Page 64 of The Agent
Tully lay on his back in the big bed, one arm around the woman who pillowed her head on his chest. The silk of her hair brushed his chin and the curves of her breasts pressed against his skin with enthralling softness. She slept deeply, no doubt exhausted by the wringer of emotions she’d been through today.
He’d been stunned by her revelation that she’d considered suicide. The fact that her husband had done his best to destroy such an extraordinary woman sent anger surging through Tully’s veins. Herhusband, whom she had loved and trusted. Herhusband, who was supposed to care for her instead of beating her down with his manipulative lies. He hoped Matt Stevens would one day give him an excuse to smash his fist into the man’s face.
Natalie stirred and Tully eased the grip he’d tightened on her without realizing it.
He’d also been stunned—and moved—that she’d chosen to share her secret with him. She’d confessed that she’d never told anyone else; she was too ashamed of her weakness. Her trust soothed his anger into something warm and peaceful that spread through him like a gentle wave.
But that feeling worried him. Her serenity was hard-won. He didn’t want to be the cause of any more hurt in her life. He had good reasons for choosing not to have a woman in his life full-time. His job still exposed him to some danger and sometimes he craved even more. Not to mention that he sure as shit wasn’t handing down the defective family genes to a child. Alcoholism and addiction were diseases that ran in his family.
He’d allowed himself to start a relationship with her because Natalie swore she never wanted to marry again. Now he wondered, though. Stevens had hurt her badly, but she didn’t hate all men. She had built herself a new life in the three years since her divorce was final. She might decide her new life should include the kind of husband she deserved. And Tully wasn’t that man.
The hell of it was that he wanted to be.
Chapter 16
“You good with Regina staying at your place until we get Van Houten locked up?” Tully asked Leland as he sat down in one of the empty chairs in Mission Control. His partner’s usual T-shirt and jeans caught the ever-present glow of the computer screens. “She feels comfortable with you and Dawn.”
“I’m insulted you would even ask,” Leland said, swiveling to face his colleague. “You’re planning to get Van Houten locked up? How?”
“By proving he’s a psychopathic stalker.”
Leland lifted a quizzical eyebrow. “You haven’t got anything to tie him to stalking Natalie.”
“Yet.” Tully drummed his fingers on the desk. “I saw the way Van Houten treats his staff. I’ll get one of them to flip on him.” He had surveillance on the security guards, so he would find the weak link. It would just take time.
“What’s the latest from the stalker?”
“Nothing.” Tully’s fingers curled into a fist. “That’s a problem.”
“I’d think Natalie would be relieved.”
“She is. I’m not.” Tully frowned. “Stalkers don’t stop without a reason. What’s changed that would make Van Houten quit? He doesn’t know that his wife is back in the area.”
“Are you sure of that? Maybe one of his goons was watching Natalie’s house when Regina showed up.”
“I don’t think so. He’d have come to the salon again if that were the case.” Tully shook his head. “He’s trying a different tack, and I don’t like waiting to find out what it is.”
“Does Natalie know you’re worried?”
“Hell, no! She’s been through enough these last couple of days.” And in the years before. She didn’t need to worry about something that might not happen.
Leland looked away and then back before clearing his throat. “I know this is none of my business, but you seem especially ... protective of Natalie.”
“And?” Tully put an edge in his voice to warn Leland off the subject.
But his partner was made of sterner stuff than that. “You remind me of someone.” Leland tapped the arm of his chair as he pretended to think. “Oh yes—myself when Dawn was being threatened by a black market arms dealer.”
“Yeah, you went a little crazy back then. Worked 24-7, as I recall. I’m not doing that.” Although he was still catching up on the projects he’d put on the back burner to deal with Natalie’s issue.
“Come off it, Tully.” Leland’s voice lost all its disarming southern drawl. “I saw how you looked at Natalie the night you brought Regina over. And you were at her house in the middle of the night. Don’t try to convince me you were sleeping in the guest room.”
“You’re right. It’s none of your business.” Tully started to stand up.
“Sit down and listen to me.” Leland could be surprisingly authoritative when he wanted to be.
Tully decided it was better to let his partner get whatever he wanted to say off his chest. So he leaned back in the chair and stretched out his legs to cross them at his booted ankles. “Go ahead.” He kept his tone casual and unconcerned.
“Dawn’s told me a little about Natalie’s past with her ex-husband,” Leland said in a carefully measured tone. “You are a good and honorable man. I know that you would not deliberately add to her bad experiences. However, you might not realize that she is fragile because she appears to be very strong.”
