Page 74 of When He Defends
“I told her that you were exactly what I needed. But then again, I knew that before we met. It’s why I worked so hard to get you to be my partner.”
And damn if a warm, freaking, weird glow didn’t start to spread through him because Emerson had just said he wasexactly what she needed. Okay, okay, maybe he didn’t have to be so hesitant with her. Maybe?—
“You’re a legend when it comes to profiling. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before, but I actually came to a few of your lectures at Quantico over the years. Pulled some strings of my own, and I’d slip into some of the classes you conducted with the new recruits. You’re really quite brilliant when it comes to entering a killer’s mind. The last talk I saw of yours was actually a visiting lecture you did with grad students at Tulane. You were discussing why some serials don’t actually have a cooling off period—because the rush from the kill is so comparable to the high of drugs and that they come to need it all the time after a certain point. Their tipping points. Interesting talk.”
Emerson didn’t want him for his body. She wanted him because he knew killers. Right. Check. “Sweetheart…” Gray let the endearment slide out because he could always claim it was just part of the cover. “Have you been stalking me?”
She remained by the edge of the bed.
“A little bit, you have, huh? Because you wanted to pick apart my mind.” He turned away. “Well, let’s see howyourmind is spinning tonight. The files are on the laptop that the helpful bellhop delivered for us.”
“I wanted to pick apart your mind. I also wanted to jump your body.”
He stilled. “Your honesty can be surprising.”
“Would you prefer I lie?”
“No. Too many other people already do that.”
“Agree. So how about we both be honest with each other? You’re retreating from me. Why?”
He didn’t look back at her. “Because we have a job to do.” He should say more. She’d given him honesty. He should do the same. But if he said he was trying not to fuck her senseless…nope, not real tactful. Time to change the conversation. “By theway, Nathaniel Hadaway swears that he only entered your condo when you opened the door for him.”
“You went to have a talk with him. Iknewit.”
“Then you were correct. I went to have a talk with him,” Gray confirmed. Like he would have left Atlanta without having an intent one-on-one with his new arch enemy. “Nathaniel said he didn’t sneak in and break the mirrors. Claimed he had no idea that anything bad had happened at your place.”
“And you believe him?”
“I believe that we understand each other.” Nathaniel had been sweating bullets. “I think my reputation precedes me with Nathaniel. He was shaking in his loafers.”
She rushed toward him. Her heels tapped on the hardwood floor. Her fingers lifted and curled around his shoulder.
As usual, that touch of hers swept through his whole body.Yep, that’s not gonna change. Fucking her did nothing to ease my attraction.Quite the contrary. Fucking Emerson had only made him want her more. Because he knew how fantastic they would be together.
“What did you say to him?” Emerson asked.
“Oh, the usual.” He angled his body toward her. Stared down at Emerson.
She waited. Didn’t blink.
Fine. He’d give her a few more details. “Come near my lady, and I will destroy you.”
Her lips parted.
“Don’t worry. I didn’t threaten physical violence, though, seriously, we both know I could take him.”
“Gray.”
“I just mentioned that I didn’t like cheaters. I really don’t. He tried to cheat the academic world. He betrayed you. I simply said that if he’d done it once, then I suspect he’s pulled that stunt before. I could dig. I’d find the truth, and whatever reputationalclout he still has left in the academic world? I’d make it vanish. Along with that book deal he was bragging about.” Simple. Done.
“You know exactly what he fears.”
Sure. He turned toward her a little bit more. His hand rose. Cupped her chin. “That’s the trick, isn’t it? You have to find out what someone wants—what the individual truly wants above everything else.” His thumb brushed lightly along her lower lip. He’d crushed that mouth beneath his own the previous night. And that mouth had been on his dick. Hesitant. So eager. So amazing. “You discover what a person wants the most. Then, threaten to take it away. Because what someone wants most? That thing is also the person’s weakness. You want it so badly that not having it?” He dropped his hand. Took a step away. “Not having it can wreck you.” His head inclined toward the laptop bag that waited near the door with their other luggage. “Time to review files. We’ve got a busy night ahead of us.”
“What do you want most, Gray?”
You.His gaze remained on the laptop bag. “To put away as many killers as I can. So let’s hunt this asshole before anyone else dies just because they have the misfortune of being in love.”
