Atlas makes some small talk about the weather, and I join in. After another break in conversation, Kira clears her throat.
“So the three of you live here together? And run a business here?”
Atlas is the one to answer. “We served together in the Marines. Long time ago now. After we got out, we started doing security consulting.”
Her brows knit, thoughtful. “Security … like guards?”
“We specialize in risk assessment and threat analysis,” Atlas explains. “We also do surveillance.”
“We help people who need it,” I add.
She processes this for a few seconds. “Does anyone else know you found me?”
Atlas pauses, fork in hand. “No, ma’am. We understand you needed to run from someone, and we intend to keep you safe.” As her shoulders relax, he says, “To protect you properly, we need to know who you were running from.”
Her hands are trembling. Viper slides her glass of water closer to her without saying a word.
Her voice is barely above a whisper when she says, “My fiancé.Ex-fiancé. Preston Vaughn.”
Viper glances at Atlas. No surprise, only confirmation. With her first name and the clues of her expensive clothing and jewelry, and her wedding date, Viper found the wedding announcement online.
“The senator,” Viper says.
Kira nods. “He’d asked me to come and show him my gown before the ceremony.” Bitterness seeps into her tone as her voice grows louder. “Probably to make sure I presented the right image.”
Her bandaged hand closes into a fist, and the room goes deadly silent.
My jaw clenches as I fight the urge to break something.
“I went looking for him and overheard him talking to someone. They were discussing deals. Illegal ones. I heard the other man—I don’t know who he was, and I never saw him—mention an assassination.”
Viper doesn’t move, but his eyes narrow like a hawk spotting prey. “What else did you hear?”
“The other man mentioned Colombia. Preston said something about getting rid of a journalist. I also heard him mention the Department of Defense and offshore accounts.”
“Jesus.” Atlas pushes back from the table but stays in his chair.
“Preston heard me, knew I was listening. I panicked and ran back to the room where I’d gotten dressed, and he followed me. He turned into someone I’d never seen before.”
Tears are pooling in her eyes, and I want to smash something. Instead, I reach across the table and briefly lay a hand on hers. “You don’t need to tell us details, unless you want to.”
“He … he gave me a choice. Marry him for spousal privilege … or he’s going to kill me.”
I grip the edge of the table so hard it creaks. The thought of someone threatening her, especially now, when she’s pregnant and vulnerable … it triggers something black inside me.
Atlas works his jaw side to side, swallowing down the same impulses I am.
“I have no doubt he meant it.” Kira’s hand goes to her belly. “I played along. Told him I still wanted to marry him. That, of course, I’d keep his secrets. While I’ve been resting here, I’ve been looking back, and I realized how controlling he’d been, even before that. He shapedhow I dressed, how I spent my time. He isolated me from my friends. I only had one good friend left to be in the wedding.”
I grit my teeth. I know isolation. Makes you doubt your own worth. Question your instincts.
“Brianna Thomas?” Viper asks her.
Kira goes white as her head whips toward him. “How do you …”
“Vehicle registration,” he says.
After taking a beat to recover, she lets out a small breath. “Right. She was my matron of honor. Before I went looking for Preston, she went out to make a phone call, to check on her kids. After … after my encounter with Preston, he left me alone to go see about having something new sent for me to wear. I spotted Brianna’s purse, and in a panic, I took her keys. I stole her car.”
