And then I saw him.
Ryker appeared from the shadows near the tree line, his expression a mixture of relief and wariness as he approached.
“Area’s secure,” he reported, his eyes roaming over me from head to toe. “Perimeter’s clear, no sign of additional hostiles.”
“Thank you,” Mia said. “Can you help get her to the vehicle? She’s still unsteady on her feet from whatever Vance drugged her with.”
Ryker stepped forward, his professional demeanor softening as his arm slipped around my waist. “I’ve got her.” He lowered his voice, his lips brushing against my ear, he whispered, “I’ve got you.”
I caught the look that passed between Mia and Connor, and I wasn’t ready to announce to her that we were romantically involved.
I buried my head into his neck and softly said, “Follow my lead.”
“You two seem to know each other… well,” Mia remarked with a raised brow.
I laughed, “We have an... unconventional history,” I admitted, glancing at him to make sure he went along.
“I found him bleeding on my fire escape about three weeks ago,” I continued, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “Three in the morning, rain pouring down, and there he was—cursing under his breath and bleeding all over my petunias.”
Ryker cleared his throat, as he steered me towards the closest SUV. “I lost my footing,” he said gruffly. “I was conducting surveillance and—”
“He was watching me through my window,” I smiled. “Apparently, my apartment had a 'tactical advantage point' for whatever operation he was running at the time.”
“It did,” Ryker insisted. “Your window looks right into your apartment. What better way to watch?”
“Discretion? What part of that is discreet?” Mia asked, a smile playing on her lips.
Royal chuckled, “That flew out the window the second he laid eyes on her.”
I looked down at the ground, hoping that Royal wouldn’t give it away. “Yes, well It must have been boring.”
A hint of color touched Ryker’s cheeks. “Not at all,” he replied, his tone deliberately casual. “Especially when they spend their Saturdays reading poetry to shelter dogs.”
“You saw that?” I asked.
“It was... unexpected,” Ryker admitted, adjusting his hold on her as they began walking toward the vehicles. “Made the surveillance shifts go by faster, though.”
Royal rolled his eyes behind them. “He volunteered for double shifts,” he muttered to Connor and Mia. “Said it was ‘for operational continuity.’ Right.”
Finally, we reached the vehicle, and he opened the back door. Instead of letting me climb into it myself, he picked me up, ducked his head, and placed me gently on the seat. “I thought I lost you,” he said, his lips brushing against mine. “You are never leaving my sight again.”
A tap on his shoulder had him banging his head on the door frame. “Yeah?”
A woman stood there, smiling. “I’m Agent Winters. I just need to have a word with Lily.”
“Of course,” he said stepping aside.
But the look in his eyes promised that he wouldn’t go far.
Chapter 18
Ryker
Winters had the air of someone who’d spent her whole life swimming through bureaucratic bullshit and could hold her own in any situation. She wore a blazer that looked bulletproof and walked like each step cost the taxpayer money. I liked her immediately.
She nodded at me, a silent order to leave, but I only moved down the parking lot far enough to be close if Lily needed bailing out and still within earshot. I watched, and when nobody was looking, I stole a cigarette from Royal’s stash and lit it. Neither of us had smoked for a decade, but emergencies called for old comforts.
I could see Lily sitting with her hands folded in her lap, listening and nodding occasionally. Winters leaned in, voice low, her questions so measured and rehearsed I could hear the careful cadence all the way over here.