Page 94 of Final Sins

“Let’s get you somewhere warm,” he said, his voice a soothing rumble. “Are you hungry? Because I’m starving.”

The mundane question grounded her instantly, pulling her back from the edge of emotional freefall.

“I could eat,” she lied. Her stomach was so full of knots there was no room for food. But Jason wouldn’t eat if she didn’t. And the man had to be running on fumes.

They walked arm in arm down the street, the silence between them comfortable rather than oppressive for a change. The neon sign of a diner winked at them from the corner.

“The detectives said this is the place for burgers and pie,” Jason informed her as he held the door open.

The diner’s interior was a time capsule of 1950s Americana, populated by a handful of bleary-eyed swing shift workers. The aroma of coffee and grilled onions wafted through the air. Her stomach growled traitorously.

When the waitress appeared, notepad at the ready, Alex found herself struck mute. Even making this small decision seemed overwhelming.

Jason smoothly stepped in, ordering burgers and apple pie for both of them.

As they waited for their food, he turned serious. “About your house ... It’s not good. Totaled. Sorry.”

She fiddled with a sugar packet, surprised to find she wasn’t as devastated as she’d expected. “I’ve been wanting to upgrade the mainframe anyway,” she said, attempting a lighthearted tone.

His hand covered hers, stilling her fidgeting fingers. “Mendoza, I like your style.”

She layered her other hand atop his, savoring the contact. His touch was an anchor in the storm of her emotions. “Back atcha, Army.”

Their eyes locked, and for a moment, the world faded away.

A bittersweet ache spread through her chest, knowing their time together was limited. But she pushed the thought aside, determined to live in this moment, surrounded by the comforting buzz of the diner and the warmth of Jason’s gaze.

The waitress slid their plates onto the table, the aroma of sizzling beef and crisp fries momentarily distracting her. Shepicked at her food, her appetite waning again as her mind circled back to Gabriel’s betrayal.

“I’m really batting a thousand when it comes to picking trustworthy men,” she said, her attempt at humor falling flat even to her own ears.

Jason’s eyes flickered to the scar on her forearm. “What’s the story there?”

She traced the raised line with her fingertip, other bitter memories flooding back. “Happened a long time ago. I trusted a fellow agent based on nothing but a set of gorgeous eyes and a warm smile. Bad move.”

Horrible move, actually. While she’d been wondering if the charming Moroccan agent liked her back, Karim had been waiting to kill her. She’d been lucky to walk away with just a knife wound.

To her surprise, Jason nodded, understanding etched in the lines of his face. “Been there. Done that.”

His admission settled something inside her, a small comfort in the midst of chaos. She took a deep breath, the aromas of coffee and hot fry grease grounding her in the present.

“So what about Gabe?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “He’s out there, somewhere. He’ll want to finish this.”

Jason’s eyes hardened, his jaw clenching. “He’s never gonna get the chance. Mac and Liv are already working with my team to hunt him down. He might be a tech genius, but you and Mac and Liv are the experts at disappearances. Between you three and Paige and Cody, there’s literally nowhere for him to hide.”

A fair point. Relief—and a healthy dose of grief—sloshed over her. The booth’s vinyl seat creaked as she shifted, trying to process her conflicting emotions. Coming to terms with her cousin’s betrayal would take time ... and lots of prayer.

She poked at her burger. “So, Army, how did you happen to show up in time to save the day?”

Jason squirmed in his seat. “Let’s just say, I’m an idiot.”

“A given. Go on.” She leaned back, crossing her arms.

He ran a hand through his hair. “You leaving Redemption Creek didn’t sit right. So I followed my gut. Came to find you. And, well ... here we are.”

“Here we are indeed.”

“I’ve never met a woman like you. You do funny things to me. In a good way,” he hurried to add. “I like being around you, Mendoza. I like it a lot.”

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