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I look away from her then. Tension riddles my body as I anticipate what will happen next. “I’m listening,” I finally say.
She nods, taking a moment to collect herself and— “After you dropped me off at my apartment, I remembered something about the men who attacked me, who attacked Sophia.”
“If you’re here to tell me they’re Irish mob, you’ve wasted your time and mine. I already know. Gio and I raided their hideout last night.”
“Oh yeah?” She raises a brow. “I’m assuming it didn’t go as planned.”
“Why would you assume that?”
“Oh, you know. Just your cheery disposition is all.” Despite the tension between us, she can’t help but smile at her quip. To be honest, neither can I. I shake my head. She has a way about her that is unlike anything I’ve ever known before. Even in the midst of chaos, she finds a way to make me smile and relieve some of the hotheaded anger simmering in my blood. Yeah, I’d say she’s gotten to me, in more ways than one.
“Fine. It was a complete shit show,” I admit. “I’m surprised you didn’t hear about it at work or even from your apartment since it’s so close to Bourbon Street.”
“Yeah, that’s, um, a long story,” she deflects. “Anyway, listening—remember?”
“Right, listening.” I lift my hands in surrender.
“Well, now knowing that you found the rest of Edgar’s crew, my intel may not be as valuable as I thought.”
“Wait? Edgar? Who’s Edgar?”
Ariana hesitates. “You didn’t get a chance to interrogate them, did you? That’s what you meant byshit show?”
At that, my lips fall into a flat line and tension returns to my muscles. She found him—the fourth man. More than found him, she interrogated him. That’s the intel she’s got for me. Though, given her nerves, I now fear the threat of the Irish mob is even greater than I thought.
“Ariana, tell me what you know. I can’t deal with the suspense anymore.”
She nods. “First, you have to agree to help me find out what happened to my mom.”
“You know what happened,” I say, my frustration evident.
“Then you have to help me find out why and who took part in the hit,” she begs. I shake my head.This woman.“Look, Alister, I get that what’s happening with you is more important. Your enemies are alive, and the threats made against you and your family are current. Even I can admit it. So, I’m not asking you to abandon your efforts to protect Sophia. I am simply asking that once the threat against your family has been neutralized, that you help me.”
Ariana closes the distance between us and takes my hand in hers. She moves so quickly I don’t even have time to react. Though, even if I did, I’m not sure what I would do. As Ariana intertwines her fingers with mine, her body only inches from me, I make no moves to pull away. Her touch is just as addictive as everything else about her I’ve come to know.
“Please, Alister,” she begs. “You are all I have.”
But you don’t have me. I’ve got my hands full with Sophia and this business, this war. No. She can’t. I can’t. There’s more than one reason why I don’t let myself go there with any woman. And the absolute last person I will make an exception for is Ariana Valentine, an FBI agent no less. It’s then that I pull my hand from hers and take a step back.
“I owe you nothing.” Even as I say the words, I know they’re not true. My father is the one who took her mother from her. He’s the reason for her pain. And, even if that weren’t the case, it still wouldn’t change the fact that I want to help her. It’s against my better judgment, but I do. I can’t explain why, but the way my chest tightens as disappointment fills Ariana’s eyes and steals the light from her cheeks tells me it’s true.
“Fine. Then neither I you.” At that, she backs away. But before she can get too far, I reach out and pull her back to me. Like the night we shared together, her body crashes into mine, so close I can feel her breath against my chest as she gasps. The simple sound does something to my insides I know can’t be good. As much as I know I need to let her go, physically and otherwise, I can’t. At least, not today.
“I didn’t say you can leave,” I whisper as my hand moves to her lower back to steady her.
“Well, unlike your soldiers, I don’t need your permission,” she says. “Now, either agree to my terms or let me go.” She lifts her chin as if daring me to deny her again. She knows she’s already won. Or else I wouldn’t have stopped her.
I do as she says. I release her from my hold, but not because I want her to leave, though I should. I really should. “You drive a hard bargain, Ms. Valentine. One I will agree to.”
Her smile is contagious as it spreads across her face. “Yay! And that’s Agent Valentine to you.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t throw that title around out here. The walls have ears. And while I may be fine with your occupation, there are some who could choose to use it against youandme.”
Ariana nods. “Okay, well, in that case, maybe we should go somewhere more private. I don’t think you’re going to want an audience when you hear what Edgar had to say.”
* * *
Though Cassioand his men are rectifying the issue, there is still a portion of my property fronting the lake without any surveillance coverage. That’s where I take Ariana for her to deliver Edgar’s intel. We walk in silence until we reach the lake’s edge. I cast my eyes upon the water, so peaceful and yet a painful reminder of what could’ve happened. What would’ve happened if— “Okay, I’m ready.”
