Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
Atlas drummed his fingers on his thigh and stared out the window. Their rental SUV had only five seats, so Havoc and Wraith had flown with Reaper in the chopper. Rogue drove and Viper rode shotgun. He and Molly sat in the back seat.
“How far are we from the city?” she asked.
“Three hours,” Atlas said, looking at her. There was a seat between them, but Molly was close enough that he could rest his hand on her thigh. His fingers ached to touch her but he resisted. “You can rest your eyes if you need to.”
She shook her head. “I don’t think I can sleep. I keep thinking about what to tell my boss. I don’t want to relive everything, but people need to know I’m back. Then I also need to explain things to the police.”
Giving in to the urge, he settled his hand on top of her much smaller one on the seat. “There’s nothing to explain. You did nothing wrong. Just tell them what happened.”
“Yeah,” she mumbled, looking at her legs.
Christ he was an ass. After all she’d been through, he couldn’t stick around to help her. He’d said he’d stay until she was situated, but all he’d meant was he’d make sure she collected her vehicle and had no issue accessing her place.
She turned her palm over beneath his.
He squeezed her fingers. He’d hold on to her for the whole ride if it gave her some peace.
Time sped by. Despite the air conditioning, the humidity was thick. The afternoon sun beat down on the car, and the A/C couldn’t keep up. Especially in the back seat. Over an hour passed, and when he glanced at Molly again, she was asleep.
Good. She’d need rest before she contended with the rest of the day. She leaned slightly toward him. Carefully, he cupped her shoulder and slid her to rest against his arm.
She groaned, and her eyes flickered before landing on him.
“Go back to sleep,” he instructed, pulling her closer.
Shifting, she scooted to tuck her legs under her and then collapsed on his lap, repositioning the seatbelt to allow herself room. He stroked her hair until her body went limp again.
In the rearview mirror, his gaze locked with Rogue’s. His friend’s sharp stare cut through the humidity, but he didn’t say anything disapproving.
And he could eat shit if he did.
Tipping back his head, Atlas let sleep claim him.
“Thank you for everything,” Molly said, as they stood in the parking lot outside Dunne International Exportation. She fell against Atlas’s chest, and his arms closed around her, enveloping her in the solid comfort she’d come to love.
That she’d miss.
They’d stopped at the police station on the way, so she could give her statement. An officer had then accompanied them to meet a locksmith at her car, then followed them to her apartment building and now she had brand-new keys to both.
She’d still have to get a new ID and bank card, but at least the worst of her to-do list was done.
Atlas rubbed a hand up and down her back. “Don’t mention it,” he said roughly.
She smiled, pulling away. She wouldn’t make this awkward. Wouldn’t cry. But if she wanted to prevent him from seeing the waterworks, she needed to say her goodbyes quickly.
“Okay, well, be safe.” Be safe. The guy probably carried weapons and wore tactical gear in his spare time. He knew how to be safe.
Atlas flashed her a smile, then his gaze flicked to the building. “I’m more worried about you. I don’t think you should work here anymore.”
She’d had the awkward conversation with Willy, explaining what Rex and his men had demanded she tell them—information about Willy she didn’t have. Her boss had been shocked and stricken, even apologetic.
Atlas had stood next to her. Silent yet rigid, as if on alert.
She scoffed. “I’m taking two weeks off. I don’t think I’m mentally or physically ready to return to my regular schedule yet.”
His brow furrowed. “Good. Lay low. I’ll be in touch once we’ve captured Rex. I’m sure you’ll breathe a little easier then.”
Sadness washed over her. It was after five o’clock in the afternoon. Any minute the parking lot would be flooded with Dunne’s employees. She wanted to get out of here, but tearing her feet away from Atlas became more impossible by the second.
He didn’t move either.
Instead, he settled his hands on either side of her neck, cradling her face. “If at any point you need help, call me. Whether it’s tonight, next week, or next year, call me. I’ll come.”
His words wrapped her in their softness. Tears rushed to her eyes and because of the way he held her, she couldn’t hide.
The pads of his thumbs swiped her tears away. “Molly, what’s wrong?”
She sniffed, shaking her head. She wanted to look away, to escape the intense scrutiny of his gaze, but she couldn’t. She’d known him less than twenty-four hours, but the trauma bond had her in its grip.
She curled her fingers around his wrists. “I’m just grateful I met you. If you hadn’t come after Rex, I wouldn’t be here right now.” The last part came out shaky.
