Page 80 of Double Bucked

I don’t answer him. I’m too busy watching James.

James looks at his phone. He answers a call with a “Yes” and then steps out of the room and into the kitchen to take it.

“Water?” Ransom continues. “Tea?”

I get to my feet and follow James as though there’s a thread pulling me with him.

My heart pounds in my ears as I push the door open.

The kitchen is drenched in white. James has his back to me. He’s touching his ear.

“—She’s compromised,” he says. His voice is low, serious. “I need a safe house.”

I push myself onto my tiptoes, snatch the earbud from his ear, and fit it in mine instead.

“Hello?” I say quickly. “Who is this?”

I hear nothing on the other end. The other line disconnects immediately.

James turns to me. He holds open his palm. “Claire. Give it back.”

I drop the earbud on the ground, fit it under my shoe, and press down until I feel it crack.

James’s lips tighten. “I wish you hadn’t done that.”

“Who are you talking to?”

“Someone who can help us.”

“Who?” My eyes scan him. “Who are you?”

“You know me, Claire.”

“No. My fiancé is a boring stick-in-the-mud whose idea of a wild Friday night is a 500-piece puzzle. I just watched you kill four men without batting an eye.”

His gaze is measured, his tone cool. “I trained up in self-defense. I suppose it came in handy tonight?—”

“No.” My voice is brittle, and it cracks. “No more lies, James. No more games. Try again.”

He says nothing. He just stares at me like I’m some animal that’s gained the ability to speak.

The kitchen door opens again, and Ransom stands in it. He glances between us, caught in a standoff. “Everything okay in here?”

Beside me is a stovetop and a block of knives. I pull one of the knives out by the handle and point it at James.

Ransom sucks in a breath. “Claire. Goddammit. Put that thing down.”

James doesn’t even flinch. Those blue eyes just watch me with passive curiosity.

Yelling, I can handle.

Anger. Sadness. Passion.

I can take it.

But James’s glacial indifference is more than I can bear.

So I turn on the only thing he’s ever cared about.

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