His laughter made her smile. “It took a while, but it’s a learned thing from the military. I wake up and move fast.”
“That’s good. I don’t move fast in the morning. I’m more of a slow mover, and I hate the sound of my alarm.”
“Drink some coffee and have some food. We’re leaving in three minutes.”
“Okay. I’m ready to go.” She put on her shoes and grabbed the coffee before heading out. Fear crept up, tightening her muscles the closer they got to the base. She trusted Brady with her life. He would make sure nothing bad happened to her.
She submitted to the security check, then they were led onto a plane that seemed very utilitarian. As long as it got them to DC without being followed, she was fine with the plane or whatever transportation method they used.
When DC came into view, she leaned closer to the window, staring down at the city. Their approach was different, so she was seeing it in a way she hadn’t seen before. The city really was beautiful.
She’d always liked DC, liked the energy, the chaos masquerading as law and order. There was so much to learn, so much to see and do in the city. She could spend hours at museums, go to talks, and see great plays and musicals. But the city had a dark side that could take you by surprise.
What if the people who wanted to abduct her had already been to her house? What if they had some sort of trap set up there? Would she be safe?
Brady squeezed her hand, and she glanced his way, meeting his gaze. His lips tipped up in a smile.
“You okay?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
His eyebrows rose like he didn’t believe her. Did he already know her so well that he could tell when she wasn’t telling the truth?
“Fine, I’m worried.”
He nodded. “I believed that. I’m worried, too.”
“What are you worried about?”
He shrugged. “That someone is already waiting at your place. That they have a plan that is better than mine. That I won’t be able to protect you, and something terrible will happen.”
She let go of a ragged breath. “Okay, so I’m not the only one worried.”
“No. But it’s just worries. It’s not reality.”
“What is the reality?”
“That we’re on top of this. They don’t know when you are going to be here. They won’t be looking for you, and they won’t find you. You’re going to be safe. We had someone positioned to watch your place, and they haven’t seen anyone approach or hang out on the street.”
She nodded, then turned to look out the window before turning back to him. “With you by my side, I do feel safer.”
She liked having him around. She knew he was just doing his job. Making a pass at him would be wrong. He wasn’t interested in her. Besides, she was terrible at flirting. She would just embarrass herself if she tried to express her interest in him.
No question,Bean was worried. Someone might be after Garnet. He just hoped they weren’t already in DC looking for her. He could keep her safe if they were in North Carolina. For one, no one would expect her to be in Fayetteville. No one would look for her at his place. Here in DC, her name was on a lease, and her job was here. She was vulnerable in this city.
He’d decided that they wouldn’t drive directly to her place from the base. He needed to make sure they weren’t followed. Also, he decided they would stop down the block and watch for a moment before they approached her door.
Traffic sucked, and it took longer to get to her place. He should have known it would take a while, but he’d forgotten how bad traffic was in a busy city.
Luckily, one of his buddies let him borrow a truck, so he didn’t have to deal with a taxi driver that he may or may not trust. No one would be looking to pick her up from the base, but Bean hadn’t liked the idea of trusting another person.
“It’s the yellow door.”
“Okay. We’ll stop here and watch for a moment.”
“Do you think anyone followed us?”
He shook his head. “No, I just want to make sure there is no movement at your place before we go in.”
