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All would come in time.
Still, if that long-awaited phone call from the Russian bosses could come sooner rather than later, that would be just fine with him. Tenaya’s nerves were already frayed.
And, if he was honest, so were his.
31
Sunlight streamed into the sleek kitchen the next morning, glinting off the stainless-steel appliances. Tenaya cradled her coffee mug, trying not to stare too openly at Tai where he leaned against the counter. Looking relaxed in worn jeans and a snug tee, damp hair curling against his collar, he looked far too at home in her space.
Like he belonged here.
Her pulse tripped faster. After days under the same roof, she’d learned his morning routine by heart. The scent of his mint tea mingling with her dark roast coffee had become comfortingly familiar, as had his playful teasing.
The easy domesticity was wreaking havoc on her equilibrium. Just her and Tai laughing together in the golden light.
Tai added yet another spoonful of sugar to his mug, grinning unrepentantly at her exaggerated eye roll.
“I need the energy boost,” he protested.
Tenaya hid her answering smile behind her own mug. She would miss this banter, these glimpses of the man inside the warrior.
Once this nightmare ended, Tai would walk out of her life as abruptly as he’d entered it.
The thought made her chest squeeze painfully. She cared too much already. There was no chance of hiding her blossoming feelings, not when Tai’s dark gaze saw straight into her vulnerable heart.
For now, she clung to each precious moment, committing to memory his lopsided smile, the warmth in his deep voice. Even knowing it couldn’t last, she would hold these memories close once he was gone.
He carried his empty mug to the sink, brushing her arm lightly as he passed. The fleeting contact made her pulse leap.
Get it together! Tenaya scolded herself as she rinsed out her own cup with trembling hands. The terrifying truth could not be more clear. She was in serious danger of losing her heart completely.
Tai was pouring himself a third bowl of cereal when he cocked his head, clearly listening to a message over his earpiece. His expression turned grim.
“That was Bridger,” he said tightly. “Detective Fuller is on his way up. He’s just hitting the elevator now.”
Her stomach dropped. She set down her coffee mug with a clunk. “Why? Did they find something?”
“We can hope.”
Pulse hammering, she slipped on a cardigan and shoes.
Tai opened the door before the detective could even knock, ushering the somber man inside and quickly shutting the door behind him.
Fuller stopped in the entry way, shifting from foot to foot, clearly uncomfortable. “Apologies for the intrusion. I didn’t want to call. I’m not here, if you know what I mean.”
“Understood,” Tai replied. “To not share a tidbit from an ongoing investigation, right?”
The man nodded tightly.
“Appreciate it,” Tai added. “What’ve you got?”
“It’s about the murder victim. The music teacher.” Fuller dropped his gaze. “Turns out she has a connection to the Red Hand.”
Tenaya pressed a hand to her churning stomach.
Tai’s expression turned deadly. “You’re saying she was Zhezhnov’s girlfriend?”
Fuller winced. “No! More like the opposite. She was stepping out with a top lieutenant in the Golden Syndicate. Chinese triad. One of the Red Hand’s main competitors in the area. I gotta figure there’s a connection somewhere.”
