Page 64 of Hunted

His words stung. Tears surged into her eyes, and she bit her lip to stop it from trembling. She didn’t have any idea how to fight this, or what she could do to change his mind.

Darren Wade closed the lid and picked up the pizza box. “You’re done with this, right?”

Then he patted Lexi’s shoulder in a fatherly gesture and keeping it there, steered her out of the room, into the hallway. She held Connor’s gaze until they stepped into the elevator, and when the doors slid closed, it felt as if they sliced her heart in half.

Chapter Sixteen

The elevator doors closed, and that was good, because it stopped him from seeing the hurt in Lexi’s eyes.

He stepped back into the hotel room, closed the door and a quake moved up through his body. His fist hit the table so hard the plates jumped from the surface, and pain flashed through the wound in his shoulder. He tipped his head backward and battled the acidic burn behind his eyes. He swore at the top of his lungs, berating the ceiling and the walls. And the reason he was punching inanimate objects and swearing a blue streak was because the only alternative would have been to sink to the floor and cry.

He’d known it would be hard. He hadn’t realized just how hard, though. He hadn’t realized that seeing hurt shimmering in her eyes would make him hate himself. He hadn’t expected her to tell him she was falling in love with him.

Was being the operative phrase. He’d ruined it. But … it would be different, once she realized he was only sending her away for her own safety. Maybe if he survived this, he could find her again, explain to her that he hadn’t meant the things he’d said. That he’d hurt her because it was the only way he could be sure she’d go with Darren. Maybe she’d forgive him and understand.

Do you have any idea what you’re throwing away?

Romano closed his eyes and sank slowly into a chair as her words came back to him in that smoky voice, made huskier by pain. Who the hell was he kidding? He knew it wouldn’t matter if he explained himself. Lexi knew it, too. She was right. He’d made a choice tonight. He could have handed that formula over to Darren, taken Lexi and left, like she said. They could have gone away together. Started over.

But no. He’d chosen to stay here and await his longtime enemy. He’d chosen a man he hated over a woman he …

What?

He didn’t know. Maybe now he’d never find out.

He showered, dressed, re-bandaged his shoulder, and cleaned and loaded his weapons while he waited. He knew the drill. By now Lexi was someplace safe, far from here. By now, this hotel had twenty of the Bureau’s finest in strategic locations to back him up.

But Connor would get a shot at the man who’d taken his family before this night was over.

He tried to picture White’s cold eyes in his mind, but instead he saw Lexi’s. Wide and brown and hurt. Those eyes that healed a man just by looking at him. Those beautiful, sexy, mesmerizing eyes.

He laid the gun down on the dresser, closed his eyes, tried to erase the longing for her that grew stronger with every breath, every second. Was this what the rest of his life would be like? Was killing White worth this?

No.

The answer came to him as clearly and precisely as if it had been spoken aloud. No. It was that simple. White would be apprehended if he showed up tonight. It wouldn’t matter if Connor was in the room or not. What mattered, what really mattered, was Lexi.

He’d made a choice tonight. The wrong choice.

God, he’d thrown away his last chance at redemption. He’d thrown away a woman unlike any other he’d ever known. Or ever would. Lexi had been falling in love with him. And he’d chased her away.

Was he insane?

But it wasn’t over yet. It couldn’t be over. Maybe there was still time to make things right.

He tucked his favorite gun into his waistband before pulling on his jacket. It smelled faintly like Lexi’s hair. The longing stabbed deeper. He quickened his pace, almost ran through the hall to the elevator and then rode it down to the lobby.

The agents sent to back him up were doing an excellent job of concealing their presence. He didn’t see a single face he recognized, nor did anyone look conspicuous.

He headed outside to hail a cab. They backup guys would see him leaving. They’d get the idea. They were skilled enough to be able to handle White on their own. Darren would’ve sent plenty of firepower. He knew what was at stake. One less agent wouldn’t make a difference.

As the hotel faded in the distance behind him, Connor felt lighter, and he couldn’t wipe off his stupid grin. He’d made the right decision. Late, but still…

Tension knotted his stomach as he wondered whether Lexi would forgive him for not making it sooner.

The taxi dropped him off outside the government building he’d worked out of for most of his career. He paid the driver and headed inside, only to run smack into Monroe Stryker, who was hurrying out.

“Damn, why don’t you watch where you’re—” Stryker met Connor’s eyes and stopped in mid-sentence. “Romano. What the hell are you doing here?”

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