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“Is he okay?” She knew it was a stupid question the moment it left her mouth.
They were all looking outside.
“No. He’s not all right.” Roman sank down to the couch. “None of us are all right.”
Gabe sat down beside Roman. He looked up to Lara. “Do you have anything with a high alcohol content?”
Thanks to Connor, she did. “Scotch. It’s on the counter. I’ll pour everyone a glass.”
Connor shook his head. “No. You’ll go and pack.”
“I’ll get us all a drink,” Everly said, heading for the kitchen.
With a nod, Connor approached Lara. “I’m going to talk to Zack, but we’re leaving in fifteen minutes. I want to be in Langley before the traffic hits. We’ll call your father and tell him where you are, but no one else is to know.”
“All right. I have to run downstairs. Kiki has some of Lincoln’s treats. I know it’s stupid but . . .”
“They’re the only reason he poops. I’ll go with you to get them.”
Then she’d be alone with him in the elevator in which he’d first kissed her. Lara didn’t trust herself. Besides, Zack needed him now. “I’ll be fine. The Secret Service is here. I know you’re worried about Russians, but if anyone has entered the building, they’ll know. I’m only going down a couple of floors to a friend’s place. I’ll be fine.”
He sighed, then looked out at Zack on the balcony. “All right. Be back here in five minutes, Lara. I swear to god if you run . . .”
She shook her head. “I won’t. I want to solve this thing, for myself, for America, and for those grieving men. Besides, I know you’re really good at finding me.”
Connor crossed the space between them. “I’m serious about not telling anyone where you’re going. Don’t tell Kiki. It puts her at risk. Maybe I should come with you after all.”
“Stop. I’ll be back here in a few minutes, Connor. I’m giving you my word.”
He was silent for a moment. She could see that letting go of her was hard for him. He lived in a world of danger, where no one trusted. How would a man like that handle falling in love? Lara suspected she knew the answer.
“All right. I’ll be waiting up here for you. I was serious about the separate room. I’ve got a guest room at the house in Langley. I won’t ever deny that I want you, but I won’t force you into anything.”
She nodded, oddly disappointed. She brushed it off. Having time and space to herself would be good, smart.
She turned for the door, he caught her arm again. Suddenly, Connor loomed over her.
“Lara, I will do everything I can to seduce you. And you’ll tell me if we need to visit the justice of the peace.”
Her cheeks heated. “Connor, you can’t expect me to go through with that.”
He leaned in and brushed his mouth against her ear. “If you’re pregnant, I assure you we will get married. I had a singularly crappy childhood because my father was a disgusting bastard and my mother couldn’t handle the fact that her meal ticket left her. That will not happen to our child.”
“I might not be,” she said, forcing herself to look at him.
God, he was the most beautiful man she’d ever met.
“I can always hope otherwise.” He stepped back and his face became smooth and blank again. “I’ll be waiting for you.”
She practically ran out the door, brushed by the Secret Service agents, and hopped on the elevator, pressing the button for Kiki’s floor.
She felt utterly overwhelmed. She’d gone from suspecting the president of murder to agreeing to work for him. And Connor. God, what was she going to do about Connor? How could she ever trust the man again? He’d lied to her, used her. She couldn’t possibly marry him. The thought should have sickened her.
And yet there was a part of her that wasn’t ready to let him go.
The elevator doors opened and she hurried down the corridor to Kiki’s apartment. Her friend had moved into this building first. Kiki had tried to convince Tom to buy a unit, too. But he’d balked, saying he liked being closer to work. When Lara had purchased her condo, Kiki had rolled her eyes and shaken her head, commenting that, “Naturally Lara had to buy the nicest unit in the building.”
Sometimes she wondered if Kiki even liked her or if they’d just been friends for so long that it was natural to stay together. Like a married couple who didn’t want to divorce because it would be too much trouble.
She sighed and knocked on Kiki’s door. It opened, but not because she was there. It opened because it had been left ajar.
Had she gone out and forgotten to close the door?
“Kiki?” Lara stepped inside. “Are you here?”
She stopped when the door to Kiki’s office opened. She’d only been in the office once when Kiki had first moved in. Her friend always kept it shut up, claiming it was the only boring part of her eclectically furnished place. She’d told Lara once that the office was the sad part of her soul and she didn’t want anyone seeing it—or the sensitive job-related documents she kept inside.
But it wasn’t Kiki who emerged from the office. It was Tom.
And he clutched a knife in his hands.
FOURTEEN
Connor watched her go, his whole body heavy with the desire to drag her right back to his side and never let her leave. He’d almost been ready to give up before he’d seen that tape.
She needed him. She was getting into something even more dangerous than he’d first thought, and she had no clue how to defend herself. Zack had given him the perfect excuse to keep her close.
How was he going to prove that he was worthy of her? Hell, he wasn’t. Not really, but he was good for her. She just didn’t see it. She needed someone like him, someone who would burn down the world to make sure she was safe and happy. She never thought of herself, always putting others’ needs first. While noble, it could be dangerous if she fell for the wrong man, a guy who would use her and soak up all that sunshine for himself, never giving her anything in return. Connor intended to see to it that no one stepped on her or used her again.
Just him.
Damn it. Maybe that made him a selfish prick, but he couldn’t let her go. Deep down he prayed the times he’d had her without protection were enough. Hopefully, she would see reason and marry him and then he could show her the kind of life he wanted to give her.
“She left her phone behind.” Dax handed him Lara’s cell with its sunny yellow case. “She probably won’t run far without her phone.”
“I’m quitting the Agency.” He couldn’t be a good husband to Lara if he was constantly halfway around the world getting his hands dirty.
Dax put a hand on his shoulder. “Of course you are. You’re going to have a wife and kids. You’ve done your time, man. Let someone else step up.”
“Quit the Navy and come with me. We can build a business. Security solutions. Hell, between the two of us we know enough sad-sack ex-military and black ops dudes to form a small army.”
Dax frowned. “I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. I don’t have a girl. I think I’m just about ready to ship out again. I need a vacation from my vacation, if you know what I mean.”
“Go to her,” Connor suggested. “Talk to her. She’s not married.”
Dax scrubbed a hand through his hair. “You think I don’t know that? I’m practically that woman’s stalker. Thank god she doesn’t know it because she would kick my ass and likely get me discharged. I know she’s in New Orleans. She’s still the most gorgeous woman to walk the earth and I also know that she still curses my name.”
“Yeah, well, Lara isn’t too happy with me right now. I’m not going to let that stop me.” He liked holding her phone. It made him feel oddly connected to her. He looked behind him where Everly was handing Roman a glass of Scotch. “Did you know about that?”
/> “About Roman and Joy?” Dax shook his head. “Hell, no. That was a kick in the gut. I didn’t think Roman had ever been in love. One of us needs to go talk to Zack. Roman can’t do it right now.”
“I’m going. He’s got some hard decisions to make.”
“Knowing you’re hanging around should make him feel better,” Dax said. “I think I’ll hit Everly up for a drink, too.”
Connor looked back at his best friend. “Think about what I said.”
