Sliding her fingers through her hair, she stepped back into the bedroom. Zach sat on the edge of the bed with his elbows propped on his knees and the Bible Matt Benson had given him in his hands.
He sat up when she walked in and waved her over. She padded across the room in her bare feet to sit on his leg, and he handed her the Bible.
“I don’t know how to use this yet,” he whispered. “Can you show me something that’ll help us right now?”
A lump formed in her throat as she accepted the Bible from him. She’d been wallowing in her sorrows and hadn’t even thought to turn to the Lord.
She flipped the thin pages to the book of Psalms and found the thirty-fourth chapter. It was her favorite—the one she’d memorized and called on many times since she discovered it.
Her fingertip brushed over the words as she recited them. “The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. When the righteous cry out for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all theirtroubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
Zach looked from the page to her. “How did you know where to find that?”
She gave a small shrug. “I don’t know. God showed it to me a long time ago when I needed it, and it helps me to remember that He sees me even in the darkest times.”
He rested his forehead against hers and whispered, “Angel, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
She chuckled. “This is definitely a different world.”
He crooked a finger under her chin and pressed a kiss to her lips. “You need to get some sleep.”
“You do too.” She stood and covered her mouth as a yawn took over.
They’d been sitting on the only bed in the room. She’d thought they’d be sharing a hotel room, but plans had changed. Now they’d be sharing a bed.
“I’ll sleep on the floor,” Zach said as he got to his feet.
“Don’t be stupid.” She couldn’t imagine sleeping on the hard floor after the whirlwind of a day they had. Zach had gone to great lengths for her lately, and the trust between them was solidifying more each day.
Lauren twisted her fingers as she eyed the large bed. “We can share the bed.”
Zach shook his head. “I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. I know your boundaries, and I respect them.”
She let her hands drop to her sides. “That’s why I trust you.”
He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead and grabbed his bag. “Pick your side, and I’ll be back in a few. Can you do another sweep of the room? You’re better at noticing things.”
The bathroom door closed behind him, leaving her alone in the strange place she’d be sharing with Zach for the night. After locating her phone and charger, she plugged it in beside the bed and placed the small microphone on the bedside table next to it.
Starting her search for surveillance devices, she ran her fingers over every surface in the room. Once she’d finished with the furniture and baseboards, she stood on her suitcase as she moved it around the perimeter of the room to check the crown molding.
When she’d finished her search, she picked up the mic beside the bed. “The room is clear, as far as I can tell.”
Everything they said was being scrutinized by the team. Hopefully, they were getting the information they needed to build a case against Eric Cross.
Zach stepped from the bathroom wearing a white T-shirt and gray sweatpants. He rummaged in his bag, pulled out a pistol, and laid it on the bedside table.
Her knees buckled, and she sank to the bed. She’d be sleeping next to an armed man. The scenario was so far outside of her comfort zone, that the shock of what they were doing finally hit her.
Zach’s eyes widened, and he rushedto her side. Sitting on the bed beside her, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and cupped her cheek. He tilted her face toward him as the first tears spilled out of her eyes.
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
She nodded, dragging in a rasping breath. “This is crazy.”
Zach pulled her to him, circling her with his strong arms. “Try to rest.”
“I’m sorry. It’s just hitting me that we are in over our heads,” she whispered. “We’re sleeping with a gun and strangers listening in. Who knows what Eric is going to do.”
