She shakes her head but her lips twitch with laughter. “Such the southern gentlemen.”
“Hush now you.” Eli slings an arm over her shoulder as they walk. I’m glad he’s feeling better.
I turn to Freya to tell her I have more questions but when I look down, she’s staring at Eli and Eva. Her eyes narrow in on Eli’s hand at Eva’s back as he guides her into the car.What the hell happened in that hallway?
I’d restrained from scolding Eli because he looked guilty enough already, but he refused to tell me what had been said. Or done. I run my eyes over Freya’s stubborn face. Somehow, I don’t think I’ll have any more luck with her.
“Come on,” I say, snapping her out of it. “You and I are going back to The Lair. Time to answer more questions.”
Freya raises her eyebrows. “The Lair?”
I sigh. “Ask Jude.”
Freya glances at Jude but quickly looks away, a blush blooming under her freckled skin.
Apparently, I need to have a word with my team about boundaries.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Freya
RIVER IS DRIVING me insane. I have never met a man so relentless and single-minded.
“I don’t know, maybe.” I squeeze my eyes shut and pinch the bridge of my nose.
“I need you to be more specific, Freya,” River demands. “Now where-”
“I swear to god River, if you ask me one more question, I cannot be held responsible for my actions.”
River looks up from his notebook where he’s been recording everything I’ve told him over the past three hours. Yes.Three hours. A single, dark brow raises. “I thought you wanted to catch your father.”
I draw in a deep breath and concentrate on not stabbing one of his perfectly sharpened pencils through his eye. “I do. But I’m no good to you if I’m not thinking straight.” I slouch down in the wooden chair in River’s office. The seat is cushioned but, even so, my butt went numb about an hour ago. At least I’m not cuffed to it this time.
I stare at him across the mahogany desk. “I’m tired and hungry and I’ve told you pretty much my entire life story, three times over.” River had wanted to know everything. From the schools I’d gone to, to the gritty details of my father’s kills. How he chose which women to take, how he kidnapped them, wherehe kept them, were they awake or drugged, did I talk to them. The questions went on and on and each one dug at my brain like a scalpel cutting out the mold. In some ways it’s freeing to finally tell someone the nightmares that haunted my childhood, but it’s definitely not easy.
I also haven’t had a chance to look at the note I took from the park yet and the thin slip of paper feels like a razor blade in my pocket.
I sit on my hands, so River won’t see them tremble.
He tucks his notebook into his desk drawer. “Alright, we’ll stop for now. I’ll order us some food.
I shake my head, needing to get out of here. “No, it’s fine. I’ll grab something at home.”
River’s hand freezes halfway towards his phone. “Right, of course.” He clears his throat and runs a hand through his jet-black hair. It somehow stays neat even after he’s messed with it. “Oz brought your bike over from the house earlier. It’s in the garage.”
My eyes widen briefly in surprise. “Tell him thanks for me.”
“You’ve got his number.”
I’d forgotten they’d programmed their numbers into my phone. Even Eli’s. “I guess I can tell him myself then.”
River nods. For a second there he almost softened. When he offered to order us some food like we were friends, not agent and asset. He’s all business again now though. “Good. I’ll call you in the morning and we can pick up where we left off.”
I grimace. “Can’t wait.”
River stands and leans forward, planting his hands on the desk so he looms over me. “Watch the attitude. You have the freedom to come and go at the moment, Freya, but I’m trusting you to behave yourself.” His eyes drop to the tracker on my right ankle. “That five-mile radius can be decreased. Do you understand?”
The threat crawls up my back but I push myself to standing, my smile dripping with sweetness. “Yes, Sir.”
