Page 58 of Smoke and Mirrors

“So after everything you guys have been through, he’s just going to come after you and hunt you down?”

Kace sighs and turns to me. “He’s just doing his duty, Lily. I can’t hold that against him just because I’ve failed to do mine.”

I turn and look out the window. “His duty sucks,” I murmur in frustration.

He squeezes my hand, drawing my attention back to him. “If I can convince him that there’s something else going on, then we have a chance. I know he’ll listen to me, but only if we have proof.” He settles back into his seat, muttering to himself. “I just have to figure out what that something else is.”

I use my free hand to tuck Kace’s jacket back in around my legs as it must have slipped off while I was sleeping. “If we’re on the run with no phones, how are we meant to find out anything?”

“There are ways,” he answers simply. “Burner phones are reasonably untraceable. And if I can get to my assets before the Seven do, we can hopefully get some information and figure this crap out.”

His thumb begins to soothingly rub my hand again, and I stay quiet.

I know I need to trust Kace. He’s come this far, betrayed his team to keep me out of harm’s way. So I just need to remind myself that he’s here. And while he’s here, everything will be all right.

***

It’s around seven in the morning when we pull into the outskirts of civilization.

Kace spots a motel and eases the car into the parking lot. He turns the engine off and releases a long breath. “It should be safe to rest here for a bit,” he says even though his eyes seem more alert than ever. “Come on.”

I grab the strap of my handbag as I climb out of the car, stretching my aching body. Reaching my arms up into the air, the gentle pull on my muscles feels so good as I let out a quiet moan.

A throat clears, and I look up, seeing Kace’s eyes watching me over the roof of the car. I shiver as his gaze bores into me and unconsciously lick my lips.

“Let’s go,” he snaps, stomping around the car with his bag strung over his shoulder and snatching my hand as he pulls us toward the motel office.

Kace books us a room, paying with cash and signing the forms all while the old lady behind the counter eyes him like he could be her next meal. I frown, pulling my body closer to his possessively and smiling as he places his arm around my waist and guides me out the door.

“Jealousy is a good look on you,” he says, obviously amused.

“She was old enough to be my grandmother,” I grumble. Kace laughs. “That’s gross.”

He slides the key in our second-floor room and pushes the door open. It smells slightly stale, but I’m surprised to see that it’s reasonably clean and tidy. There’s a double bed in the center, and butterflies splutter in my stomach as I realize we’ll have to share if there’s any chance of us getting the rest we need.

Kace doesn’t seem to notice, dropping his heavy body onto the bed and running his fingers through his hair.

I close the door and lock it behind me, toeing off my shoes and padding toward the bed. Standing in front of him, I take his hand from his hair and replace it with my own. I grip his hair in my fingers and tilt his head up to me. His eyes are now looking tired, his body wearing down.

“It’s going to be okay,” I tell him softly. My fingers trace down his face, running along the scratchy stubble of his jaw. He doesn’t say anything. One of his hands simply reaches up and grasps the back of my neck, drawing my face to his. The brush of his lips against mine is subtle but instantly makes me crave more.

My eyes flutter closed as I press more firmly, my hand cupping his face. Just as I move to seek entrance to his mouth, he pulls back. Disappointment sinks into me, but when I open my eyes, I see everything I need to know in his face. He wants me just as badly as I want him.

“Why don’t you go take a shower?” he whispers. “I need to gather my thoughts.”

I swallow tightly but nod. He pulls me down again, pressing his lips to my forehead before releasing me and allowing me to step back.

“You should probably get some rest,” I tell him.

He smiles. “Yeah, I probably should.”

Grabbing my handbag, I turn and walk to the small bathroom and turn on the shower, knowing that he won’t. He’ll sit there, alert and awake, ready to protect me from anything. And God, if it doesn’t feel good.

A headache from the stress is coming on, so I dig through my bag to find some painkillers to ease the tension, it’s then I notice my cell phone is tucked away in my bag. I tense up knowing I need to tell Kace, but I look over, seeing the steam from the shower rising and calling to me. I figure a few more minutes won’t hurt, so I adjust the shower so it’s not hot enough to scold my skin but hot enough to cleanse my body. Stepping under the heat, the pressure of the water massages at my body. I try to make it quick, but it feels so fucking good that I just can’t convince myself to climb out until the water begins to run cold.

Drying off, I wrap the towel around my body, stepping out into the room. “Umm… I don’t know if you want to have a shower, but you might want to wait. I kinda used all the hot water.”

Kace is laying on his back with his arm across his eyes. He lifts it slightly, and I pull the towel a little tighter around me, shifting nervously.

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