Chapter 9 #3
And even if she didn’t know it yet, he meant every damn word.
And no, he wasn’t going to examine the fact that he felt more than just duty towards her.
Because he’d have to admit to having an attachment, or at least the beginnings of one.
That was something that had never happened before and it would stay hidden.
For a long moment, she just sat there, her eyes locked on his.
Blake held her gaze, steady and unyielding, letting her see the truth in his vow.
He expected pushback. Some sharp words or that stubborn streak flashing hot, but instead, something in her face shifted.
The rigid line of her mouth eased, the tension in her shoulders loosening as if she’d finally let go of a weight she’d been carrying alone.
Her fingers curled slightly against his, not pulling away but not clutching either. Just … resting there. Trusting yet tentative and fragile.
Elise drew in a slow breath and nodded once. “All right,” she whispered, “I believe you.”
He didn’t move, didn’t gloat. He just gave her hands a reassuring squeeze before releasing them and giving her the choice to move away. She stood, smoothing her palms down the front of her skirt, trying to reclaim some measure of composure.
“I’m tired,” she said softly, her eyes flicking toward the nearest doorway. “I think I’ll turn in.”
Blake rose with her, watching the way she moved across the room.
She paused briefly at the threshold of her bedroom, her hand resting on the doorframe.
For a moment, she glanced back at him, something unspoken passing in her eyes.
He wasn’t sure if it were gratitude, uncertainty, or maybe even a quiet plea for him to keep his word.
He gave her a single nod, solid and certain. “Rest. I’ll be here.”
Her lips curved faintly, not quite a smile but close enough, before she slipped into the room and closed the door behind her.
Blake exhaled, the quiet of the suite folding around him. He ran one last glance over the locks and the sightlines before settling into his vigil. Elise might have softened, but that didn’t mean the danger had. And if anyone came for her tonight, they’d learn exactly how dangerous he could be.
Blake jolted awake at the faint rattle of the door handle, and in an instant, he was off the sofa and crouched in the dark, his senses sharpened, every muscle wired tight. He had his knife drawn and ready beside him.
In his earpiece, Con’s low voice cut through the silence. “Two bogies outside your door. No weapons drawn that I can see. Move fast.”
Blake didn’t answer. He slid to the door, hand hovering over the latch. The handle twisted again, this time harder. Blake yanked the door open and exploded into the hall.
The first man froze in surprise, eyes wide. Blake drove a fist into his solar plexus, folding him in half, then snapped an elbow across his jaw. The second went for his pocket, but Blake trapped his wrist, slammed him against the wall, and swept his legs out. Both men hit the carpet in a tangle.
“What the fuck are you doing on my comms?” Blake growled, pressing into one man’s chest as he frisked him. He pocketed the random items the man had on him and then quickly checked the second man. He stripped him of his possessions, too.
“A favor for a friend, and you, evidently. Elevator just lit up. That’ll be company.”
“Who?” Blake muttered, dragging both men to slump against the wall as if they’d passed out drunk.
“Hotel security. I called them in. Play it cool.”
Blake’s jaw flexed. Fucking Con. Like he needed the man telling him how the fuck to act.
He slipped back inside, eased the door shut, and was halfway across the room when a knock landed.
Doing a one-eighty, he dropped the wallets and collected items on the table just outside of Elise’s door, then untucked his shirt and unbuttoned it as he walked to the door.
In Hungarian, he asked who it was without opening the door.
“Hotel security,” a voice announced. “Sir, are you aware of two men found unconscious outside your door?”
Blake cracked the door open, wearing a scowl that said he’d been pulled from sleep or something else more intimate. “No,” he said flatly. “I was busy.”
The guard’s brows pulled together, suspicion flickering, until Elise’s voice drifted from the bedroom. “Blake? Is everything all right?”
The guard’s eyes lifted, one brow arching in sudden understanding. The stern suspicion softened into something closer to male camaraderie.
Blake shrugged, expression unreadable. “Long night.” His Hungarian was basic, and the grumpy ass attitude made basic seem normal.
The guard smirked faintly, nodded, and turned to deal with the men in the hall. Blake closed the door with deliberate slowness, then leaned his forehead against the wood for a beat, listening until the voices and footsteps faded.
He let the lock settle into place, every sense strung tight, before turning back into the room.
Elise stirred, her voice soft and raw with sleep. “Blake?” She pushed herself upright against the pillows, blinking at the glow of the desk lamp. “What’s going on?”
He stopped a few feet from her door, forcing the tension out of his shoulders. His expression stayed neutral, though every muscle in his body was still primed for a fight. “Nothing you need to worry about.” His voice was calm, controlled, but he knew she’d hear the edge under it.
Her eyes narrowed, sharp even in her half-awake state. “That’s not an answer.”
Of course, it wasn’t. He couldn’t give her the truth, not without putting more weight on her shoulders than she already carried.
Crossing to her bedside, he crouched down, steadying himself so his gaze locked with hers.
“The only thing you need to know is that you’re safe. No one is getting past me.”
He watched the shift in her expression, the way her breath caught. He’d calculate the woman was half reassured and half irritated. She wanted honesty. But honesty could get her killed.
She glanced out the bedroom door, and her eyes landed on the table. He saw the instant she connected the dots, the flicker of unease in her eyes. “Those didn’t come from housekeeping.”
Blake’s mouth twitched despite himself, equal parts challenge and grudging admiration that she noticed. “Go back to sleep, Elise.”
