Page 30 of Assassin's Heart
“No worries, sweetheart,” Eli said over his shoulder, ignoring Remi’s muttering at the endearment. “Everything is pretty much on automatic right now, but I’m still digging. If I find anything else, you’ll be the first to know.”
I looked to Remi, who nodded. I let him pull me into the elevator. Remi hit the button for the third floor.
I cleared my throat.
The door slid open.
Remi glanced at the thick black watch on his wrist as we exited. “I have something I need to take care of. You’ll be all right for a few hours? Eli will make sure you’re kept informed.”
Disappointment stirred in my stomach.
“Eli will, but what about you?” I asked. “I want my phone.” I needed that connection to Brooke, however nebulous.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
All those lovely endorphins did a rapid disappearing act. “It doesn’t matter what you think, Remi. I want my phone.”
“Lea—”
“Don’t!” I planted my hands on my hips. “If you can’t trust that I’m going to stay put, that I recognize you are my best bet of getting my daughter back, then…” Honestly, I didn’t know what. All I knew was I needed this.
“It’s not about trusting you,” he said.
“Yes, it is. Either you think I’ll stay, or you think I’ll run.”And whatever happened downstairs meant nothing.Was that what he was telling himself? Because after those moments in his arms, I could no longer deny what I knew was the truth—there was something between us. Where it would lead? Who the hell knew.
Remi stared at me for so long I thought he’d flat-out refuse. Until his hand slid into his pocket and he drew out my phone.
“Come find one of us if anything happens, got it? My number is programmed into your phone. Call immediately,” he said.
I grasped the only lifeline I had to my daughter. “Immediately,” I agreed.
Remi nodded. He turned, hesitated, turned back. “I won’t be gone long.”
The reassurance settled something uncertain inside me. “Okay.”
“Okay.” He disappeared into his room.
Too restless to be confined to my bedroom again, I wandered downstairs. My mind raced, wondering how I’d fill hours of waiting, of doing nothing while Brooke was somewhere out there, missing me, wishing she was home. The longing to see her, hold her and know she was safe was killing me.
Yes, even when I had been in Remi’s arms, she hadn’t been far from my thoughts.
Except there at the end.
Well, yeah. I rolled my eyes at myself. I wasn’t one of those moms who thought I couldn’t have something for myself apart from my daughter; I was too practical for that. The nurse in me, probably. I just never had, but that was more lack of desire than anything else. Still, I couldn’t deny the hint of guilt knowing Brooke was alone and I had…what? Taken comfort from Remi? Relief? I didn’t know what to call it, and right now I didn’t care.
I reached the foyer just as Abby entered from the direction of the kitchen. She shot me an understanding glance. “Restless?”
Abby, probably more than anyone, understood my position, I was sure. “Limbo sucks.”
“To put it mildly.” She gestured toward the front door. “I have just the distraction.”
The massive door opened smoothly to Abby’s touch. I followed her outside as a black Expedition with darkly tinted windows pulled to a stop at the bottom of the stairs. The driver’s side door opened, and a man I could only describe as a Viking stepped out. Tall, blonde, muscular. A bit more polished than his Nordic ancestors, but it only took one look into those piercing blue eyes to see the warrior the business suit he wore did a lousy job of hiding.
The man rounded the vehicle and opened the passenger door for a petite woman who exited slowly, carefully, her long, dark hair hiding her face. Abby squealed and rushed toward her. The Viking’s eyes narrowed, his mouth tensing. Just before he jumped in front of her, Abby slowed, coming up against the woman gently for a hug.
“Charlotte.” She stepped back, eyeing the woman. “How are you? Healing okay?”
I couldn’t hear the woman’s response; her voice was soft, almost as gentle as the hug Abby had given her. What wasn’t gentle was the Viking’s searing gaze as it transferred from Abby and the woman to me where I stood at the top of the stairs. I didn’t miss the step closer to his charge, the way his arm came up to pull her close, shelter her against his side.
