“I-I want to make sure she’s safe!”A fast correction.“Why are you hiding her?What have you done to her?”
Oh, for shit’s sake.Really?I fucked her.Should he just take out a billboard to announce the news?
“I’m fine, Dr.Owen.”Lily’s calm voice.“Your visit is unnecessary.I am healthy.I am safe.So is Atlas.”She was right behind him.Atlas could smell her sweet vanilla scent.Had he made a point of getting her body lotion with that exact scent when he arranged for her clothes and toiletries?Yes.He had.
He arched a brow at the red-faced doc.“You heard the lady.Healthy as can be.Thanks for the visit.Don’t come back.”He shut the door, knowing the guards would take care of their unwelcome guest.
Atlas turned, putting his back to the door.“What.The.Fuck?”
Desmond still stood nearby.He nodded.“He’s suspicious as hell.”
An absolute echo of Atlas’s own thoughts.Always good to know that he and Desmond were on the same page.Atlas swept his stare over Lily.“I’m sick of idiots getting obsessed with you.”
She took a half-step back.“I can assure you, no one is obsessed with me.”
“I am.”An easy admission.Completely.“That doc knows your whole life story.”
“That, uh, doc wanted to be filmed coming to the rescue here.It’s purely a glamour project.Doesn’t have anything to do with me.”She shifted closer to Atlas.“Did you make your calls when you went upstairs?Do you have protection in place for Hatch Davis and Westin Blanchard?”
“Working on it.Certain powerful individuals at the FBI understand the gravity of the situation.And I’ve reached out to security agencies in Oklahoma City and New Orleans.The agents will be working to contact and secure your two would-be victims.”
Some of the tension left her shoulders.“Thank you.”
His hand lifted and skimmed over her jaw.“I am a cold bastard.”
A little furrow appeared between her brows.
“But I willnotbe that person to you.You tell me what you want, and I’ll always give it to you.”
She raised her brows.“Ah, is that because you’re obsessed with me?”A light edge that could have been teasing.From another woman, he would have beensureit was teasing.But Lily so rarely joked.
So he didn’t joke or tease in response, either.Atlas simply gave her the stark truth.“Yes.”
She bit her lower lip.Then nodded.“Okay, let’s test that.”
She wanted totesthim?Call him intrigued.He’d always been a master at acing tests.
“Take me to the crime scene,” Lily directed.“I want to get an up close look at the area.If possible, I want to see that basement.Or what’s left of it.”
Of course, that would be what she requested.He told her that he was obsessed, that he would give her anything her heart desired—okay, fine that part had been implied, he hadn’t technically told her those specific words—and she’d asked for a crime scene tour.That was his Lily, though.
He smiled at her.Because he’d already anticipated this turn of events.This is how you ace tests.“Sweets, the limo is ready and waiting.”
Desmond cursed.“Is this really wise?Did youseethose reporters waiting out there?They are gonna follow the limo from the second it leaves here.And a limo just pulling up to a crime scene will be damn noticeable.”
Atlas shrugged.“Maybe I’m like Dr.Owen…”
“I have no idea what that means,” Desmond threw back.
“It means I like the attention.Or in this case, I want it.”
Lily nodded.“Me, too.”
Desmond gaped at them both.“Why?”
“Because the perp needs to know that we’re looking for him.That we aren’t stopping,” Atlas said.
Again, Lily nodded.“The killer should understand that we’re hunting him.”
