The question had hit a nerve.
I tapped my forehead with my gun’s slide. “That’s why you stayed home for the Monaco job, isn’t it?”
“You thought it would be?—”
“Malcolmthought it would be too dangerous, so you stayed home.” I’d thought she was still listening to my recommendations. But her decision had been all about Malcolm.
She’d trusted me for years to keep her safe. When we went to Monaco, and the whole team was worried Noah would be there and try to find her, I’d strongly suggested she stay home. She’d argued, but conceded.
But it had nothing to do with me.
“You’ve been stringing me along,” I said.
Scarlett put one hand on her hip. “You’re being melodramatic.”
“I am not.” It was all so clear suddenly. I was little more than her mark, being manipulated exactly the way Noah was manipulating her. “You trust him more than me.”
“Rav, I’m going to marry the man. Trust kinda goes along with that.”
“In yourrelationship. This…” I waved my free hand around vaguely, as though I could encompass everything Scarlett and I had been through. “This is work. We have roles. Structure. You plan the missions; I ensure you’re safe.”
“The team,” she said softly.
What did that mean?
“Your job is to ensure the entireteamis safe. But you’re too focused on me.”
“Because you’re the one who”—I pointed over her shoulder again—“is supposed to be sitting in the car with Zac, but you’retoo stubborn to do it. Everyone else on the team would have listened to me.”
She ignored my comment. “You didn’t tell Emmett it was too dangerous for him to go to Monaco, but he’s the one who was kidnapped in the spring. Wasn’t his presence more of a risk than mine would have been?”
That was why he was supposed to room with me while we were in Monaco. So I could keep an eye on him and ensure his PTSD didn’t tank our job.
Before I could respond, a metallic clang echoed from somewhere beyond the end of the alley. She froze, but I spun back around, ensuring I was between her and whatever made the noise. Glock raised and at the ready.
“Noah?” Scarlett called softly.
No response. Just the whisper of the wind and the distant sound of traffic.
If itwasa trap, we’d been standing around arguing for at least five minutes, giving away our position. I’d been distracted again.
The memory of his car going off the bridge flashed through my brain. How I’d restrained Scarlett when her control completely snapped, and she’d flailed as though she were about to jump out of the car to go and rescue him. How I’d held her afterward, when the panic had devolved into grief.
I’d left him to fend for himself. I should have been at the wheel of that car.
But I’d been distracted by Scarlett running out of the building.
I wouldn’t be distracted now.
I’d do my job.
Leaning back and turning my head, I kept my eyes on the end of the alley as I whispered, “Stay fucking put, and I’ll check. If anything happened, you run for the car. Got me?”
“Got you.”
This time, I believed her.
I moved with purpose, gun at the ready.
