if it wasn’t for Andie’s gentle persuasion and soulful, pleading looks.
Who could say no to this woman? If he ever met that person, he would personally nominate him for a medal of honor.
To be fair, her friends stopped seeming so utterly useless once he told them the truth. Six months of secrecy and here he was blabbing his secrets to three separate strangers in one day. Clearly he was losing his edge.
But then, as a man on the run who had no idea who he could trust, he couldn’t exactly be expected to play by the rules. The fact that Hunter was Eddie’s former partner helped seal the deal. He trusted Eddie—Eddie was just about the only person on the force he knew for a fact had his back. He’d heard Eddie talk about Hunter, though Hunter had left the department before he’d arrived in this city. He knew Eddie trusted him. If Eddie and Andie both spoke for this guy, then he supposed he had to trust him.
As for Spencer? Well, he had to take Andie’s word for it that he was trustworthy. But, judging by the way he refused to leave Andie’s side—her own personal watchdog—he guessed the so-called tech whiz would keep his secrets for her sake, if for no other reason.
In a few terse words, he laid it out for them. His assignment, the shooting, the picture—all of it. After he was done, he turned to Hunter. “What did Eddie tell you when you mentioned my name?” he asked, more out of curiosity than anything else.
Hunter gave a grudging, lopsided smile. “He said he’d look into it.”
Cole let out a short laugh. “Gotta love that guy. He kept his mouth shut even when talking to his former partner.”
Hunter nodded. “He’s a good cop. Loyal to a fault.”
Just like that, he and the former cop had an understanding. Spencer was still scowling at him—clearly he would be a tough nut to crack. But Spencer was angry at him for bringing Andie into this and for that, he couldn’t blame him. Cole was angry too. He’d give anything to get her out of this. It seemed in that regard, at least, he and Spencer were on the same page.
“Andie, you still need to get out of here.” Spencer’s tone wasn’t asking and if Andie’s petulant pout told him anything it was that she did not appreciate being told what to do.
Hunter chimed in, which didn’t help matters. “Spencer is right, Andie. It really would be best if you came to stay with Jenna and me. Just until this gets sorted out.”
Sure enough, Andie’s expression turned resolute as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. “And leave Cole here all alone to fend for himself?”
She wanted to stay… for him? Cole was fairly certain he shared the same look of stunned speechlessness that Hunter and Spencer wore and he resented it. They looked like idiots. He shook his head and tried to think of something that would convince her that she was in danger. “Andie, Anthony has your cell number. If he starts to suspect you’re involved with the police or know anything about his involvement with the Coradas…” He didn’t want to finish. Much as he wanted to get through to her, he hated having to scare her.
Spencer didn’t seem to share that concern. “He could track you by your phone number, Andie.”
She shrugged. Shrugged! “Spence, you can make it so he can’t trace me, I know you can. Work your magic.” She tossed him her phone.
“What if he already found out where you live?” Hunter asked before Cole had the chance.
Cole chimed in before she could respond. “Even if he didn’t trace your phone, he could have asked around. Everyone knows you in that neighborhood, Andie. It wouldn’t be hard to learn your last name, where you moved….” When he saw that her expression didn’t soften in the slightest, he ruthlessly added, “who you’re related to.” Finally a flicker of uncertainty.
He pointedly glanced in Spencer’s direction and added, “Who your friends are.”
She frowned, her eyes narrowing on him in a look she probably thought was intimidating but was really just plain cute. She was too sweet for her own good.
“I know what you’re doing,” she said. “And it’s not going to work. I’m not going anywhere. Not without you.”
Much as her words irritated him, he would have been lying if he said they didn’t make his heart ache with something so unfamiliar he couldn’t even