Talya watched all the muscles in Jason’s face tighten—announcing the harnessed anger pulsing through him. “And you stored these disputed items in a home withinnocent kids?It’s an orphanage! You knew there was danger and you knowingly put a bunch ofkidsin the crosshairs. If you’d shared this with us in the first place, Gus would’ve known more about what he was walking into.And he might not have been killed.”
“I realize that now. But I had no intention of endangering anyone. I stored the items where I did because I was convinced it was the least likely place anyone would look. I assumed, if this certain gentleman were to come to Isadora looking for the aforementioned valuables, he would investigate my resorts, find nothing, give up, and go home.” He paused, and added, “He’s not a very industrious man,” as if that perceived characteristic justified his actions.
Jason fisted his hands, then pressed them on his thighs. “And that assumption got Gus killed.”
Drakos huffed. “In my defense, when I hired WhiteRock, I never suspected the threats against me had anything to do with the valuables I have in storage. I would have told you if I did. Honestly, it never crossed my mind.”
“Unfortunately, I believe you,” Jason said. His gaze brushed Tayla’s. The pain in his eyes pinched her heart. That breath-long glance lasted long enough for her to feel his concern for the kids. And his anger about Gus’s death. She still wasn’t sure what Jason Bridger did for WhiteRock, but she was sure he did it for the right reasons.
Drakos sprang out of his chair and rounded the desk.
“Whoa,” Jason said. “Where are you going?”
“You want more information and you shall have it. But first, I must check on my possessions. If Mr. Branch’s death had anything to do with what is in that basement, it could all be gone! I need to confirm everything is still accounted for.”
“Fine,” Jason said. “I’ll come too. I want to see this basement. And we’ll bring Leland. I want his perspectiveon—”
“What about me?” Tayla asked. “And don’t say I should stay in your suite with the door locked. I’mnotdoing that again.”
Jason rubbed the back of his neck. She didn’t know what he was going to say, but just the thought of being in danger—and left behind—triggered a dark memory. And trembling fear.
Her trepidation must have manifested itself in some grotesque look on her face, because Jason suddenly straightened and grasped her arm. “Are you okay?” he asked. The concern in his voice pulled her from the cold clutches of her flashback.
“Mm-hm,” she said, feeling completely mortified. “I’m good. Really. But I’m . . . I’m just not staying by myself in this hotel today.”
Drakos looked confused.
Jason looked compassionate.
He probably thought she was only terrified because of the two intruders earlier. That was fine with her. Her other fears—re-triggered by the events of today—were none of his business. Oh sweet goodness, her therapist was going to earn every penny of her check next week.
Jason slid his hand down her arm as he released her, like he was trying to decide whether he should let go. “You’ll come with us. We won’t leave you alone. If Knox and Rowan were already here, you’d be safe with them, but they haven’t landed yet.”
She nodded, as if she considered his answer perfectly acceptable. He didn’t need to know she felt an irrational desire to stay with him and Leland—and no one else.
Her fears would ease. She just needed to give herself a few minutes to regain her composure. She could fake it until then.
Jason was still staring at her, apparently trying to read her.
“I’m fine,” she said. “Don’t we need to get going?”
“Yes.” He opened the office door and held it open for her. “After you.”
The drive to the orphanage was quiet. And that was fine with Jason. He needed to process the last few hours and decide how best to proceed.
Drakos rode in his own SUV with two of his bodyguards. Jason still needed to ask some important questions, but he appreciated the brief respite from his client. By the time they’d met up with Leland, confirmed the shooter was being transported to a hospital, handed the second intruder over to the local authorities, and walked to the parking lot, Drakos was on Jason’s last nerve.
His complaints bordered on melodramatic. He was worried about his mysterious possessions in the orphanage basement and the contentment of his resort guests. The gunfire in Jason’s suite elicited a few complaints.
Jason repeated his priorities were finding out who killed Gus and making sure they didn’t harm anyone else, including Drakos. That quieted the nervous resort owner, but Jason wasn’t sad to be in separate vehicles for the twenty-minute drive to the orphanage.
Tayla sat quietly in the passenger seat while he drove. He found himself glancing at her soft face several times. Leland’s niece intrigued him. She was quiet, but seemed more relaxed than earlier. The scene in Drakos office told him a few things—Tayla Faraday battled some deep fears, but refused to surrender completely to whatever hauntedher. She was strong and intelligent, but she didn’t refuse his protection.
He caught Leland eyeing him from the backseat. “What?”
The senior agent rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. “Nothing, Bridger. Absolutely nothing.”
Tayla looked at him, then Leland, then back to him. She turned back to her window without a word.
