Wicked Truths (Hunt Legacy Duology #2) - Jodi Ellen Malpas Page 0,43

it. Grab it. Turn away from the shelf.

Then the soles of my shoes seem to weld to the carpet. I can’t physically move. I have no clue why. I’ve seen the map, it’ll be nothing new, but I didn’t know what I was looking at back then. Now I’ll know exactly what I’ll be seeing and the significance of it. Or I could just look at Becker’s back. God knows, it’s stunning enough, with or without the masses of ink decorating it. But I have free access to his back now. It’s too easy. Delving into the secret compartment is wrong. Daring. Daring is exciting. Becker has unearthed that daring side in me.

‘Damn you.’ I slowly turn around and bend, peering over the tops of the books that hide the secret compartment. Then my hand is reaching forward of its own volition, feeling for the catch. ‘Where are you?’ I ask myself, my face squished against the wood.

‘Eleanor?’

I jump, dropping the file and smacking the top of my hand on the shelf. ‘Shit.’

‘What are you doing?’ Becker sounds as wary as he does interested.

I stare blankly at the tower of red files before me, not daring to confront him until I’ve nailed my poker face. That could take a while. I feel like a rabbit caught in the headlights, all wide-eyed and startled.

I clear my throat. ‘Just collecting one of the files you need.’ Dipping, I gather up the leather book and straighten, then faff with it for a few seconds, biding my time.

‘And do you have it?’ he asks coolly, his voice rising as he comes closer.

Wiping all guilt from my face, I fix an unruffled smile to it – or the closest I can muster – and turn, holding up the file. ‘Yes.’

He’s frowning so much he looks like he has a six-pack on his forehead. And for some reason I might never fathom, I start giggling. Why am I giggling? Guilt? Distraction? If so, it isn’t working. That six-pack on his brow is now an eight-pack. It’s the most impressive frown I’ve ever seen. ‘I know about the map,’ I blurt out, letting my arms drop to my side, exasperated. I can’t keep it to myself. It’ll drive me potty. And anyway, no secrets. That’s what he said.

I feel the stress alleviate as a result of my confession. It’s probably a premature feeling, given Becker hasn’t shown any reaction yet. His forehead is still keeping close company with that eight-pack.

Then it vanishes from his face. ‘I know.’ He slips his hands into his pockets, lowering his chin as if waiting for more, but he goes on when I don’t give him anything else. I have nothing else to give. He knows I know? ‘You’ve traced it, licked it.’ He’s being suggestive, and it’s having the desired effect. I cross my legs in my standing position, rolling my eyes. ‘Played guess the country on it,’ he adds.

It’s almost like he’s speaking in code, telling me in his own little way that I shouldn’t push any further. ‘I’ve done none of those things on the original,’ I murmur. There will be no silent mutual agreement here. I know, and I’m not going to pretend that I don’t. What does it matter, anyway? The map’s the map, whether on his back or on paper.

‘I see.’ He definitely looks nervous now, and I start to mull over why that might be while Becker watches me like a hawk.

He told me it was somewhere safe but made it equally clear that he wasn’t going to share where exactly that was. It didn’t matter, I already knew, but it would have saved this awkward moment had he told me. Besides, it’s not somewhere safe if little old me found it by accident. It’s also plastered all over his back. That’s a risk, especially considering how many women Becker has bedded. I wince at my stray thoughts.

‘How’d you find it?’ he asks.

‘I wasn’t looking.’

‘So how did you find it?’

‘When I was sorting the shelves,’ I explain, uneasy under his interrogating presence. ‘My hand caught the latch and before I knew it—’

‘You’d reached in, pulled the lever, opened the door, taken the book out, opened it, and found the map?’

I swallow. It sounds wrong when he says it like that, but that’s pretty much the crux of it. ‘Yeah.’ I can’t shirk him. He has me pinned, and I practically handed him the hammer and nail. ‘I won’t tell anyone.’

‘I know.’

‘Then why are you looking