“You were marrying someone else, for shit’s sake. Trust me, I get it.”
He did not get it. He had no idea how lonely she’d been. How much she’d ached for him over the years. How she’d missed the life that they could’ve had together. “It’s been years. You’re not the same person you were before. Neither am I.” Because you’re a spy. And that meant—what? That he lied for a living? That he lied as easily as he breathed? That he— “Have you ever killed anyone?” A question that blurted from her.
He cut a glance toward the rearview mirror. Automatically, she glanced back but only saw darkness behind their vehicle.
A heavy silence settled inside the SUV.
She cleared her throat. “Eventually, the owner of this vehicle will come out and realize that this ride isn’t in the lot. The owner will call the cops. An APB will be put out for the SUV.”
“I chose this vehicle because it was positioned with the others that belonged to the diner’s staff.”
How did he know that?
“Staff always park farther from the restaurant. Closer spaces are left for the patrons. Since it’s a staff car, odds are the owner won’t notice it’s missing until his shift ends. That gives us some breathing room.”
Breathing room, right.
“But don’t worry, we’ll take another ride before too long. We’ll switch things up to make it harder for anyone to track us.”
He definitely talked like he’d done this before. “What about your motorcycle? Don’t you think the cops will find it?”
“Got that taken care of. Someone I know in the area will make it vanish.”
She remembered him firing off a quick text after he’d parked the motorcycle. “That’s who you were texting? Your local contact?”
“Typhon is a very important individual. In fact, one of the most wanted targets out there, according to the agency. This is a big break—you are a big break.”
How fantastic. “Yay me.”
“What?”
“Nothing,” she mumbled. Her eyes squeezed shut. “You didn’t answer my question.”
“Which one?”
The big one. “Have you ever killed a person?”
The SUV seemed to accelerate even more. “Do you really want me to answer that?”
Goosebumps rose onto her arms. Her eyes opened. Her stare slid to him. “I think you just did.”
He grunted. “You were right when you said I am not the same person any longer.” His gaze cut to her. “I won’t make the same mistakes.”
What did that even mean?
“I fight hard. I fight dirty. I lie. I steal.”
Yes, obviously, because they were in a stolen vehicle at that exact moment.
“And, if it means keeping you safe, hell, yes, I’ll kill. I won’t hesitate. If that scares you, I’m afraid that’s too bad.” His stare was back on the road. His body tense. His voice hard. Deep. “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you alive. You picked the wrong man to fall in love with, Delaney. But I will protect you from him.”
“I didn’t love Kurt.” There. Her deep, dark secret. “I tried, and I thought I should, back when I believed he was Prince Charming. I liked him.” She liked the lie that he’d been. “But…love?” Love wouldn’t have filled her with so much doubt.
“You were marrying a guy you didn’t love?” More anger.
“I thought it would come, with more time. Didn’t realize I didn’t have time and that I’d have a watery grave waiting in my immediate future. This is certainly the kind of thing that will make a woman swear off relationships.” She settled back against her seat and closed her eyes once more. “I needed something. Someone.” How did she explain the hole she’d felt inside after her mother’s and grandfather’s deaths? The way she’d ached and grieved? And then… “Kurt swore he loved me. I was a fool for believing him.”
“We’re going to catch Kurt. We’re going to lock him away. He won’t hurt you or anyone else ever again.”
