Page 43 of Dark ’N’ Deadly

“I’m not planning on passing for anyone. I’ll go as myself.” She moved closer, craning her neck to look up at him, and as she did, he inhaled her spicy, flowery scent. “Like the nurse said, the resemblance between us is so obvious there’s no mistaking we’re closely related. Any questions they ask me about Alabama, I can probably answer.”

“Probably? At the risk of repeating myself,” he gritted out, “no.”

“Are there any undercover agents that not only look like Jesse, but can answer questions about Alabama that only my brother or I can answer? Because that’s what they’ll have to know. Considering all that, do you have a better idea?”

No. But he’d sooner cut off his left nut than admit it.

She smiled knowingly. “I didn’t think so.”

Unable to open his mouth without exacerbating the situation, he could only stare. The irrational and untimely urge to kiss her flared hotly in his gut, and it took all his willpower not to. Christ, the woman had more spunk and guts than was good for her.

“You know,” Dayne interjected, stroking his jaw, “it’s not a half-assed bad plan.”

Eric glared at his friend. The only reason he didn’t tell Dayne to butt out of this was because he was right. Without Tess’s help, they had nothing, and they’d lose the opportunity to deliver the drums and take down the entire network behind it.

This time, he raked both hands through his hair. All signs pointed to sovereign citizens and, with the Alabama connection, to Harley Gant. So, what the fuck’s wrong with me?

Not that long ago, his only thought would have been to nail Gant for killing his friends. Now that he had an opportunity to do just that and prevent a disaster in the making, all he could think about was Tess getting hurt.

As much as it killed him, he didn’t see any good alternative. Knowing full well that they could protect her as well as they would have protected Jesse didn’t make him feel any better. It sucked royally, but he had a professional and ethical obligation to take her up on her offer. Even if he refused, his agency would overrule him. Too many lives were at stake to turn down an opportunity that could salvage the operation.

“Fine.” He clenched his jaw. “But you’ll do everything the way I tell you to. Everything and without fail. Understand?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

Part of him had actually hoped his high-handed, dictatorial delivery would piss her off enough that she’d change her mind. Now, he realized he’d only stoked the fire. Regardless, she was doing it for her brother, and he admired her for it. She didn’t seem frightened in the slightest. He, however, was scared to death.

As he locked gazes with her fiery green one, something took root in his brain and in his heart, something sharp and painful that dug in and refused to let go. If anything happened to her because he agreed to this cockamamie plan, he didn’t know what he’d do, because dammit, he cared about her.

Get real, buddy.

He more than cared about her. How much more, he wanted to find out, something that couldn’t happen if she were dead.

Chapter Fourteen

The next morning, Tess woke to something cold and wet nuzzling her cheek and warm breath fanning her face. A rumbly huff blasted by her ear, and she jerked fully awake.

Tiger’s almond-shaped eyes stared at her. The dog cracked its jaws, smiling in that way only dogs could.

“Morning, Tiger.” She propped herself on one elbow and clasped the sides of his furry face to give him a sound scratching.

She yawned. Worry over Jesse’s condition and the delivery today had tied her in knots, and she’d tossed and turned for hours before falling asleep.

What if there were post-surgical complications? Eric had paid upfront for Jesse’s hospital stay, but how could she afford all his follow-up care? And the controlled delivery… Could she really do it without screwing it up?

She curled her fingers around the edge of the sheet. I can do this. I can do this.

Jesse said their stepfather had nothing to do with the drums, so she shouldn’t worry about being recognized. Plus, the number her brother had called on Friday was a New Jersey number, and the voice on the other end of the phone didn’t have the barest hint of a southern accent. Chances were everything would be fine and that there was no connection to her stepfather. But, if she was wrong and word got out that Jesse McTavish’s sister was in New Jersey, she’d be back on the grid.

The best course of action would be to make the delivery and hightail it out of town, but with Jesse running a low fever, he wouldn’t be able to move for at least a couple more days.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she sent out a little prayer. Please don’t let him find out where I am. At least not before she and Jesse had time to disappear.

Again, her belly twisted, but this time, not from fear. There was nothing she wanted more than to settle down. She was tired of hiding, and it was her own damn fault. All this time, and she’d never faced her fears. Never stood up to her stepfather. Instead, she’d run like the scared little rabbit that she was.

Not today.

Next week…probably. She slumped back onto the pillow. Staying in Flemington would have been sweet, but it was only a dream. A far-fetched, out-of-reach dream. Just like her dream of having a man love her.