Seb took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart. “No, I’m not the mole. I was worried about you. And yes, I did follow you—tonight, and last night to the park.”
Clara gasped and glared at him, but Seb wasn’t finished.
“At first, I thoughtyouwere the mole, and you were meeting someone from Ortega’s circle, but then I overheard your conversation with Martinez about stealing his ledger and I realized something else was going on.”
Clara’s expression shifted from anger to disbelief. “You’ve beenspyingon me?”
“Not spying,” Seb replied quickly, his voice firm yet gentle. “Not really. I was protecting you. I woke up when your cellphone rang, and I heard you make arrangements to meet someone. I could tell from your tone that you didn’t want to go and that didn’t sit right with me.”
She was watching him warily, so he continued.
“I planned on following you to ensure your safety, that’s all, I swear. I mean, of course I wanted answers, but none of that mattered compared to making sure you were safe. I couldn’t just sit back and do nothing, not when you could have been in danger.”
The room was charged with tension, the air thick with fears and suspicions. Seb could feel the weight of Clara’s gaze as she searched his face for the truth. She shook her head.
“Christ, Seb. I work for the CIA, as a goddamnfieldoperative and you wanted toensure my safety? How the hell do you think I’ve managed to stay alive this long?”
“It’s not that I think you’re not capable, but Clara, you’re my mate! It’s only natural that I’m going to want to protect you. It’s my bear’s instinct, and mine too, damn it.”
Clara took a step back, her arms crossed over her chest. “So, you just decided to intervene in my mission? To poke your nose in when you were told categorically by my superiors that what I’m doing is confidential?”
Seb let out a groan and scrubbed a hand over his face, abruptly aware how badly he was screwing this up. “Well, when you put it like that…”
Clara threw her hands up in the air. “What other way is there to put it?”
“I…”
“Tell me how you knew it was a setup,” she demanded.
Seb nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. “I followed you to Ortega’s tonight. While you were inside, a gunman showed up. He had a machine gun, and my bear went crazy when he saw it. My instincts kicked in and I reacted. All I could think about was your safety, so I knocked him out and took his weapon.”
“You didwhat? But he was obviously the diversion!”
“I realize that, but it was a good thing I did stop him because then Ortega came outside and called the man’s cellphone. He demanded to know what the holdup was and said you wouldn’t go for the ledger without the diversion. He knew about the plan, Clara. It was a setup. I couldn’t let you take the ledger after that. Who knows what would have happened.”
Seb sighed. “Look, I’ve told you everything and I’m sorry, I really am. I only acted out of concern for your welfare. But Clara, don’t you think it’s time that you tell me what’s going on. Who is Martinez, and why are you taking orders from him?”
Clara sighed. She watched Seb’s face for a moment as if deciding what to say or do then nodded. “Okay, but I’m going to need coffee for this.”
Seb followed her into the kitchen and watched silently as she moved around the space preparing a pot of coffee. When it was done, she poured out two cups then took hers to the breakfast bar and pulled out a stool, climbing up onto it before taking a sip of the steaming black coffee.
Seb added sugar to his then stirred it a little before joining her at the breakfast bar.
“I don’t know where to begin,” she admitted.
Seb grinned at her. “I find that the beginning is a pretty good place to start.”
Clara grinned back at him and rolled her eyes, but then the playful expression slipped from her face and her expression turned stoic. “Okay, so I told you that growing up, I split my time between the US and Spain. Well, my dad was a shifter, but mom was human. They weren’t mates,” she explained.
Seb’s eyes widened, surprised by the news, but he nodded for her to continue.
“My dad found his mate at quite a young age,” she said. “Nineteen, but they only had a couple of years together then she was killed by a hit and run driver.
Seb shivered. He couldn’t think of anything worse for a shifter than to lose their destined mate.
“Dad said he swore at first that there would never be anyone to replace her, but I guess over the years, he got lonely then when he was in his late thirties, he met my mom. She was younger, in her late twenties but they had a lot in common and they hit it off. They decided to make a go of their relationship and a few years later, they had me. Mom and dad are both highly academic and that was one of the things they connected over. When they met, Mom was a university lecturer and dad was a lawyer. A couple of years later he became a judge, and after they’d been together for about twelve years, dad ran for the senate, and he was elected. Mom went on to complete her doctorate then she got tenure at her university.”
“Wow, high achievers,” Seb said, impressed.
