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“I’ll think about it,” Apollo said.
“Good. And Apollo—watch your six. Both parties fighting for leadership have something to prove and some big shoes to fill. They’ll come back twice as strong.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll be careful.”
Oz gave another snort, this one echoing with regret. “Sounds like you’ve already made your decision about staying with Blackout. They’ll always be your team.”
He ended the call, leaving Apollo to mull over his offer and then the decision he hadn’t realized he’d unknowingly made.
Oz was right—Apollo belonged to Blackout as much as his heart belonged to Indika.
* * * * *
Indika lay on her back and stared up at the dark ceiling of her bedroom. AJ hadn’t come to her after the shower. In fact, she heard him go into the living room. If she had to guess, he was working with his contact.
It was hard not to let annoyance tighten her chest. But in the end, sheknewAJ, and he was never going to back down when it came to that terrorist cell.
Should she be helping him? She was great at flipping over rocks and finding people who tried to hide.
A light knock sounded on her door. She turned her head as dim blue light from the hallway broke through the crack.
“Indika, are you awake? We need to talk.”
“I’m up.” She pushed into a sitting position, and it only stung her side a little bit.
He entered, and she switched on the bedside lamp. The golden glow cast highlights on the angular planes of AJ’s handsome face—but created shadows too.
His dark eyes leveled on her. He came to sit next to her on the bed. “About earlier in the shower—”
“It was only sex.”
His eyes narrowed. “It wasnotonly sex and you know it. You came to me, which means you’re starting to trust me again.”
At least shehad beenstarting to feel the rapport building between them again. Until he took that call.
“Look, only one of us is good at staying away from the other, and that’s you.”
He winced with pain at her harsh words. “Don’t,” he forced out, enfolding her hand in his. “Let’s not revisit what I had to do.”
She tugged her hand free of his hold. “What youhadto do? The same way youhaveto sneak off and take calls and meet people now? AJ, where does this all end?”
“When that cell is shut down for good and all the members are dead or imprisoned.” His voice was hard but his eyes were soft on hers, almost pleading.
“I wish I could understand, but I just don’t.”
“I hurt you and I can’t ever apologize enough for that. But I’m here now, Indika.Here.With you.”
God, she did love this man. She’d never stopped, not even in death when she thought him far out of her reach.
“AJ…if we’re going to work on us, I need you to be completely honest with me about what’s going on. I—”
A knock on her front door had them both shooting to their feet. He whirled. “Stay here.”
“Not a chance!” She fumbled open the bottom drawer of her nightstand. The small pistol she used for home protection gleamed in the lamplight. She pulled it out of the drawer and followed AJ.
He was already at her door, his own weapon in hand. It was past midnight. This couldn’t end well.
“This better be one of your boyfriends,” AJ muttered, reaching for the handle.
