“Trying to get rid of me already, huh?” He gave her a humorless smile and flipped the hair out of his face. “Goddamn, this is annoying.”
Under other circumstances, she would’ve laughed. “Trying to figure out what happens next.”
“I’d like to let my team know what’s going on and that I’m okay.” His cheeks puffed out before he expelled a frustrated breath. “And I’d like to get Byron's take.”
“You think if he’s involved he’ll tell you?”
He crossed his arms. “Maybe not, but I have to ask.”
“Which will confirm to Renfro that I was meeting Viktor, and I’m on to him.”
Jason swore as he pushed away from the wall and crossed the room to sit opposite her at the table, his gaze boring into her. “If you want me to keep this from him, then I need more from you. I need to know everything.”
She wanted to trust him so badly, but she couldn’t let their history sway her, and it wasn’t her place to reveal the work of the Night Herons. “And I need you to know that I have a whole team of people watching my back. If I let you in and something happens to me, they’ll come after you too.”
“Jesus, Em.” The wounded look in his dark eyes almost undid her. “If you think I would hurt you, why are you still here with me?”
Because at her core, unwise or not, she considered him safe. “Because staying together protects us both. I can make sure you don’t rat me out, and you can keep an eye on me and the drive. And, for now, we’re both out of sight of the mercenaries.”
He frowned. “But we can’t hole up in here for long.” His chair squeaked as he leaned back and rested his muscular forearms on the table.
“No.” She tried to ignore the sight of his large hands flat against the wood, so strong and capable, the nails neatly trimmed. It had been ages, but she knew the imprint of those hands on her body, the ecstasy they were capable of igniting within her. “At what point will someone start to worry about you?”
“Seven o’clock. I talked to Byron and Todd—one of my guys—before we left the Dying Lion, but Todd’s expecting to see me at our morning meeting.”
“Okay. I’d like to make contact with my editor tonight if possible.” She checked her watch. A little after ten p.m. “I have an idea where we can go for Internet.”
“At this time of night?”
“As much as I’d like to rest,” she said, standing and shoving the laptop into her bag, “I won’t be able to sleep until I check in and get an update on Nat.” And maybe not even then with Jason nearby. She had to keep her guard up.
“I understand that.” He watched her organize her tote. “But I was wondering more about where we could go this late that has WiFi?”
“Oh, right. The summer bars are usually open till at least midnight. They’re these little places on the lake—kind of like food trucks with seating around them—that are only open during the warmer months. I think we should try the ones at Inseli Park. It’s not far, and it’s popular. More people, more spread out. And it won’t look as weird to be on a computer there. The only downside is that it’s close to the train station and the tour boat docks. Might be more surveillance cameras around.”
“Hopefully our disguises will hold.” He stood and shoved his hands in his pockets. “You won’t try to ditch me?”
She should. God knew it was probably the safest thing for her. But letting him go meant losing track of his actions and losing her chance to prove to him what Renfro was up to. If there were any other reasons she wanted to keep him around, she didn’t dare admit them to herself.
Jason had seemed genuine in his belief that Kerry’s death was a suicide. So, if Emma had read him correctly, he wasn’t part of the conspiracy. He’d only been keeping watch on Viktor because Byron had told him someone was trying to undermine Renfro’s negotiations.
Jason hadn’t had any reason to doubt Byron’s motives until now.
But would he would truly take sides against his brother?
CHAPTER EIGHT
AFTER A QUICK bathroom break for both of them, Jason opened the apartment door and stepped quietly into the hallway, looking both ways and waiting a beat before waving Emma ahead of him, unease setting up camp in his gut. It was more out of concern that she was right about Warner—and maybe even Byron—than fear of another attack.
Jason hadn’t been lying about why he stayed. He did want the truth. But he also wanted to keep her safe. She was strong and capable, but he’d abandoned her once while she was in peril. He’d be damned if he did it again.
Besides, if he left her now, doubts would plague him. At the very least, he needed to see more evidence before he passed judgment on Warner or Byron.
And if she’s right?
He shook that off. No point worrying about taking action until he had more information.
Hoping to avoid being seen by the proprietor, they took the fire stairs at the end of the hall that dumped them into a narrow alley. Once outside, they stayed in the deep shadows of the four-story building and turned onto a decently busy pedestrian street dotted with ornate lamps.
