He smiles back, and there’s humor in his eyes.
“What gave me away?”
“If it walks like a SEAL and talks like a SEAL, then it’s probably a fucking SEAL.”
“Not anymore,” he says.
“I figured as much,” I tell him. “With the bum leg and all.”
“You don’t miss much, do you?”
“The only thing I missed is what you’re doing here, in this bar, sitting here beside me.”
“Alright.” He folds the napkin beneath the beer in his hands while he talks. “I just thought you should know Quinn won’t be here this evening.”
This banter has lost its appeal.
“Let me guess. He hired you as personal security. What a goddamn joke.”
I get up to leave, but he reaches for my arm and stops me. When I glare at him, however, he removes it quickly.
“I’m not his security,” the stranger tells me. “In fact, he doesn’t know me at all. But I know you, Tenly. Or do you prefer Scarlett?”
There is no malice in his voice. But I am rattled nonetheless.
“What is this about?”
“I’d like to tell you,” he says. “In a more private setting, if you don’t mind.”
I’m about to tell him to fuck right off when he flashes a badge at me.
Fucking FBI.
“Do I have a choice?” I ask. “And will there be anyone else there?”
“You can trust me,” he says. “I’m not like Royce.”
I want to leave. But something in his eyes keeps my feet firmly planted in place. The funny thing is, I do believe he’s one of the good guys, even if he’s about to make my day hell. And I also believe, I’m probably going to want to hear what he has to say.
I give him a small nod, and he retrieves his jacket, gesturing for me to follow him.
We take the elevator up to the roof.
“And this is the part where you murder me, right?”
He shakes his head and closes the door behind us, making a point to show me it’s not locked.
“You can leave at any time you don’t feel safe.”
I cross my arms and look out over the city, waiting for him to tell me why he dragged me up here in the first place.
“My name is Booker Cayce, if you want to know.”
“You obviously know mine already,” I answer.
“I’ve been keeping an eye on Royce for some time now,” he tells me.
“So I guess that means you’ve been keeping an eye on me too.”