Her name tasted heavier than he meant it to. He was acting too protective, too personal. He saw the shiver ripple through her and knew she felt the power beneath the words, even if she wouldn’t admit it.
“You’re impossible,” she whispered, breath leaving her in a sigh.
He leaned in, close enough that only she could hear him. “I’m necessary.” The words were simple, but the conviction behind them was iron.
He could see the pulse at her throat flutter, and for a heartbeat, he almost did more than look. He could have leaned forward and pressed his lips against that pulse. God knew he wanted to taste her. And that thought had him moving. Standing, he broke the tension between them.
She sank back against the pillows, eyes heavy, but he could tell her mind was still spinning.
From the knock at the door, his closeness, the connection they felt.
Because he knew she felt it. It was sharp and volatile and fuck him if he didn’t want to lean into it and experience Elise in a way that was far from professional.
Instead, he walked out of her room, closed the door behind him, and went into the bathroom.
He left the door open enough to ensure he could hear her or anyone else, for that matter.
“What the fuck, Con. You let them get all the way to the door?”
“Hey, not my first rodeo, Junior,” Con drawled.
“They stopped at the desk, and the desk clerk gave them a key. Figured they were guests. When they stopped at your door, I realized they weren’t.
I could wake you up for every check-in if you want.
Take a picture of their IDs for me, and I’ll run them. ”
“Call me Junior again, and you won’t need to worry about my father.” He walked out into the common room and took pictures of the IDs, searched the wallets, and took the phones back to the bathroom with him. “Why do you need pictures? Jewell said she hid her internet searches.”
“She did. This isn’t from that,” Con said as his computer clicked in the background. “These guys are Zajac employees. They’re on his security team. Employment records confirm it.”
“What the hell? That’s a big step. Breaking into our hotel room. Why would they do that? It would leave a trail straight to Zajac.”
“Hold on, I’m pulling up the audio at the desk. Shit, it’s spotty, but take a listen.”
“Police?” the woman said cautiously.
“Yes, we are searching for a murder suspect.”
“What? Here?”
“Yes. We believe she is in room ten-forty-seven.”
“The suite? You can’t be serious?”
“We’ve seen weirder things.”
“I don’t know. I should call my manager.”
“Or I can call our superior and have the entire hotel rousted out.” The man started to lift his phone.
“Can I see your IDs again?”
Both of the men flashed their wallets at her. She shook her head. “If I get in trouble for this, I’m reporting both of you.”
“You do that.” They took the card and walked away from the desk.
“Did you see any badges?”
“No.” Blake walked to the door and slipped into the hall, where he called up the elevator and stepped inside.
He looked up. “Bingo.” Jumping up, he grabbed the metal crosshatches on the ceiling and pushed a panel away, patting around for …
Grabbing two credential holders, he dropped to the floor, then retreated into the room and checked on Elise before going back into the bathroom.
He took a picture of both IDs and the badges.
“They look real. A fucking pro made these.” Blake examined the credentials.
“Send the credential holders to me, too. Maybe we can figure out who is making the IDs for the bastard. Oh, and Dude, I need to get into their phones. Let me tell you how to open the lock screen.”
Blake rolled his eyes. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t just treat me like a moron. It would make me hate you more than I already do.”
“Why do you hate me, man?”
“It’s hereditary,” Blake murmured as he went through the process to open the phone.
“Well, at least that makes sense. I have no idea why your old man is such an asshole.”
“Sure, you do. You tried to one-up him when he gave you his normal attitude,” Blake said before reciting the first number. Then he switched to the second phone.
“And that’s a reason to hate me?”
“Fucking with his phone is the reason he hates you more than anyone else. He hates everyone. It’s easier that way.”
“You should have him tested.”
“We did, and we’re still employed. What does that tell you?” He recited the other number.
Con snorted. “That Guardian needs new shrinks, duh. Hold on.”
Blake stared out at the dark room where he’d been sleeping on the couch.
“Okay, props to the person who developed the encryption for this phone. They made me work for it. So, let’s see … Idiot One got a text three days ago. A picture of Elise’s passport photo and a picture of her going into a … shed, I think. Not sure where that was.”
“Antwerp,” Blake supplied for him.
“Awesome. He was told to find and eliminate her. I’m going through his texts and phone calls.
Oh, lookie here. He had a phone call tonight from a newly activated cell phone registered to …
yep, your little visitor from this evening.
Lasted about three minutes, and I’m doing a triangulation on where junior was … Outside the hotel you’re at now.”
“And how did they know the room number?” Blake asked.
“Dude, I’m not a miracle worker or a mind reader, but I’d bet they have access to security cameras, just like I do.”
“We need to leave the city.”
“My thoughts exactly. Flying back to the States would be the best bet.”
“I can’t. My target is due, and he’s been coded.”
“Then put her on a plane.”
Blake’s lip lifted in a sneer. “Not fucking happening. She isn’t out of my sight until I have to leave to take that bastard out.”
“Then we look for somewhere close.” Con’s fingers were tapping faster than an automatic could expel ammo. “Okay, here’s an idea …”
Con talked, and Blake was pretty amazed that he actually approved of the idea the man came up with. “You know, for a complete and utter fuckwad, you’re pretty smart.”
“Ah, stahpp!” Con drawled. “You’ll give me an overinflated opinion of myself. I’ll work this and transfer everything to your phone and to Jewell. May I suggest you shitcan those phones?”
Blake would take out the SIM cards and batteries. “Consider them toast.”
“Good talking with you, but I’m bored now. Bye,” Con said as he disconnected.
Blake rolled his eyes. The fucker was annoying as hell.