He pulled her into another hug. “But I did come. And you’re going to be fine. Next week you’ll forget all about me,” he said jokingly, giving her another squeeze before releasing her.
He dug into his pocket and pulled out a slim phone. He typed something in and passed it to her. “It’s encrypted. My number’s on speed dial. But I want you to memorize it, too.”
He took out a white business card. All it had on it were ten digits. No name. No company title. Just the numbers etched in charcoal gray.
“Memorize that. Promise me.”
She nodded. “I will.”
“You can charge that with any phone charger.”
“Thank you.” She took a deep breath and stomped out the hesitancy to say what she needed to say. “And Atlas? I won’t ever forget you.” She rose onto her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
The rough bristles under her lips sent heat searing through her.
He reached for her and almost caught her waist, but she ducked her chin and opened her car door.
Once she was inside and buckled, she risked another glance at the tall, stacked soldier who’d stormed into her life without a single demand.
Atlas’s blue-green eyes dazzled in the sunlight. The thick stubble at his jaw, slightly longer than they’d been yesterday, stirred a yearning inside her.
He lifted his hand in a wave, his smile light, yet something flashed over his face . . . worry? She couldn’t put her finger on it.
She waved back and pulled out of the lot.
And a fresh current of tears burst free.
“You comin’, Romeo?” Viper called from the window of their SUV.
Atlas sighed with irritation and turned around. He glanced over his shoulder just in time to see Molly’s bumper exit the parking lot.
He trudged to the vehicle and got in the front passenger seat. “I should’ve driven myself,” he grumbled.
“But you didn’t,” Viper sang. “Seriously, you’ve got your balls in a bunch with this one, huh?”
“Shut up,” he said, with more fatigue than fire.
Viper was with him because they’d rented only two SUVs. They’d dropped off Rogue at the hotel to go over their intel of Rex, and Havoc, Wraith and Reaper would be there by now, too.
“Just stating the obvious.”
“How ’bout you just drive the car?”
Viper’s laugh flowed through the vehicle. Atlas flicked the vents toward himself and blasted the A/C as Viper maneuvered out of the parking lot and onto the street.
Molly’s wary, anxious eyes kept flashing through his mind. Letting her walk away had been like taking a kick to the teeth. He couldn’t fight the eerie sensation that he’d made a mistake. That she was still in danger.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. Rex was hiding his ass right now. He had no reason to come after Molly anymore. No reason to even look for her.
And Atlas would make sure they got to Rex before the guy could even think about Molly again.
“Have you talked to Paige lately?”
At the mention of his sister, Atlas fought a groan. After taking the bullets back in Pittsburgh, he’d stayed with Paige to recover. While she’d meant well and had taken care of him, she’d also been on his case about returning to work so soon. “Not in the last week. Why?”
Viper chuckled. “Oh, no reason. Just wondering why she hasn’t gotten on a plane yet. She seemed hell-bent on keeping you home.”
“That’s Paige for ya. Always hell-bent on something.” He tipped back his head and closed his eyes.
The conversation stalled, and fifteen minutes later they walked into one of their hotel rooms. They’d had the same two adjoining suites and one room across the hall since arriving in Panama a month before.
Each suite had one bedroom with one queen bed and a pullout couch, so each of the guys had their own sleeping area.
Sharing a bathroom sucked balls, though.
Laptops and computer monitors were spread over the small kitchen table. Sheets of paper and photos were scattered in the center, along with two file folders.
The chase was on.
Rogue glanced up from his laptop. “How’d you make out?”
Atlas pulled out the chair next to his boss and sat, and Viper went to the minibar and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge.
“She’s all set. Got her new keys for her car and apartment. Talked to her boss and the police.” He glanced around the empty room. After the night they’d had, the others were likely sleeping despite the early hour. “You get any rest yet?”
Rogue scoffed and rubbed his hand over his face. “Nope.”
Atlas had been on countless missions with his best friend, but this time, Rogue was different. He was pushing harder, was more on edge, and seemed reluctant to sleep.
“You’re no good to Laine and Emmy dead,” he said softly, knowing full well that Rogue was operating at max capacity so he could get back to his family.
Rogue flicked his gaze to Atlas then back to his computer. “At this rate, I won’t get back to them at all.”
“Not true,” Viper said, striding over to them and taking the chair across the table from Atlas. “We almost had the fucker. Just fell through our fingers.”
Rogue’s mouth scrunched to the side. “We get paid to make sure this shit doesn’t happen.”