Page 22 of Shielded Secrets

“No.”

“That’s what you just said.”

“I’m there for both, Kelly. Eva tasked me with making sure you are okay, and the Boss asked me to spy on some individuals for more intel.”

“But I’m not Eva’s concern.”

I took her hand, refusing to let her slip out of my grasp. “You are. Whether you like it or not, youareher concern. She’s concerned about you.” At another light, I took the chance to look her in the eye, stealing this chance to marvel at the stubborn glint in her green gaze. “So am I.”

After a long, tense moment, she licked her lips and looked down at her lap. “You’re concerned about my having intel that pertains to Mafia business?”

“No.” I shifted my arm to maintain this hold on her hand. Driving with my wounded arm wasn’t ideal, but I couldn’t give up this touch. Twining our fingers together, I secured my grip on her. “I’m concerned about your ever being in danger like that. And I’m eager to know why you were.”

“It’s just the same old,” she said quietly. “Guys on campus wanting to take advantage of women.” She cleared her throat. “Just like before, when I was drugged and found unconscious.”

“But they ruled that out as your just passing out and hitting your head, not being attacked.”

She shrugged yet made no move to pull her hand from mine. I didn’t push her for any more answers, not with our being this close to the mansion. We’d arrived quickly, but at this late hour with minimal traffic on the road, it wasn’t that surprising that we’d made good time.

“Eva is anxious to see that you’re okay,” I told her after I parked.

“Then I’ll go in there, show her that I am, and I’ll be taken back home?”

I narrowed my eyes at her, trying to see through her and guess at why she wanted this distance. Was it me? Was it the fact that she was getting closer to the Mafia? Too many secrets lurked beneath the surface with her.

“We’ll figure it out as we go.” I released her hand to exit the car, but she didn’t stray from my side as we entered the house.

Eva was there, waiting at the front door. She had likely been alerted to the fact that I was coming here with Kelly. I’d slipped Lev a quick text on the way, when Kelly was quiet and staring out the window.

The moment the women saw each other, they broke out into a run. Meeting in the middle, they cried out in happiness and hugged each other tightly. Seeing their reunion, I knew that Kelly’s tough attitude about not mattering to Eva had been nothing more than fear talking. Kelly must have worried that Eva would’ve forgotten about her and moved on from their brief, danger-filled friendship.

Eva led her inside, hugging her as they walked, and I let the women catch up.

Lev spoke with me off to the side. I filled him in on how I’d found Kelly being followed not once, but twice.

“You killed him?” Lev asked plainly as I summed up how I’d handled the second man.

I nodded. “I called the closest man on the crew to start with the cleanup and to remove the body. Peter’s on it.”

“Hmm. But the first man walked away?”

I shrugged. “I didn’t linger to check. If he was still alive and able to get up, he didn’t come running to capture Kelly.”

“So they could’ve been working independently?” he guessed.

“Maybe. Maybe not. We’ll need to get answers from her.”

“Hold on.” Lev put his hand up. “Eventually, yes. Eva’s glad that she’s safe and that they’re together again, but it’s up to Kelly what she wants to do. If she’s in the position to write this incident off as men just being men, that’s her prerogative.”

I didn’t like the sound of this.

“Eva asked you to check on Kelly, and you did. You’ve done that, getting there at just the right moment. But she’s not our focus.”

He was right. Kelly wasn’tourfocus. But she was definitelymyfocus.

“The Boss gave orders for you to listen in on that meeting between the dealers, though.” He furrowed his brow.

“Yeah. I know. I was multitasking.”

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