Page 24 of Back the Blue

“Of course.”

As soon as I pull out my phone to search for something, Lorna wraps her soft hand around my wrist. I shiver before I look up and meet her concerned gaze.

“What’s going on?”

“Diamond and his crew were at the motel,” I sigh. “And I have no idea how they found us.”

She nods. Then she turns her head to give an address to the driver. He nods and tells her he knows where it is. When she looks back at me, her smile is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

“My grandfather has some hunting properties here,” she whispers. “But once he drops us off, we’ll have to find other transportation.”

Jesus, she’s gorgeous and smart. I’m so moved, I press a hard kiss to her lips before pulling back and finally offering her a real smile.

“Keep it up and I might just give you a recommendation for the FBI.”

Sixteen

After an hour and a half of covert movement, we finally settle in at my grandfather’s favorite cabin to hunt. I walk around and make sure things are as they should be. But just five minutes into my perusal, I hear Ashley curse.

“God dammit!”

“What’s wrong?” I ask as I rush toward him.

“Nothing,” he grits out.

After he says this, he turns his head away from me. But I can see the tension in his features. Something is wrong, and I want to know what it is. But I can’t lash out at him like I want to do. Instead, considering our carnal knowledge of each other, I change my approach so I can get the answers I need.

“Ashley,” I breathe. “Talk to me.”

“No,” he says as he shakes his head. “Not yet. I need to call my supervisor.”

With that, he walks outside and initiates a call on his phone. And I let him. While I understood that he wanted to go somewhere Diamond and his crew couldn’t find us earlier, I have no idea what’s really going on to cause him to be so…down.

Ten minutes pass while he paces and carries on a very tense conversation. Five more minutes have me ready to march out there and demand answers. But when he comes back inside looking absolutely defeated, I change my approach one more time.

“Ashley,” I breathe. “Talk to me. Please. What’s going on?”

He sucks in a sharp breath and almost collapses onto the closest chair. Then he lowers his head, so his chin is reacting on his chest. I step a little closer and place my hand on his shoulder. His body tenses immediately, so I know it’s not good.

“It’s my fault,” he breathes.

“What?” I ask. “What are you talking about?”

“This morning,” he chokes out. “I checked my email and wasn’t happy about what I read. You woke up and I climbed into bed with you. And I left my laptop open…”

It only takes a moment for me to connect the dots and finish his sentence.

“And that allowed the leak to track us?”

“Yeah,” he rasps.

Then he leans forward and braces his elbows on his knees, clasping his hands together and letting his head hang down even further. Without hesitation, I drop to my knees in front of him, suddenly desperate to ease his pain. I place my hands on his forearms and grip him.

“Ashley, look at me.”

He shakes his head and sighs.

“It was my job to keep you safe,” he whispers. “Instead, I led them straight to you.”

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