Page 19 of Cast in Shadow
Zeke kept his expression neutral despite the direct hit. This woman knew nothing about him and had said the one thing that cut right to the heart of the matter—to the heart of him—because she was right. He had once been that guy. The one who obeyed orders, did what he was told, trusted his so-called superiors when they said they’d have his back.
But he wasn’t that guy any longer.
He didn’t tell her that he’d asked all the questions. That he hadn’t taken the job because of the money. That he’d done it because of her. Because of something in her eyes that had latched on to him like some kind of multi-pronged, barbed hook and hadn’t let go.
“What if I don’t want to go with you?” she asked.
He didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. He saw the moment understanding dawned, dimming the light in her eyes. She was as much a prisoner now as she’d been in that farmhouse. The primary difference was, he had no intention of harming her. His job was to keep her safe.
“I see,” she said after several long moments ticked by in tense, uncomfortable silence. Something wasn’t adding up.
“Why did those guys take you? What did they want?” he asked.
“They asked me where the files were.”
“What files?”
“I don’t know. They seemed to think I was working with someone.”
“Working with who?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know.”
Zeke’s instincts told him she wasn’t lying, but it seemed like too much of a coincidence to believe otherwise.
“You should get some rest,” he said gruffly, leaning back on the pillows. “We’ve got a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”
“I will—soon. I just need to check a few things first.”
“What things?”
She offered him a small smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “What do you care? That’s not your job, right?”
Her attention went back to her screen, but she’d already scored a second direct hit.
Chapter Eight
Aggie
Zeke appeared to be sleeping, but Aggie suspected the possum routine was meant to lure her into a false sense of security. She had no doubt that if she tried to make a break for it, he’d be on her before she made it to the stairwell.
A freaking mercenary. It figured.
She was disappointed, but not surprised. Hot, gorgeous men didn’t ride in on white horses to save the day, not unless they were being paid to do so.
Not that she needed saving. She’d been on her own for a long time, and she could take care of herself. Mostly. Occasionally, the universe liked to throw in a wrench or two, just to keep her on her toes.
The last few days were a perfect example. She still didn’t know what her unfortunate snatch and grab had been about, but she didn’t believe it’d had anything to do with her covert digital activities. As much as she didn’t like admitting it, Zeke’s timely arrival had made things much easier.
What happened next, that required some thought. Without knowing who or what awaited her, it was impossible to make an informed decision. However, allowing herself to be delivered to someone who hired mercenaries probably wasn’t in her best interests.
As for Zeke, she was usually pretty good at reading people, but he was a challenge. Chivalrous, but mercenary. Accommodating, but not friendly. Hot AF, but not full of himself. He was clearly skilled with a definite special ops vibe pulsing just below the surface.
Maybe he worked for her brother?
She didn’t know why it hadn’t occurred to her before. It would explain how he’d found her. Very few organizations had the resources to track anything back to her, and her brother’s was one of them.
It wasn’t as if T could openly acknowledge her, no more than she could, him. Their lives—and the lives of others—depended on it. Their communications were necessarily few and far between, and when they did happen, they were only done through a private and extremely secure process.
