Page 14 of Back the Blue

“You are my priority, Lorna,” I say gently. “You have to be in order for us to see this through. And in order for that to happen, I promise I’m going to do everything possible to ensure my safety, too.”

Nine

The sincerity in his tone is unmistakable. But knowing that this man, a literal stranger, is prepared to risk his life to save mine, for reasons beyond his job, is…heady. I watch him concentrate on the road before taking a shaky breath and giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

“Ashley?”

“Yeah,” he says roughly.

“Thank you.”

His hand tenses in mine. And when we stop at a red light, he turns his attention back to me. His eyes glistening in the darkened space.

“I’d rather you thank me on the other side of this, Lorna.”

I smile at this.

“I will,” I nod. “I promise.”

The corner of his mouth twitches. Then he pulls my hand to his mouth and kisses my knuckles.

“I’m going to hold you to that,” he says darkly.

My smile widens. Then the light turns, and he starts driving again. But he keeps my hand in his for the next fifteen minutes until we turn into a gated lot that requires a key card for entrance. Okay, I suppose that’s better than the last place. Without looking toward him, I can tell that he’s scanning the area for any threats. He’s so intense that I jump at the feel of my cellphone vibrating in my back pocket.

“Shit,” I breathe.

“What’s wrong?”

“My freaking phone scared the shit out of me.”

“Who is it?”

Knowing he’s not asking because he’s just being nosy, I glance down at the screen and sigh at the name I see there.

“It’s my partner, Malcolm.”

“Let it go to voicemail,” he instructs. “Until we can determine how deep this leak is, I don’t want to take any chances.”

“But there’s no way Malcolm could-”

“But there’s a variety of ways for an agent at the Bureau to track someone,” he interrupts. “Via cellphone.”

I grimace, but I don’t argue. As much as I don’t like it, he’s the agent. Not me.

He parks in a far corner of the lot. Then he tells me to stay put. I nod and watch as he gets out and searches the immediate area with a weapon I didn’t realize he had on him. When he seems satisfied, he comes back and grabs the duffle bag from the back seat first before opening my door for me. Then my hand is once again in his as he leads us along. In another thirty seconds, he opens the door to his apartment and guides me inside.

He wasn’t wrong about it being small. It’s a studio, just like the last one. But it’s already far more inviting. Mostly because there are pictures everywhere. I’m assuming they’re family, so I don’t hesitate to walk around and take them in. And they are most definitely family photos. An older couple with four handsome sons.

I pick up what I feel is a recent photograph and take in the rest of his brothers, wondering which nickname belongs to whom. And what the rest of their given names are as well. I’m so lost in them I never hear Ashley approach. So, the gentle touch of his hand on the small of my back makes me jump.

“Sorry,” he chuckles.

“Yeah,” I sigh. “Me, too. I’m not normally so flighty.”

“You’ve had a hell of a night so far, Lorna,” he says soothingly. “Not the kind of night you should be used to in your line of work.”

My hand absently drifts to my abdomen.

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