Page 33 of Zero Hour

He met that cool gaze, his own steady and unflinching. “Because we won’t let you.”

She gave a slow nod. “I see. So if I don’t agree, you’re going to arrest me?”

“Aiding and abetting a known terrorist carries a hefty sentence,” he said. They didn’t have enough to hold her, but she didn’t know that. Hell, they didn’t even have enough to arrest Al-Jabiri.

She glanced toward the street, scanning the sidewalk, her body tensing.

“Don’t even think about it,” Pat said quietly. “We have every exit covered. You wouldn’t get fifty feet.”

She sighed and looked back at him. “If I agree to spy on Amir for you, will I have immunity?”

She was trying to negotiate.

He smiled. “It’ll definitely work in your favor. Right now, we don’t know how involved you are. If crimes have been committed, you’ll have to answer for them.”

“I haven’t done anything illegal,” she snapped. “I’m here against my will.”

Pat glanced around. “You don’t look like a hostage to me.”

Green lasers burned into him. “Not everything is as it seems. You, of all people, should know that.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re a military man. You know there’s always more to a situation than meets the eye.”

She had him there.

“What’s he got on you?” Pat asked.

She hesitated. “How do I know I can trust you?”

“You don’t. You’ll just have to take my word for it.”

“The word of a man who nearly committed cold-blooded murder in front of twenty witnesses?” She scoffed. “Yeah, that’s real comforting.”

He grimaced. “That was… unfortunate. I’ve already apologized for that.”

She studied him. “You would have killed him, wouldn’t you? If those two guys hadn’t pulled you off. You would have strangled him.”

In that moment? Yes.

“Of course not.”

She locked eyes with him, searching. “You’re lying.”

Damn shrinks.

“I lost control, but I wouldn’t have killed him. Not like that, anyway.”

She leaned back, still assessing him. “I don’t believe you.”

“No? Tough luck. You’re in way over your head, Jasmine. I don’t know what your deal is with Al-Jabiri, but I can’t help you unless you trust me.”

“What makes you think I want your help?” Her gaze flickered over his broad chest, his shoulders. “I thought it was the other way around.”

“Al-Jabiri is dangerous. You think he’s just going to let you walk away? You know too much.”

“I don’t know anything,” she snapped. “They don’t talk to me about their plans.”

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