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“No teleprompter up there,” I blurted, my stomach squeezing from memories of the past. That also reminded me, where was his Southern accent? I hadn’t heard it slip through once today. Then again, I wasn’t exactly myself earlier.
Carter’s piercing eyes fixed on me as his lips drew together in a straight line. That bladed jawline of his alone could be what sharpened those knives. “My people decrypted the content on the USB.”
I wished he trusted me enough to treat me like part of the team. Like I had a right to know the full scope of the situation without having to ask.
His team had coddled me, acting like I was their patient today, not the reason why we were in this mess. Then again, I couldn’t blame myself for this situation. I’d never meant to stumble upon a theory that could be actualized into a weapon. I’d unknowingly been part of a project that could have catastrophic results.
Maybe I should’ve known? Did Bahar? Did William? Was I the only one so focused on my research I hadn’t seen the bigger picture? Were there red flags I’d missed? Ignored? Shit, I was slipping back into guilt mode when I knew damn well that didn’t do any good.
He palmed his jawline, and I took notice of the distinguished touch of silver here and there in his facial hair. A little at his temples, too. Why was that so damn sexy?
“I lost you.” His brows slanted.
“How could you possibly know that?”
He leaned in, dropping his mouth over my ear, sending shivers and chills down my spine and through my limbs. All the delicious side effects of this man’s presence that I shouldn’t experience or feel right now. “Because energy doesn’t lie,” he murmured, and well, there it was. The scintillating Southern cut through those four words and right into me.
We had bad guys to stop. A world to save. And I was paying attention to his voice and the sexy way he’d just thrown my own words back at me. I needed to stop wondering why I felt so energetically connected to this man. “The, um, USB.” Focus. Don’t feel the pulse of electricity strumming between you right now. The bad guys are coming and danger is around the corner.
Carter straightened, his chest lifting from a deep inhalation as if realizing he’d also been distracted. “The traffickers were taking you to Oslo. Once there, they’d be provided new instructions for the next location, along with payment.”
I took a moment to digest the news. “Anything else?”
“The intel on the USB matched what the men we’ve been questioning tonight said. They don’t know who hired them. My people are working to chase down their previous movements and track the emails, but they’re not optimistic. That concerns me, because my people are good.”
“But the best is this Gwen person, right? Maybe she can help?”
“My team already reached out to Gwen a few hours ago. She’d prefer not to work with me, but since she doesn’t need to join us over here, I guess it’s fine.”
“Why doesn’t Gwen—” I cut myself off, leaving the question hanging. Not my business. I didn’t need to know about his history with another woman. “I trust you’ll do what’s best for the country.”
“And for you.” His Adam’s apple rolled. “I’ll do what’s best for you.”
“I believe you.” I nodded, trying to suppress the flutter of emotions and bitter sting of jealousy.
“Because energy doesn’t lie?” He did that sexy side-smile thing again, holding far too much power over me with that look alone.
“Right,” I said, a bit breathlessly. “But I’m pretty sure our story was written thirteen years ago.” The Fates may have been playing a cruel game, dropping this man in and out of my life over the years, but it was clear now what their endgame was. “You’re the guy who’s meant to save the girl, so she can?—”
“Save the world,” he rasped, brows snapping together as the memory of that day must’ve rekindled in his mind, too.
“We’re connected for a reason,” I whispered, hating the sadness finding its way in my voice, “just maybe not for the reason I’d originally thought.”
32
CARTER
“Just put these on and try to relax.” I handed Diana the Bose headphones and MP3 player I’d had Teddy buy at the airport in Hamburg before we’d flown to Latvia the other day. I couldn’t walk around shopping with my face all over the news, so he’d had to do it for me.
Diana accepted the headphones and MP3 player, staring at them with parted lips. “These are just like the ones I had at the lab, only blue.”
I strapped my preferred blade to the side of my leg, then checked my sidearm, making sure it was fully loaded before returning it to the holster, leaving it unstrapped for easy access. “Yeah, they were out of pink at the airport.”
The little gasp and her cheeks flushing had me realizing my error. “I noticed them on the security cameras before the lab was hit. Thought it’d be nice if you have something familiar to help.” Hopefully I dodged a bullet.
I shrugged, uncertain why she kept looking at me like I’d done something special. “What?”
“Nothing.” She shook her head as if she could physically remove a thought with that little movement. “Well, thank you, but I’m not a child who needs to block out the sound of arguing. You do know that, right?”
