My fault. She’d known from the start that getting attached would be foolish.
She answered the call and turned to find Todd sitting up next to her, looking adorably disheveled and handsome as sin, rubbing his eyes, his bare torso and all those incredible muscles on display.
Looking away, she said, “Hello?”
“It’s Marti. Special Agent Parker just landed. She said to meet her at the government building to surrender. I’ll be there in about an hour. Be sure to eat something, it could be a long day.”
Lindsey’s pulse picked up. It was happening. Talking to the FBI would be both terrifying and a relief, but this was her chance to finally get the process started. Hopefully the process of getting her life back. “Thank you. We’ll be ready.”
Todd caught her gaze. “Marti?”
“Yes. She’s picking us up in an hour.”
He held out his arms and she went willingly, snuggling against his hard, warm chest, breathing in the clean scent of him that would surely haunt her dreams. He nuzzled along her cheek until their lips met in a greedy, urgent, devastating kiss that shredded her heart all over again.
God, she needed to start shoring up her defenses now, or she’d never survive life without him.
Pulling away, he pressed his forehead to hers, their harsh breaths mingling.
There was nothing left to say, so they rose wordlessly and took turns using the bathroom to get ready. They shared a silent breakfast of toasted bagels and coffee at the small dining table.
Would she have been better off if Todd had never entered her life? Maybe she would’ve made it down the mountain on her own and neither of them would be sitting here facing a death sentence. Or maybe the sheriff and his deputy would’ve caught her and she’d be dead by now.
Definitely not the outcome she wanted.
She was thankful to be alive.
And truly, deep down, she couldn’t regret a moment spent with Todd. He might not care enough for her to give their budding relationship a chance, but he’d made her feel more cherished over the last few days than any other man in her life, and for that alone she was grateful.
But now? Right now sucked.
When the doorbell rang, she and Todd both jumped a little in their seats and his gaze met hers across the table. “Ready?”
“No, but let’s get it over with.”
He stood, looking unfairly sexy in jeans and a gray waffle-knit Henley. “I’ll get the door, you hang back.”
“You don’t have to protect me anymore.”
He stared at her for a few seconds, a deep sadness in his eyes. “Will you let me anyway? For a little longer?”
She nodded, the tip of her nose burning. She only managed to hold back the tears through sheer will.
When they arrived at the FBI resident agency in Helena, Todd and Lindsey relinquished their phones—he’d left his weapons at Marti’s rental—and were taken to one of the government building’s upper floors.
He’d wanted to protect Lindsey, and now everything was out of his control.
As if it had ever been in his control.
He glanced at her as she disappeared through a doorway, flanked by two men in suits, her shoulders back, head high, showing no fear. A freaking goddess.
Averting his gaze, he followed an agent into a different room and sat at a rectangular table as directed.
“Someone will be in shortly,” one of the men said as they left the room, theclickof the closing door reverberating through the small space.
Across from Todd, a mirrored window covered half the wall and he stared into it, hardly recognizing himself with his dark hair, untrimmed beard, and the faint bruise at his hairline. Was Special Agent Wendy Parker on the other side of that wall watching him even now?
He forced himself not to fidget or pace or scan the room wildly. Would they try to wear him down, make him wait for hours without food and water?
