Page 16 of Tempting Tessa

Another piece of this puzzle that made no sense to her. “If they’d wanted us dead, they would’ve come for us in my apartment. To shoot at us in public and not continue to follow us and get the job done means they were making a statement. They took a risk to do it like that, and now we know they’re after us. That forces us to be even more covert. A professional assassin would never do that. First of all, they wouldn’t miss. Secondly, they would only do it publicly if there was no alternative.” She rubbed her face with both hands and propped her elbows on the tiny table. She needed caffeine or a very long nap. “It’s just…sloppy.”

He paced the floor, the smell of the brewing coffee filling the air as he stripped off the silicone pieces she’d added to his face. “The Russians are never sloppy.”

“Neither is the CIA.” She knew he still suspected Meg or Flynn might be behind it. “Which means it points to a new player in this game. Any thoughts on who?”

He shook his head, tossed the brow and cheekbone ridges on the table, and rummaged for mugs in the cabinet. “You said it was a woman.”

She rubbed her eyes. At this point, she wasn’t sure about anything. “It could have been a slender male.”

He handed her a mug of steaming liquid and sat at the end of the table, kicking back. “What’s next?”

She sipped slowly, the coffee too hot but soothing, nevertheless. “Shower, eat, and plan for tomorrow.” She gestured behind them. “Bathroom is down the hall. Meg and Declan broke the bed when they were here, but I salvaged it. Go get cleaned up.”

He watched her with those dark, sullen eyes over the rim of his cup. “What about you?”

“I want to look at your new documents.”

She started to get up, but he stopped her with a hand. Without a word, he retrieved the envelope from his jacket and slid it onto the table in front of her. He resumed his seat, watching as she unpacked the items, scrutinizing each one thoroughly before handing it to him.

After his own careful inspection, he set the driver’s license and passport down and leaned back. “He does good work.”

She felt a slight sense of satisfaction. “That’s why I use him.”

The question in his eyes suggested he wanted to know how often she’d gone to Vasile and for whom, but he didn’t ask. “What’s the plan for tomorrow? If someone is after us, shouldn’t we get out tonight?”

“Panicking only leads to making poor decisions. I need to check train schedules and flights. Once I figure out plan A, I’ll develop plans B and C.”

Deliberate, tactical. Declan would be proud. She waited for Tommy to argue, but all he did was give a sharp nod. “Fine, but you’re showering first.”

Her protests fell on deaf ears as he coerced her out of the chair and onto her feet. Dizziness assailed her, and she had to grab his arm to keep from knocking into the table.

“Easy there, champ.” He placed a hand on her lower back, giving her a moment to blink away the vertigo before he led her through the living room. Although the room didn’t swim, her legs were shaky. His grip was firm, his presence comforting. “It’s my fault, you know. “

“Huh?”

“You never would’ve been shot if it weren’t for me.”

Down the hallway they went, his hand never leaving her as he used his elbow to flick on more lights. “I chose to help you. You didn’t force me to.” Why did she feel the need to argue with him? To relieve his guilt? “I don’t do complexes, so let it go.”

They reached the bathroom adjacent to the single bedroom. He took in everything, from the shabby bedspread to the small armoire and chest of drawers.

She shrugged. “It’s a safe house, not a five-star hotel.”

He released her in the bathroom. “I’ll grab you some clean clothes.”

“I can do it,” she insisted.

Again, when she expected him to argue, he didn’t. He was such a conundrum. “I’ll dig up some food. If you get in a jam, holler.”

He left her standing there, and she was both relieved and disappointed.

The hot water stung against her wound, but she gritted her teeth and scrubbed away the dried blood. By the time she emerged, steam curling around her like a phantom, she felt marginally more human.

And found a pile of clean clothes waiting for her on the vanity. He’d even refilled her coffee mug.

No arguing, but defying her anyway.

She wiped condensation from the mirror and grimaced at her reflection. She looked like hell.

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