baffling was the fact that he returned her hug just as fiercely, his fury seemingly diminished now that Eden was there in front of him.
The looks on Swanny’s team members’ faces were a mixture of what-the-fuck and utter bewilderment. Had the entire world gone insane? How the hell did Eden and Hancock even know each other, much less be on such intimate terms?
Hancock was visibly relieved as he held Eden tightly against his body, and Swanny realized that Hancock’s anger had in fact been worry. What the hell was Hancock’s connection to Eden? Hancock was a rebel, following his own set of rules and morals. Swanny wouldn’t have believed him capable of feeling emotion for another person.
“You scared the hell out of me, cupcake,” Hancock said gruffly.
Everyone’s mouths fell open, even Swanny’s. Cupcake? What the ever-loving fuck? And she’d called him Guy. Hell, Swanny didn’t even know Hancock’s first name or if Hancock was his first name. He knew very little about Hancock at all other than the little that had been gleaned from his run-ins with KGI on two missions.
But there was a softness in his expression that was never present. Swanny had never seen the man appear anything except cold and reserved, but he was anything but that with Eden. There was honest-to-God relief and tenderness in his eyes as he hugged Eden again.
Skylar’s lips parted, and she stared at Hancock as if an alien had suddenly descended. Cupcake? she silently mouthed. For real?
Swanny was every bit as bewildered as the rest of his team. This wasn’t a contingency they’d planned for at all. How could they have? Sure, Hancock had shown up and had crossed paths with KGI in the past, but he’d never had a personal stake in any of them. And it appeared he most certainly had a close relationship with Eden.
A tight fist wrapped itself around Swanny’s neck as jealousy and a sense of territory violation assailed him. He considered Eden his, and he didn’t like the fact that another man, especially Hancock, was evidently on intimate terms with her.
When Eden pulled away, Hancock looked her up and down, his eyes narrowing as if studying her for injuries.
“Are you okay?” Hancock asked in a soft voice.
The KGI team was utterly bewildered, and it was reflected in all their expressions. Swanny’s teammates lowered their guns but didn’t holster them, and Swanny kept his up, on constant guard because he didn’t trust Hancock in the least.
“I’m fine, Guy,” Eden said. “They’ve taken very good care of me. Why are you here? How did you know? I don’t understand. Have you spoken to Dad or Ryker or Raid?”