Diggs fought the urge to blow out a frustrated sigh, instead keeping his gaze laser-focused on her. “And you blame the military for your brother’sdeath?”
She reacted as if he’d slapped her, jerking away from him, her lips parted in shock. He knew it surprised her. It was a battle within himself on whether or not to ask that question, but now he knew he’d been right to. He had hit the nail directly on the proverbialhead.
“You know about his death?” She spat the words out in an accusatory tone, shooting daggers at him with her glare. “I knew it. What did you do to him?” she whispered and once more tried to tear from hisgrip.
Diggs held firm, unwilling and unable to let her go. “Audra, I didn’t do anything to yourbrother.”
“Liar! How do you know abouthim?”
“When you ran, you left Trigger’s collar at the compound. We were able to pull up his information from the microchip embedded in the back of hisneck.”
“I don’t believe you. You work forthem!”
Diggs fought to keep his voice under control, knowing she was nearing a breaking point but sensing she was also on the verge of telling the truth. “I don’t work for anyone. But I can help you, if you tell me what’s goingon.”
She let out a bitter laugh full of hurt and pain and Diggs’ insides clenched in reaction. He didn’t like hearing that broken sound coming fromher.
“And I suppose those men who wanted to kill me didn’t work for anyoneeither?”
Was she trying to put him in the same category as those murderers? “Oh no, they work for someone who wants you dead. And if it wasn’t for me, you would be dead,” he reminded her, feeling a little bit of his cool control slipping. “I saved you, and I saved your dog. Twice. Does that not tell you that maybe I’m with the goodguys?”
She paused and he forged ahead, hoping he was breaking through her thick skull and making some sense here. “I found out about your brother, because he was registered as Trigger’s handler. And that’s when I saw that he passedaway.”
“He was murdered,” she spatout.
Jeremy’s report had read “killed in action,” but he didn’t doubt for a second that Audra didn’t believe that. “Okay, he was murdered. You have his dog. It still doesn’t tell me why someone beat you and tried to kill you. Or why you have a warrant out for yourarrest.”
“What? A warrant? I haven’t doneanything.”
She turned from him but he couldn’t stand that. He grabbed her mud-caked chin and forced her face back in his direction. “I know, which is why you need to tell meeverything.”
* * *
Audra lookedup at the sky. Darkness loomed overhead. It seemed as if darkness was all around her now. In all parts of her life. She felt like she was getting lost in it. Jeremy was never coming back, and losing Trigger was becoming a very realpossibility.
She was completely alone, fighting against an enemy that now had a face. She had no idea what she was going to do. She’d fallen into a trap like a fool, nearly getting her and Trigger both killed in the process. She didn’t know where to go other than her apartment, and if these men had found her in the middle of nowhere, they’d surely be waiting for her to walk through her front door. She had no cash and no means of getting aroundundetected.
“I feel so alone.” Her voice broke and she stopped talking, afraid she might embarrass herself with crying. She was worn out and so vulnerable she could barely restrain her emotions and reactions, the grief inside her so overwhelming she could hardlybreathe.
“You’re not alone, Audra. I’m right here, and I’m not leaving you, even if that’s what you want. I’m not going to let them hurt you orTrigger.”
Everything about Diggs was lethal and controlled violence except his eyes. His eyes were shelter in the storm, promising safety andcomfort.
Her heartbeat picked up, Diggs’ words touching something profound inside her. The smooth cadence of his voice caressing her pain and his open willingness to help someone he barely knew affecting her more than she wanted to admit. “You don’t even knowme.”
His hands tightened around hers and he gently drew her closer, until his face hovered inches away. “I know you’re hurting. And I know you’re in trouble.” Diggs reached up and thumbed a piece of dry mud on her face. She tilted her head into his touch, feeling the draw, wanting to get lost in his strongarms.
* * *
Diggs leaned in,and the distance between them melted away. Both his hands were on her cheeks, cupping her face. “Will you come home with me and let me helpyou?”
“How do I know you’re telling the truth?” she askedquietly.
He’d known talking about her brother was a risk, but he didn’t want to force her to come with him. “You don’t, you just have to trustme.”
Audra tore her gaze from his and drew in a long shuddering breath, staring off at the empty abyss of trees and vines growing in the woods. For the life of him he wished he could read her mind, see the thoughts filtering behind her shuttered eyes. What if she said no? Would he lock her up for her own protection until he could figure out who was trying to killher?
The caveman inside of him shouted,“Yes.”He’d keep her behind locked doors until he conquered the threat to her life. But could he live with himselfafterwards?
