were dead, then that would buy me time to hunt down the bastard.”
“You don’t think she was acting on her own.”
He laughed. Turned away and headed for the window. He stared out at the mountains and wondered just who waited beyond his sight. “Heather is more of a for-hire kind of person. I warned Roman about her once. Told him that I thought her loyalties would always be for sale, but he didn’t believe me. He should have listened.”
“You…hold on, were you and Roman friends?” Her voice was closer because she’d crept up behind him.
She’d come to him. Not gone for the door.
“I don’t have many people who truly fit the definition of friend.” An honest statement, for her. “But once upon a time, yes, I trusted him. He trusted me. That’s why when he learned he had a sister, Roman came to me for help in finding you.”
Silence. Then, voice halting, Lacey told him, “You know I’m furious with you for hiding my past from me. I want to scream at you and call you every single name I can think of—and I can think of lots of names. Like, a whole lot.”
Squaring his shoulders, he faced her. “Do it.”
She didn’t.
“Yell at me,” Dex urged. “Tell me what a bastard I am. Get it out.”
She’d let go of her luggage. With her eyes on him, she closed the last bit of distance between them. Her eyes were wide and deep. Her scent wrapped around him, and Dex wanted so badly to reach out and curl his hands around her shoulders. To pull her close and never, ever let go.
“Am I just some pawn to you?” Her question was husky. “That’s what Roman said I was. Am I only a pawn to be moved around while you play your chess game with some enemy in the dark?”
“A pawn?” He had to laugh at the ridiculous idea. “No. Baby, you’re the fucking queen.”
Her eyebrows lifted.
“The most important piece. The most powerful one. The one I would protect at all costs.”
“And here I thought the queen protected the king,” she murmured back. “Actually, I thought she covered the asses of every other piece on the board.”
“She does. That’s why she’s the most powerful. Everyone wants the queen.” I will always want you. “I didn’t tell you the full truth for a lot of reasons. The main reason? I knew it would hurt.”
“How would you be hurt by—”
“You would be hurt. Not me. You.” But he’d discovered that her pain hurt him. Interesting. After years of being invulnerable, he’d found that his Achilles’ heel was a sexy brunette. “When I learned how much you loved your dad, Jason…when I learned how much you wanted to find the person responsible for your parents’ deaths, I knew the truth would hurt you. The more I got to know you, the more I hated to bring you pain. I always intended to tell you what happened to them. That wasn’t a lie. I was going to keep up my end of the deal. But I wanted to tell you in a way that would cause the least amount of pain.”
“You kinda failed there.” She looked away.
He didn’t. He kept staring at her because there was nothing else he wanted to see. Just her. “The second reason I didn’t tell you is because I don’t trust Roman.”
Her attention seemed to be on the mountains. “He obviously doesn’t trust you, either.”
“And the third reason is because I am working a classified case, and I know that’s not what you want to hear—”
Her gaze jerked angrily back to his.
“But it’s true. The case isn’t over. There are people I must bring down. Dangerous people. I need Roman’s cooperation in order to get that done. You’re the key to his cooperation, Lacey. If you stay with me, we can end this. Just a few more days, that’s all I’m asking.”
Her mouth opened.
Fearing an angry refusal, he rushed to add, “I know it’s asking a lot.”
“Yes, it is.”
“I need your help. But I will not make you stay. I’d never do that. Your choice. Walk out the door if you want and don’t look back.” But I’ll send a security detail to make sure you’re safe until I’m satisfied this mess is over. “Or stay with me and let’s take down the bastard who ordered the hit on you.”
She studied him in silence. He couldn’t see past the veil of her dark eyes. What was she thinking?
Just how much does she