Taking On The Billionaire (Redhawk Reunion #1) - Robin Covington Page 0,44

going to relent, wasn’t going to end this in a way that didn’t cut him to the quick.

“I’m sorry that you went to all this trouble. Like I said, you seem to be a really nice guy. But I’ve read the files that Tess gave me and all they proved is that you are both total strangers to me and I don’t think that is ever going to change.”

She nodded to them all, a brittle, brisk nod that spoke of years of military training and an even longer education at the school of hard knocks and bitter disappointment. And then she was gone, disappearing into the shadows of the interior of his home toward the front door.

Roan stepped into his rapidly narrowing field of vision, his expression concerned and apologetic.

“Adam, I’m going to make sure that she gets to the hotel. I think it’s just going to take her a little time.” He paused, obviously searching for the right thing to say. Roan hesitated and then reached out, clasping Adam’s shoulder and giving it a squeeze. “Thanks for this and thanks for finding us.”

He nodded to Tess and sauntered off, following Sarina’s path. Adam stood there, rooted in place by disappointment, anger, sadness and a bone-deep helplessness that threatened to bring him to his knees.

He had failed them again.

And then Tess was there, her arms wrapped around his neck and her words of comfort spilling over him in a balm that soothed like a summer rain on thirsty ground.

“Adam, it’s okay. You knew this wasn’t going to be easy. It will be okay.”

He leaned into her, briefly concerned that his weight, his need would be too much for her but this was Tess. His Tess. Strong. Smart. His.

And he needed her.

“Tess, tell me you need me. Even if it’s a lie. Tell me,” Adam rasped against the soft, sweet skin of her cheek, heading for her mouth and the sweet relief her kisses could bring. It was selfish and it was too much to ask but he asked it anyway.

The last thing he heard before he took her mouth was the four words that kept him from falling apart.

“Adam, I need you.”

Thirteen

Adam needed her.

Everything that they were about, every rule they had established between them told her to leave, to tell him that he’d be okay and go home. Because if she stayed, this would all be different between them and they would never be able to go back.

But she could never leave him now. Not after seeing the complete devastation on his face, the loss of hope. Adam might be stoic and strong but his bone-deep need to take care of the people for whom he felt responsible made him vulnerable. He hid it well but if you got close enough to see what mattered to him, it was hard to miss.

Tess opened to his kiss, using her own response to calm him, to let him know that she wasn’t going anywhere.

He broke it off, looking down at her, his eyes searching for answers that she didn’t have.

“Are you scared?” she asked him before she could stop herself. There was only so much she could do to soothe him with her body. Other things needed to be faced head-on. He seemed to know that she wasn’t talking about them.

“All the time,” he answered, tucking a curl around his finger. “I can’t fail, Tess.”

“You’re not going to fail, Adam.” She shushed him with a finger laid across his lips. “I don’t know if everything is going to work out exactly like you want it to but you won’t fail. We’ll find the mole and Sarina will come around.”

He shook his head, his dark eyes miserable. “I think she’s right. I was selfish to drag them both into this. They were doing just fine without me.”

Tess didn’t know much but she knew some things and they were going to get those straight right now.

“Adam, maybe Sarina isn’t ready but she was wrong about your being selfish. I was the one you hired, remember? I know what motivated you from the start and that wasn’t part of the equation.”

Adam paused, closing his eyes and clearly rolling things over in his head. He opened his eyes, dark lashes making the amber stand out.

“Are you ever scared?”

Tess didn’t hesitate with the truth. “All the damn time.”

“I need you, Tess.”

“Then take me. I’m yours, Adam. You know this.” Tess was startled by the words that tumbled out of her mouth but she wouldn’t take