Page 17 of Romeo

“Your heart rate is all over the place.You okay?”This time, his tone isn’t laced with sarcasm but rather genuine concern.Something else I havenotime for is pity.

“Fine,” I growl, gaze shifting momentarily to the monitor I’m currently attached to.

“You’re welcome, by the way,” he says and takes a drink of his coffee.Everything about this man puts me on edge.Why?I’m not sure.But I’m drawn to him even as I want nothing more than distance between us.

Ineeddistance.

“And just what am I thanking you for?The handcuffs?”Of course, I know exactly what I should be thanking him for.The man saved my life.I’d truly thought I was dead and gone the moment that knife sank into my gut.

His cell rings, so he reaches into his pocket and withdraws it.After checking the readout, he gets to his feet, leaving the coffee on the counter.“What do you have for me?”He turns to face me, but his intense blue-green gaze is focused out the window as he listens to whoever’s on the other end of the line.

With his attention momentarily elsewhere, I take a moment to study him.The T-shirt he’s wearing is the same one he put on at the motel room after using the one he’d been wearing to apply pressure to my wound.

I’d been lucid enough then to note all of the puckered scars covering his muscled chest.Even beneath a light dusting of dark hair, they’d been apparent.He’d said he was in the army when I asked about his medical knowledge.Is that where he got shot?

“Okay, thanks.”He ends the call.“We have an ID on your attacker.”

Hope shoves all other thoughts out of my mind.Hope that I can go home, that this horrific nightmare will be over once and for all.“Who is he?”

“Ian Fletcher,” he replies.

“Ian Fletcher.”I repeat the name, but it means nothing to me.There’s no recognition whatsoever.So why did he want my grandfather dead?

“He’s a contract killer,” Riley says.“One who’s been on the FBI’s radar for about six years, ever since he got sloppy at one of his jobs.He’d dropped off the radar afterward until now.”

“Contract killer?Is that what you just said to me?”

He nods.“Someone really wanted your grandfather dead.Enough to pay big money for it.Any ideas why?”His gaze sharpens, and I get the feeling he’s trying to read between the lines.

“No.”It’s not a lie, but it’s not the truth, either.

And he sees right through it.The anger that replaces his normally unreadable mask is absolutely breathtaking.Every one of his features sharpens, and his gaze darkens.If I believed—even for a second—that he was a threat to me, it would have been terrifying.

“I don’t care for liars, Miss Landers.So, if you want me to help keep you alive, then you’re going to have to be honest with me.Complete transparency.”

“I don’t remember asking you to keep me alive.”

That anger sharpens.“Fine.When the doctor releases you, you’re welcome to take your chances out there with Fletcher hunting you.”He turns on his heel, grabs his coffee, and starts to walk toward the door.

Panic floods my system at the mere idea of him leaving me here alone.And where did that come from?When did I start to trust this man?

He did save my life.And he’s the best chance I have at finding my grandfather’s killer.“Fine.Okay.”

Riley turns toward me and smiles, all anger gone from his face.How does he do that so quickly?Shift between moods as though it’s as simple as pressing a button to change the channel?

“Great.Then, let’s start with honesty.Did you know someone was after your grandfather?”

“No.Not at first, anyway.It wasn’t until after he was killed that I realized something had been off.”

“What do you mean?”

“He was just acting weird.My grandfather was always an open guy.Happy, bubbly.But the last couple of weeks, he’d been distant.Quiet.As though something heavy was on his mind.”

Riley downs the rest of his coffee then tosses the cup into the waste bin and crosses his arms.The muscles of his biceps bulge beneath his shirt, and I have to force my attention to remain on his face.“He never mentioned why?”

I shake my head.“I’d asked him about it, but he just said he wasn’t feeling well.”

“Did you happen to see anything the day he was killed?It may not have seemed like a big deal, but anything you can remember will help.”

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