Chapter 34
Chapter Thirty-Four
I regret my tone instantly. But I need to get Marianna out of this.
Folding her arms around her stomach, Marianna studies me from across the jailhouse.
Scout better get here fast. And I hope he called our TL and the big boss back in the States. This cell now feels like a frying pan and Chief Willometa is holding a match.
I just rolled into town, fired my weapon in his town, and now he’s investigating a double murder that he doesn’t have a suspect for…
As if things weren’t jacked before, things just took a dark fucking turn.
Our team is looking for a missing woman.
And I’m an armed and dangerous unknown entity that just blew into town. I need to tread carefully here because this guy’s a loose cannon, and I’m in his territory with a fake ID and a hidden agenda.
Dammit to hell.
A conversation needs to happen, but not until I’m out of the cell—Agile always works with local law enforcement—but not when tempers are hot. Not when I can’t be sure this man isn’t as shady as I think the mayor is.
The seconds stretch out, agonizingly with neither of us speaking.
Until she goes all in.
“Did you murder someone? Two someones?”
Well, fuck. I press my fingers into the corner of my eyes.
“I’ve killed people. But not here.”
With a panicked expression, Marianna looks around. “Should you be saying that out loud? What if there are cameras or something?”
“It’s the truth. I have killed people. I have confirmed kill-shots in my record.”
Marianna shudders, unfolding and refolding her arms. “You just say it so bluntly.”
Maybe this is good.
She needs to know who she’s dealing with. I might be able to play the gentleman, but below that is a trained killer with blood-stained hands.
“It’s a part of being a SEAL. I know that can be hard to understand, but we are trained to find and eliminate threats. Sometimes, that includes killing people. It’s not something done for glory. It’s survival. It’s protecting the people and places you love under the direction of a military chain of command.”
The light catches on the sheen building on her lashes. She exhales and covers her mouth. When she speaks her voice is soft. “I know that has to be hard.”
Trying to feel detached, I reply, “It was my job.”
She looks at the floor, her body growing tense. “I believe what you said. I was worried for a minute that you could have killed people here. But I don’t think you did anything bad.”
Relief feels bittersweet inside of my chest. “No, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be a suspect.”
She focuses on me, expression even more serious. “I can help you.”
“No, you should go.”
“And if I refuse?”
My jaw aches from clenching my molars together.
Shaking her head, she laughs darkly. “Give me that stubborn look all you like. You’re not exactly in a position to throw me out.”
Fucking hell.
“Marianna,” I growl. “I need you to back down.”
“I’m terrible at that, in case you didn’t notice.” Her feet carry her toward me until she’s gripping the gray metal bars and leaning her forehead against the cell’s gate.
A thicket of lashes surround her beautiful eyes. But it’s what’s deep inside her, behind those windows that rocks me every damned time I look at her.
Fire.
Passion.
Something fresh and raw—so innocent it makes my marrow burn with need.
Swallowing roughly, I give myself a hard mental smack.
Who am I?
No one. No fucking one.
Without a damned thing to my name.
I can’t want her.
I don’t even live in the same fucking country.
But right now, I loathe seeing her worried when she’s already had a shit week.
The tiny crease in her brow. The tension in her pretty lips. Her words of trust that delivered a velvet blow to my ancient heart.
It’s her that speaks first when I should be saying I’m sorry.
“I hate that he locked you up.”
“You don’t need to be involved in this. I need to know that you won’t worry.”
“Too late, I’m already both involved and worried. By the way, I know an attorney, I can call him.”
I shake my head, unable to stop the tight smile that tugs at my mouth. “You keep the tow truck on dial and know an attorney, I’m beginning to wonder about you, beautiful.”
There’s a flicker in her whiskey brown-irises just before her pupils dilate.
That reaction echoes through me.
Goddammit. I need to get the hell out of here.
I’ve got to run away from Karma. The team is counting on me, and here I am getting tangled up in silky hair, sweet eyes, and long, lithe legs.
“I need you to go,” I repeat with my voice husky.
She narrows her eyes on me through the bars. “Forget it, sailor.”
“Fuck, little-miss-trouble.”
A quick flash of pleasure brightens her expression. “I’ll take that as a compliment from a man like you.”
I close my eyes and curse the universe.
Why fucking now?
All these years I’ve yearned for a woman to look at me like I’m something to be proud of, and it happens now.
With me behind bars.
In the middle of an op.
In a foreign country.
With a murder investigation unsolved.
I straighten, hoping it bolsters my resolve. “Marianna, look. The best thing you can do for both of us is leave. You don’t need to be burdened with this.”
Quickly, she reaches through the bars. Her small hand fists my shirt and she yanks me forward with surprising strength. “Stop. Just stop .”
Why does stop sound so damned good right now?
“Beautiful girl, you need to listen to me.”
She sucks in a breath and presses a hand to her chest. “ Okay. Heart, stop stuttering. Now, why does you calling me beautiful girl feel like the first ray of morning sunshine?”
I laugh darkly when I really want to roar. “Please, for the love of sanity, don’t say that.”
“It’s true,” she breathes and moistens the lush curve of her lower lip.
Lust scorches through me.
I scrub my hand over my face with my insides glowing hotly. “Dammit. Listen to me. This crazy thing, whatever it is between us, can't go anywhere.”
“Clearly, you’re right. This, whatever this is, can’t go anywhere with you behind bars.”
And after?
I want to ask what exactly she thinks is going to go on afterward, but my tongue has glued itself to the roof of my mouth.
Frowning over her shoulder at the closed office door, she scoffs. “He’s acting so weird.”
“I understand what’s got his duty-belt in a twist. This is his town. I broke a law. Hell, I probably broke several, and he hasn’t even mentioned the fact that my truck had a bomb on it.”
She groans as she faces me again. “This is so scary. You didn’t plant the bomb. And for God’s sake, you were trying to help .”
“I know. But this is the consequence of my actions.”
Blowing out a breath, she licks across her bottom lip again, making my stomach dip like I’m screaming down a hill on the world’s tallest roller coaster.
I barely hear her when she speaks.
“Did he explain why he’s pushing this? And what about the murders? I’m terrified for you.”
I shake my head as I rub the back of my neck.
Focus, Evan.
Half distracted, I stare at the scuffed floor. “No, he didn't explain. He’s been on the phone. I have lots of questions, but standing on the wrong side of a cell is not the time to ask them.”
“What now?”
“We wait. If he talks to the embassy he’ll get a ton of information and hopefully reassurance. Not that it fixes my crime, but if I’m lucky he’ll reconsider what I was doing. Maybe drop the charges. Plus, my friend will be here soon. He’s known for being very persuasive.”
I shift my hold on the metal cell door. “If that doesn’t work he can get my boss involved.”
Her hand unfurls from my shirt and presses flat over my sternum, making me freeze.
She looks up into my eyes. “Good. These bars are starting to piss me off.”
Blood pumping, I try to keep my hands to myself. “You and me both, sweetheart.”
A loud whap makes us both whip our heads toward the front door.
“Well, isn’t this fucking cozy.”