Absolute Trust - Jeana E. Mann Page 0,53
gasp and drop the cosmetic bag in my hands. The nylon case lands on the soft carpeting. The contents scatter at my feet. “Let it go. I’ll have someone clean this up tomorrow.”
“I’m freaking out.” I can’t face him, so I keep my chin tucked to my chest and kneel to collect my makeup. My hands shake as I try to retrieve the dropped items.
“Why?” Cash crouches beside me, grabs a tube of mascara from beneath the bed, and hands it to me.
“This is crazy. We aren’t safe. You need to leave with me. We’ll go to my house. A hotel. Anywhere but here.”
“Oh, baby. You’re scared.” He stands with me and watches as I close the zipper of the cosmetic case and toss it onto the dresser. “You don’t have anything to worry about. I’ve got it all under control. I promised to protect you, and I will.” He reaches for me. I don’t respond. His hands fall to his sides.
“How? They’ve already been inside the house.” I snatch my lingerie from the floor and shove it into the nearest open drawer. “I thought I wanted this kind of life, but I’m not so sure anymore. People are dying, Cash. I’m scared. What if you’re next?”
“Nothing’s gonna happen, baby girl.” His tone softens. Lines of worry bracket his eyes and mouth.
“What if you go to prison or die?” The thought of losing him is more terrifying than any federal agent. Until today, this life seemed like a fun fantasy. Now, it’s becoming a nightmare. “I don’t think I could survive.”
“Everything will be fine.” He tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. “I knew this day was coming. I have friends in high places. Dodd and Warren have no idea who they’re messing with.”
“They were here today. In your house.”
“And they found nothing.” He wraps an arm around my shoulders. “Before I met you, I would’ve gone to war with them. But I’m not thirsty for blood anymore. I just wanna hang out with my girlfriend on a yacht in the Mediterranean. This is the perfect opportunity for me to disappear and start over.”
“You’ve really thought this through, haven’t you?” I tilt my face up, rest my chin on his sternum, and study his expression. There’s no shield hiding his emotions. His feelings for me are evident in the smile on his lips and the sparkle in his eyes.
“Course I have.” He lifts one of my hands to his mouth and kisses my fingertips. “You just gotta trust me, baby girl.”
“Okay.” My rapid breathing slows to a normal pace. A sense of calm washes through me. “I can do that.”
“Great.” His embrace loosens as he backs away. “Now I just gotta find a girlfriend for that yacht.”
“Cash!” I punch his chest playfully.
He laughs, catching my fist in his. “I need to get ready for my meeting with the guys, but I look forward to finishing this later.” I sink onto the bed and watch as he changes into a clean T-shirt from one of the piles on the floor. He glances at our reflections in the dresser mirror and catches my admiring gaze. “Before I go, what’s up with you and Athena? She’s extra feisty with you. I asked her to stay here for a while—until we get a handle on things. Is that gonna be a problem?”
“She doesn’t like me, and I don’t like her, either.” I don’t foresee a world where I could ever trust that woman. Evil lurks behind her beautiful body and face. “She only cares about herself.”
“You sound like Gage.” A shadow passes over his features.
“Well, maybe Gage knows what he’s talking about.”
“Why do you say that?” Cash crouches in front of me, resting his forearms on his thighs. The movement puts us at eye level to each other. He searches my face. “I can move her into a hotel. But I’m gonna need a reason.”
“She’s a cold, calculating psychopath. Isn’t that reason enough?”
“A person of her particular skill set is an asset for my business.” He sweeps the hair from my face, letting his fingertips caress my cheek, jaw, and chin. My body remembers his touch and responds by heating. “She can be dangerous, but I know how to handle her. It’s better to have her with us than against us.”
“I’ll never feel safe with her around.” He moves his hands to the outside of my thighs. The brush of his palms on my bare skin creates a pleasant tingle inside my