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Red streaks seared his cheeks and his gaze darted away before returning to hers. “I wanted to remind you to be certain you don’t get caught. With the Umir charge along with the death of the others, it would be a prison colony sentencing at this point. In case you thought of coming after Jarad.”
“Right. In case.” They were still pretending she hadn’t admitted her plan to Rook in order to preserve his integrity. Disappointed, she kept her smile bright. No need in letting him see the pain his words caused. Or that she’d expected, hoped their last call meant he cared more for her.
“And because I needed to hear your voice.”
Her pulse leaped.
“I needed to see your face,” he continued. “You’re safety has become a preoccupation of mine.”
“Rook,” she said softly, unable to think of the words to express how much that meant to her.
“I can’t sleep at night for worrying about you.” He cleared his throat and straightened his shoulders. “Be safe.”
The comm ended abruptly.
Seraphina rubbed a fist against her sternum to ease the ache his oddly sweet words and comm caused. Exhaling, she put the feelings in a box for later. Right now, her mission required her full attention.
She went back to the bed and recounted the steps of her plan again.
And again. Practice made perfect.
Hopefully.
***
Rook shouldn’t havecalled Seraphina but the lure to hear her voice and see her had been too hard to resist. She’d used another face. This one all sharp angles and tight features. Narrow gray eyes and pinched lips with brassy red curls around her head. It took effort not to release the disapproving growl.
He’d earned the right to see Seraphina. His Seraphina, not the mask she wore for others. But he didn’t voice the demand as much as he wanted to sink into her hazel eyes. Her safety was far more important.
“Did it connect?” Hahn asked, coming inside the tiny office Jarad allotted for them to use for meetings.
They scanned the room each time for listening devices and cameras. So far they’d discovered and destroyed seventeen.
Rook dropped his arm to his side and curled his fingers around his comm. If not for Hahn’s help, he never would have been able to backtrack and trace through Seraphina’s comm to him the other day. It didn’t alleviate the fear he had in risking Seraphina’s safety by asking.
Fortunately, Hahn hadn’t asked any questions and applied himself promptly to Rook’s request. “It worked. Thanks.”
“No problem.” Hahn paused. His jaw hardened and Rook tensed in anticipation. “You know we’re on the same side. If you need help with something, the other guys and I are here for you.”
That wasn’t what he expected his teammate to say. Gazing around the room, he realized it was no longer empty and the others had joined them. Kjar had his arms crossed over his chest and a smirk on his face. Dorian’s gaze remained steady, the blue depths reflected support.
“I appreciate the offer but everything’s fine.” For now, at least.
Kjar grunted and dropped his arms to stride across the room. “Your idea of fine is a lot different than mine. Your lady friend still wants to kill Jarad, right?”
“She’s not my lady,” he denied instantly.
Kjar propped his hands on his hips and stopped inches away from Rook. “Sorry, person of interest that you formerly sex shared with.”
Rook lurched out of his seat and grabbed Kjar by his uniform. “Don’t talk about her like that.”
White hair whirled and snapped but Rook held firm and dodged the violent strands. Holding his hands up, Kjar laughed. “Whoa, whoa. Easy. How else should we refer to her? Tempest? We know that’s not her real name. We don’t know what she really looks like and neither do you. She could be Dorian over there.”
Kjar flung his hand in Dorian’s direction. Dorian sighed and shook his head. “Let him go, Rook. We came in here because we need to finalize coverage for Jarad at this event. Security is on red alert, guards are on patrol inside and outside of the building. Kjar and Hahn will help cover the lower level and you and I will be on Jarad directly.”
Rook released the material in his tight grasp one finger at a time. “You are going to push me too hard, too far, one day.”
Kjar leaned forward and whispered harshly, “I’m on your side despite what you think, but it’s clear this won’t end well. You’re obsessed with a woman and it will cause problems for the team.”
