Page 48 of Protected Hearts

Her breath came faster. “Oaks…thank you. For everything.”

“I’m here for you, honey, and I will stay by your side.”

She waited for more, for him to add on to his statement, to define the timeframe that he would stick by her. None came.

For the first time today, peace rippled through her.

After she finished her tea, he offered her a smile. “Better?”

“Yes.”

“Do you feel up to talking now?”

She nodded and pushed the quilt off her shoulders. “I’m ready.”

They went into the office and settled around the table. Carson sat at the head, and Willow brought a laptop. She opened it and began tapping on the keyboard.

Shiloh felt a fleeting pang of embarrassment seeing Oaks’s sister. She’d made such a fool of herself when they first met. But Willow only offered her a welcoming smile steeped in sympathy, putting Shiloh more at ease.

She was old enough to have her life together, yet she couldn’t claim that at all. Since meeting William, she’d lost sight of her path. Maybe even the path her parents had wanted for her. When they disowned her, she lost two important people she could turn to.

Turning her head, she studied Oaks’s profile. She had him—for now. After this was over, she’d choose which direction she wanted to go again. It definitely would not involve a rich man with bad intentions and a cruel streak.

Carson nodded at Oaks, indicating they would begin the discussion. Being in the eye of the storm was never a place Shiloh wanted to be. She just wanted to do something she loved and do it well. How had her life gotten so off course?

She could only blame William for part of it—she was just as responsible. If she hadn’t been so naïve…

Willow turned the laptop around. At the image of a woman on the screen, Shiloh gasped.

“Is this who you were going to meet?” Carson asked.

She gulped. “Yes. That’s her.”

“Good thing you never met her. This woman is a Russian plant.”

“Oh my god!” Under the table, her fist was balled. As if he sensed this, Oaks rested his hand over hers. The light brush of his thumb over her skin made her more appreciative that she had him by her side.

She lifted her attention to Carson. “Does the CIA know?”

He gave her a short nod. “They’re aware. There’s a sting op in progress. Lucky you didn’t meet up.”

Her insides were knotted too. She shook her head, trying to clear it. “I can’t imagine what would have happened if I had.”

Oaks squeezed her hand.

Shiloh looked from Carson to him, and then their sister, pulling them into her ring of confidence. “The information I was going to share with the agent is protected,” she told them.

“How?” Carson asked.

“I have it in an encrypted file with layers of security. A series of passwords, codes and my fingerprint.”

“You came with no devices. Is it possible they have the information already?”

“No. The minute I got on the plane, I used your computer to add another layer of protection. I’ve got it covered. No way can they access the file to wipe it out. Besides…there’s also a countdown timer set.”

Everyone stilled.

“Explain.” Oaks’s gritty tone perked her up more with hownormalit sounded to her. The man was hardened by battle, but she saw the tender heart inside him.

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