Page 12 of Love Undercover
They would’ve had no problem using pain to motivate her, even if she had nothing more to offer as far as information went.
And because the final puzzle piece of why she’d seemed familiar had fallen into place on the drive here, he knew this was going to get even more complicated as time went on.
“Why are you staring at me?”
He almost jerked at her words, forcing himself from that train of thought, and pushed away from the wall. Instead of answering her, he placed his hand against her back to guide her into the main bedroom.
She recoiled from his light touch, and he clenched his jaw. He hated that she was afraid, that the idea of him hurting her in any way crossed her mind. It made sense, though. What was she supposed to think after he’d hidden inside her apartment and stuffed her in his trunk?
He flipped the light on in his bedroom, glad he’d had the forethought to change the sheets before this little misadventure, even though that had been for himself. Not like he could’ve anticipated such a deviation from the plan. But maybe if he offered the best room in the house, he could somehow convince her that he wasn’t who he appeared to be.
He couldn’t very well come out and say it, though he could see about petitioning Gibson for an allowance just this once. But until he got clearance, his explanation remained locked behind red tape.
“Is. . . is this your room?” she asked, cringing away from him as he filled the doorway behind her.
He didn’t want her to feel trapped, though he couldn’t just let her wander—or leave—until he’d checked the perimeter to make sure he’d truly lost the tail he’d worked hard to shake.
“Yes. There’s another bathroom over there.” He gestured to the left. “Make yourself at home.”
She gave a mirthless snort as she looked around, her eyes landing on the windows briefly, then flashing to him.
As if he wouldn’t notice her attention.
“Don’t bother trying,” he said flatly. “This place is old, and they’re a bitch to open. Super heavy and real fucking loud.”
He was surprised to see the skepticism in her eyes. “So you just never open them?”
“Not worth the energy.”
“Well, that sounds like a fire hazard,” she muttered, rubbing at her wrists absently.
He huffed a laugh, but the humor died away as she shot him a look full of distrust and uncertainty.
Good reminder, that. Sucker punch to his gut, though.
She wrapped her arms around herself as he backed out and shut the door between them.
He leaned back against the wall and ran his hands through his hair, fighting the urge to release a guttural groan that would likely freak her out more. Dragging his palms down his face would have to be enough for now.
He pushed away from the wall and went to the linen closet for a couple of blankets. He’d never had to sleep on his own couch before, so this was going to be an adventure for a man his size.
Tossing the blankets onto the arm of the couch, he settled in to wait for her to fall asleep before he did his sweep of the property. The house was fairly secluded, though it wasn’t far from civilization.
It always gave him the solitude that he craved, especially in his line of work, but it didn’t isolate him. The silence soothed his frayed nerves, and the nearby town eased him back into normal society after long jobs.
Right now, all of it made him feel jittery. The split-second decision he’d made earlier that day was definitely going to bite him in the ass. It already was because now things weren’t as cut and dry as he was used to.
How would he convince her to trust him?
How was he going to keep from blowing his cover?
The pseudo-kidnapping was supposed to convince Zim and his other guys that Chase was the criminal he’d been pretending to be for two years. But that had likely damaged any chance he’d have to earn her trust.
He’d have to see what he could do about it.
Setting his jaw, he stood and went to the wall-mounted TV, pulling it aside to reveal the safe behind it. He punched in the code to unlock it. From inside, he pulled out his agency cell phone, turning it on.
His gaze shifted to the closed door as he stepped as quietly as possible in that direction. He stopped at the end of the short hallway. Close enough to be overheard but not seem like he was right outside the door. Or like he was doing it on purpose.
