Page 70 of Armed ’N’ Ready

“Maybe you are, maybe you aren’t. Unfortunately, I can’t tell what the truth is with you.” Without warning, something inside her snapped, and she rushed forward, pushing at his chest. “I was nothing more than a job to you—a means to an end.”

He stood there, silently taking her hits with his arms at his sides. She looked into his eyes, momentarily taken aback by the abject misery she saw reflected in his gaze.

It’s not real. It’s an act. Like everything else that had passed between them.

Sucking in deep breaths, she stepped back and uttered a sarcastic laugh directed at herself. While she’d been stupidly falling in love, he’d probably been logging in the names of the Napkin Girls before making a pretense of tossing them out.

She’d been taken advantage of and used so much in her life. If she hadn’t caught on to Steve’s scam, not only would her clients have lost their annuities, but she could have been taken down along with him. Because of Joe, she’d been on the verge of being arrested and losing her business. Now she’d lost something just as important.

Her heart. And she doubted it was possible to ever get it back.

Nick’s face was an impassive mask, the same one he’d been wearing the day they’d met. That was his real persona.

“I’m not giving up on us.” He took a step closer, shaking his head. “When this is all over, we can—”

“Go our separate ways.” She backed up, putting the corner of the desk between them. Much as she tried, she couldn’t keep her voice from shaking. “Maybe it’s my fault—my gullibility in believing you could possibly be different.”

“I’m sorry for what you overheard, but I won’t apologize for something I didn’t do.” He held out his hand to her in a pleading gesture. “When this is over, I’ll prove it to you.”

“You’re only saying that so I’ll keep helping you. I heard Special Agent Cox. He wants me there when Joe turns himself in.”

“He does. I don’t. It’s too dangerous.” He took another deep breath as if to steady himself. “That part of the conversation you conveniently missed.”

Unable to bear the intensity of his eyes any longer, she spun and turned her back to him. A moment later, she felt his hands on her bare shoulders. Warmth from his touch seeped into her skin, reminding her of how he’d once made her entire body come alive like never before. The urge to lean against his chest and let him enfold her in his strong arms was overwhelming.

Don’t do it.

It wouldn’t be real. It would be temporary, to keep her tied to him in order to get what he needed to wrap up his investigation.

She turned to look at him, gazing into his handsome face, inanely wishing he could feel even half of what she did for him. Steely gray eyes watched her from beneath lowered brows, and she suddenly understood the only motivating force driving him. Ironically, it was an admirable cause. “I get it. I really do. What happened to your wife was terrible.”

Again, he shook his head, more adamantly this time. “That has nothing to do with—”

“Let me finish. You think that by taking down this organization you can absolve yourself of what you think is your own failure. But it wasn’t your fault, and you know it.”

He didn’t deny it, and that was okay with her. What wasn’t okay was letting him use her to find his salvation.

Steeling herself, she swallowed. “I want to go home.”

“I’ll take you.” He went to the door and reached for the knob.

“Eric can drive me.”

He turned on her. “The hell he can.” His voice was low and controlled, yet his tone was hard as nails. “You may hate my guts right now, but I’ll be damned if anyone else watches over you.”

She shook her head. “I don’t want you.”

“Too bad.” He yanked open the door. “Until this is over, you’re stuck with me. That is not open for negotiation.”

The conviction in his eyes told her there was no way to breach his stony resolution. For one supremely stupid moment, she dared to hope his adamant pledge to protect her was about his feelings for her.

It’s not, she reminded herself. With that painful realization, her heartbeat slowed to a dull thud until she barely felt it beating at all.

The only truth in all of this was that if they got to her, they’d get to Joe. Then kill them both.

Chapter Sixteen

“You can drop me off at the restaurant.” Andi stared out the passenger side window, her body rigid with anger to the point where it was palpable.