“Not soon enough, apparently,” Hancock said in an icy voice.
“Eden is our top priority,” Swanny said just as coldly.
Hancock suddenly rose, pulling Eden to stand beside him and engulfing her in another huge hug. “I’m going to run, cupcake. There’s apparently a lot I need to do. I’ll check back in with you in a few days.”
Shit. This was not a good sign. Hancock could well blow KGI’s mission all to hell. Swanny would have to warn Sam ASAP of the new development and of Hancock’s involvement in yet another of KGI’s missions. Sam was going to be pissed.
She hugged Hancock back, and he kissed her cheek and then strode out of the suite, not saying a word to Swanny or his team.
“Well,” Skylar said, breaking the awkward silence that had descended. “That was, um, interesting.”
Eden sat back down but checked her watch. “We need to leave soon. I don’t want to be late and cause more disruption to the filming. But I’d like to know exactly how you all know Guy. I’m completely confused.”
“We’ve bumped into him on a few missions,” Joe said. “Let’s just say our relationship is tenuous at best. We haven’t ever figured out exactly what his motives are, but he has helped us in the past as well as hindered us. We don’t know a whole hell of a lot about him. Our exposure to him has been brief at best. We kind of have a tacit agreement to stay out of each other’s way.”
Eden frowned. “So he does what y’all do?”
Swanny glanced quickly at Joe to silence him. If Eden considered him family but wasn’t aware of who and what Hancock was, he didn’t want to further disillusion her any more than she already had been.
“Hancock is a law unto himself,” Swanny said. “We aren’t sure ourselves exactly what he does, but I think it’s safe to say that it’s mostly classified and military.”
“Oh,” Eden said. “That makes sense. He did join the military. Followed in my father’s footsteps. It’s just that we rarely see him, so I figured whatever he did was top secret. He’s often gone for months at a time and I haven’t seen him in two years.”
Swanny wasn’t about to tell her why or give details as to Hancock’s activities or go into any further details about his role in the two KGI missions. There was simply no need, and she’d already been dealt enough shock. He wanted her as stress free as was possible given the circumstances, and more than that, he wanted her to have faith in him and his vow to protect her and keep her safe.
“We should go,” Joe announced. “The car is here. The new hotel has been secured and security measures implemented. You’ll be checked in under an alias and officially checked out of this hotel. With the new filming location, it’s our hope that we’ve laid the groundwork for it to appear as though you’ve left the country.”
Eden looked perplexed by Joe’s explanation.
“We had a double visibly leave the hotel and head to the airport, complete with paparazzi coverage. She’s currently on a plane to the U.S. under your name. The car that will be taking you to the studio is tinted so no one will be able to see inside, and we’re all cramming into one so it won’t look suspicious for a caravan to suddenly depart the premises.”
Eden’s eyes rounded. “You’ve thought of everything.”
“I hope to fuck so,” Swanny said. “We’re not taking any chances with your life, Eden. I won’t lie. I wish you were on a plane back home, but I also understand how important this is to you and your career.”
She touched his arm, her eyes warm, as she met his gaze. “Thank you, Swanny.”
“Okay, let’s roll,” Joe said, a hint of impatience in his voice. “Take your places and let’s get the hell out of here.”
CHAPTER 29
THE tension in the studio on the outskirts of Paris was thick, a tangible air that permeated every single person working. Except Eden. Swanny didn’t know how she did it, but she pulled it off with perfection. Smiling as if she didn’t have a care in the world. Playing to the camera. Saying her lines in a smoky, husky, sexy-as-hell voice that kept him hard for the better part of the day.
There was posted security around the entire perimeter, and Skylar and Nathan had taken position on the roof with their sniper rifles, doing constant recon and reporting to Joe every half hour.
Every single member of the filming crew, including the director, much to his displeasure, was thoroughly searched before being allowed in, and Swanny’s team had done a sweep of the entire studio much earlier that morning before returning to the hotel to bring Eden in.