Chapter 28
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
“Well, the guy was certifiable.” Liam handed Jessica a cup of coffee in the hotel suite in Salzburg, Austria.
“What’d you expect from an assassin?” She took a sip of the drink and set it on the nightstand next to her, directing her focus back to the laptop.
“I didn’t think he’d rig his place with so many damn explosives.” Liam dropped onto the bed next to where she was stretched out, working.
They were alone in the room right now, and she was grateful for a reprieve from Asher. “For a guy who likes to cover his kills with explosions—” She dropped her words and closed her eyes, but at the feel of Liam’s hand resting over hers, she drew in a ragged breath and peered over at him.
He scooted a hair closer and squeezed her hand. “Is it too soon for you to be back? Especially on this particular op?”
Her gaze veered to his green eyes, a touch of blue in the outer rim. “I’m—”
“Fine.” He squinted one eye. “Heard that before.”
“Well, that’s because it’s true.” Her hand slipped free of his, but her throat thickened at the lie.
“He’s crazy about ya, you know?”
“What? Who?” The laptop nearly fell off her legs and to the floor.
“You know who I’m talking about. And he’d do anything for you. He’d lay his life down for you.”
She didn’t do heart-to-hearts. What could she say? The truth?
Her chest expanded as her lungs filled with air. “You all would . . . and, me, too—for you and the team,” she blurted.
The flicker of a smile faded fast. “So, then, what’s your excuse for not being together? We love you, and you love us. And I don’t feel like my life is in danger because of it.” He lightly lifted his shoulders. “I feel safer, actually.”
“It’s different.”
“At least you’re admitting something. That’s a start.” He rubbed at his cheek, his eyes shifting to the ceiling. “I have my own reasons for not settling down, but at least I gave it a shot once before.”
Her brows drew inward. “When?”
“We’ll save that story for another day.” He stood.
“You expect me to open up and share my deep, dark secrets, but you won’t do the same?” She moved the computer off her lap.
His hands disappeared into his denim pockets, and he narrowed his eyes. “I just don’t want to see anyone get hurt.”
“Asher would never hurt me.” Sharing his name like this for the first time had her pulse climbing. The admission almost freeing.
He swirled a finger in the air. “Other way around.”
“You think I’ll hurt him?”
“I, uh, should let you get back to work. That code won’t crack itself.”
“Actually, it will.” She fixed on a smile and rose to her feet.
“So, you want me to stay and waffle on?”
“I don’t know what to do,” she softly admitted after a moment of silence had passed. “And then there’s Luke to consider.”
Liam cocked his head, studying her. “I think you do know, and Luke will get the fuck over it. And if not, I’ll make him get over it,” he said, his face almost stoic.
She couldn’t help but wonder about his past, a past he’d never shared before. Had Liam been in love once? It was hard to believe, but maybe something had happened to shape him into the person he’d become.
“I—” The click from the key card being inserted in the door had her backing up a step and pressing her palm to her chest to gather her thoughts.
Once the door was open, Liam twisted around to view Asher.
Asher shut the door behind him and inched closer to them. He scratched at the back of his short hair, eyes on her.
“Where’s the rest of the team?” Her fingertips bit into her arms now as she tried to swallow the emotions surging to the surface. Her defenses flimsier than ever since Berlin. Maybe even before that—maybe the culprit for her near-crumbling walls stood before her now.
“They’re checking in with Echo,” Asher answered. “Any luck on your end?”
“Uh, yeah. Tracing the funds from Egon to Samir wasn’t that hard, but now my program is running to track down where Samir’s storing his money.”
“Good.” Asher nodded.
“I’ll let you two talk,” Liam said a beat later and started for the door—leaving before either of them could protest his departure.
Asher jerked his thumb toward the closed door. “Is he okay? Why does he think we need to talk?” He rubbed his palms down his face. “Did he say something to you, too?” He walked past her, and she turned to find him sitting on the bed, pressing his elbows to his knees, his eyes on the floor.
“He spoke to you about me, didn’t he?” She pulled the hair tie off her wrist and whipped her hair into a messy bun atop her head as she waited for him to speak.
“He may have said a few words.” His brown eyes journeyed to her face. A tight line darted across his forehead. “We, uh, should probably focus on the op, though.”
“That’s what I told him, but . . .”
“But what, Jessica?” A slow whistle of breath left his barely parted lips.
He had every right to be angry. She’d made love to him. Given herself to him, knowing he’d wanted her for years. Only to turn her back on him afterwards.
When he stood, his height dominated hers. The close shave of his beard accentuated the strength of his strong chin. His jaw clenched as if he were attempting to grind stone with his back teeth.
He stroked his short beard, and a flurry of emotions crossed his face so fast that if she’d blinked, she’d have missed it.
“I should never have proposed meaningless sex,” she admitted. “It was a ridiculous idea.” Her eyes traveled to his mouth. To the lips she wished could steal her sins with a kiss and make everything okay again. If only it were that easy. “I’m sorry.”
“You should be.” He turned and strode to the window, bringing both hands to cradle the back of his head.
“What’s going to happen between us?” she softly asked.
He placed a palm to the window. “Nothing, right?”
“I’m pretty sure we’ll never be able to go back to the way things once were.” The break in her voice had been unplanned, and she was pissed at herself for allowing it to happen because it had Asher facing her now.
“What are you saying? You don’t want to work together?” He crossed the room to her in three quick strides.
She reached up and pressed her palm to his face, her eyes on the brink of brimming with tears despite the protest of her brain to keep it together.
His cheeks filled with air before he allowed the breath to leave his lips. “Jessica.”
“Thank you.” Her eyes fell shut. “Thank you for killing Egon. I thought I didn’t want him dead, but I don’t know if I could’ve handled the alternative.”
He pulled her against his chest, wrapping his arms around her, and rested his chin atop her head, holding her tight in place.
He knew what she needed. He somehow always knew.
“Asher.” His name was a soft sound vibrating against the hard planes of his sculpted chest.
He pulled back to find her face.
Right or wrong—she didn’t know anymore. Sex with him and offering more sex was evidence of that.
But the indecision pulling at her was unbearable.
And so, she pressed up on her toes and brought her mouth to his.
He didn’t kiss her back. Not at first. It was as if he were afraid she’d burn him again.
But then his hand dipped beneath her shirt to touch her back, and his fingertips scorched a hot path over her skin.
His mouth relaxed against hers, and his tongue parted her lips. And right now, she’d give him entrance all day. Every night. To hell with the consequences.
She gripped his arms and pressed against him, needing to be even closer.
“What the fuck?”
Her shoulders jerked at the harsh words, and she stumbled away from Asher. Her eyes winged straight to Luke who stood in the doorway.
Asher swiped a hand over his jaw and down his neck before he pivoted to view Luke—only to find the door slamming shut behind him.
“I’ll talk to him.”
“No, I should.” But her legs were weak, and so was her frame of mind.
“I’ll be right back.” He nodded and strode toward the door.