Her shoulders relaxed a little. “Okay. I don’t think I can eat another bite to be honest. I’m so full.”
He shoveled another bite into his mouth, swallowed, and wiped his lips with a napkin. “Can’t say I’ve got that problem. I’m sure your stomach shrunk a lot. You’ll build up your appetite soon.”
And hopefully her cheeks would lose their gauntness too.
She closed the box of food.
He reached for the cardboard before she could get to her feet. “I’ve got it.”
She chuckled. “I can walk, Atlas. Can’t have you waiting on me forever.”
Huh.
Had he imagined the sultry note in her voice? Maybe she was simply put off by how much he’d carried her.
“I don’t mind.” The words came out thick and heavy, and he wasn’t sure if he’d meant carrying her or putting away the food.
Probably both.
Shit.
Viper’s words rang in his head. You’ve got it bad, man.
He sure fucking did and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.
He took the box from her fingers, moved to the mini fridge, and tucked it inside. Then he cleaned up the table before he took the chair across from her again. He wanted to get her some clothes. Couldn’t have her walking around in the intense heat in his sweats.
Later. Right now, he had to get down to business before Rogue called and pressed him for information.
“You wanted to talk to me?” she asked, seemingly reading his mind.
“Yeah, I?—”
Ring, ring, ring
“One sec.” He dug into his pocket. Rogue’s name lit the screen of his phone. “I’ve gotta take this.”
She nodded as he swiped to answer.
“’Lo?” He slid out of the room and closed the motel door behind him. The humid air washed over him.
“Hey. We’ll be back in a couple hours.”
“Status?”
Rogue’s long exhale told him everything he needed to know. “Negative. We flew over miles of jungle, got out to investigate several times. Nothing. I don’t understand how he escaped. We fuckin’ had him.”
“He got a head start.” Because they’d found Molly. He didn’t say that, but he knew Rogue was thinking it as well.
Rogue grunted. “We’re returning to the motel. Just landed.”
“Shit, I’ve got our ride here. We can come get you.”
“It’s fine. Viper knows a local nearby. He’ll give us a ride. Reaper’s taking the heli back to Panama City and will meet us there. I don’t want all of us to fly out just yet in case something comes up and we locate Rex.”
“All right.” He threw a glance back at the door. A chasm of unease opened in his chest. He’d have to take Molly home. Wherever that was.
“What’d you learn about the woman?”
