Page 18 of Decoding Morse

“And you guys.” She glanced around the table furtively. “My presence here puts you all at risk, doesn’t it? Shit, I?—”

“Don’t you worry about that,” Havoc said, rolling his massive shoulders and locking his no-nonsense stare on her. “We know how to protect ourselves.”

“What can you tell us about Thia?” Tap asked, getting us back on track.

Amelia shook her head, blinking rapidly and wringing her hands, looking frustrated and overwhelmed. “I can guarantee she didn’t put a hit out on me if that’s what you’re asking.”

“No.” Tap’s keys stilled on his keyboard. “I mean, what does she do? Where’s her family?”

“She’s also estranged from her family, but they’re in Kentucky. She… uh… She manages a corner coffee shop by the base. Speaking of which, she’ll need to go to work tomorrow morning. Early.”

“We’ll stick a prospect on her,” Link said with a nod.

“A what?”

“A biker who hasn’t been patched into the club yet,” I explained. Realizing that probably wouldn’t clear it up, I shook my head. “Someone to serve as a bodyguard. He’ll covertly watch over Thia. She’ll be fine.”

Amelia’s beautiful, plump lips formed an O, but she didn’t look convinced.

“As for you,” Link continued. “Please don’t leave the premises without clearing it with Morse. And refrain from using any bank or credit card accounts until we get this figured out.”

“But I have a daughter to feed.” Panicked eyes glanced at me before turning back to my president.

I practically fell to my knees at that look. She trusted me, but she’d been independent for as long as I’d known her. Ted had never been around much, too determined to serve, and Uncle Sam lapped up his dedication. He’d been the best recruiter they could have asked for, but he hadn’t always been there when she needed him, and she’d learned how to hold down the fort on her own.

Link looked at me, no doubt expecting my ass to jump in and play hero, but he should have known better. There was nothing I wouldn’t do for this woman, but I’d already crossed too many lines to get her here safe and sound. Now, it was time to retreatto the evil lair—as Rabbit liked to call the surveillance room that served as my office—and slip back behind the scenes.

I wouldn’t be offering to feed them.

I couldn’t.

When I didn’t say anything, Link’s brows pulled down before he smoothed his expression and filled Amelia in on the mess hall, meal schedule, and running grocery list. She was still looking a little wide-eyed and pale as the briefing wrapped up, and everyone rose to their feet and left. I gestured for her to follow them, but she shook her head.

“Can we… talk for a minute?”

Spending time alone with the woman I’d been secretly in love with for the majority of my adult life seemed like a horrible idea, but since I couldn’t deny the woman anything, I marched back to the table and pulled out her chair. She thanked me and slid into the seat, her rainbows-and-wildflowers fragrance all but slapping me across the face.

My thoughts headed straight for the fucking gutter, entirely inappropriate for the situation, and my traitorous libido reminded me she’d checked out my ass again on the way down.

Does she want to do more than just talk?

The question backhanded me. Air whooshed from my lungs as I sat, leaving a chair between us. This was why I didn’t people. My filter had seen some shit, and I rarely cared what others thought of me.

But Amelia….

When life gets tough, survivors need a reason not to lie down and die. Something that pushes them to continue. Since the day I fucking met her, Amelia has been mine. Which was undeniably fucked up, considering her husband had saved my life.

Now she looked up at me with a smile that made me feel like the only other goddamn person on this floating rock.

Rainbows and fucking unicorns.

I swallowed.

She clasped her hands and dropped her gaze, clearly trying to wrestle her thoughts under control. I knew the feeling. If I didn’t get this woman out of my hemisphere, I was going to explode. All I could think about was running my hands all over her body and shoving my tongue down her throat.

So goddamn wrong.

Why the fuck did she check out my ass? I could have controlled myself had it not been for her leering. Then again, maybe not since I’d also noticed how her gaze had shot to my arms every time I’d lifted a piece of luggage. All these observations were screwing with my willpower. I needed to get her out of there.

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