Page 106 of Deadly Secrets
The adrenaline was wearing off, his body going into shock. He needed to sit down. “I do my best.”
She lowered her weapon. Her eyes were sad as they seemed to feast on Brooke like she longed to go to her. Hug her. “Is she okay?”
“Battered and bruised, but you’d be proud of her. She kicked ass.”
A twitch of the corner of her lips. “I’ve always been proud of her.”
“She won’t be happy when I tell her the truth.”
“So don’t tell her.” The woman’s gaze came back to him. Those eyes…Brooke’s eyes…startled him. “That was our deal.”
“I’m not keeping secrets from her anymore. Yours almost got her killed today. She deserves to know the truth.”
A noise came from down the hall. The woman pocketed her gun and gave him a disconsolate look. “The truth is ugly. She’ll never understand.”
“You should give her more credit. She’s smart and capable, just like you.”
Brooke stirred, blinking and moaning Roman’s name. Aurora hesitated, longing written all over her face. “Tell her that I really did love her father. Victor and I were just caught in terrible…circumstances.”
Brooke pushed herself upright, leaning back against the wall, her gaze taking in Uri and Mikhail, and then bouncing to Roman. She turned her head and caught sight of the woman.
But Aurora had already moved away and was heading out. The sounds of others echoed in the hallway.
“Who was that?” Brooke asked.
It seemed such a simple thing to tell her. To no longer be bound by the pact he’d made with her mother only a day ago. Or was it two now?
He’d truly believed he was helping protect Brooke. Aurora had told him a group of men from her past were looking for her daughter, that she needed help keeping Brooke safe. He’d never dreamed how it would all play out.
He had to tell her the truth. Would she ever forgive him?
“That was Aurora,” he said and watched her already pale face go another shade whiter.
“Aurora…Adams?”
He sagged against the wall and slid down next to her. “Yes, Brooke. That was your mother.”
Winslow and Thomas came through the door, weapons raised.
“Don’t shoot,” Roman said. “We’re clear.”
He handed off Uri’s weapon to Win. “Cuff them and get them out of here.”
Win hit his comm. “Clear,” he told the rest of the team. “You okay?” Win asked Roman.
Roman closed his eyes for a second and leaned his head back against the cool concrete blocks. He reached for Brooke’s hand, but she pulled it away. Warm blood was running down his thigh again. “Hell, yeah.”
Thomas pulled out a pocket knife and cut through Brooke’s leg bindings, tossing her chair aside. Win cuffed Uri and suddenly Brooke was leaning over him, her shirt in hand.
“You better have an ambulance outside,” she said to Win as she tied the shirt around Roman’s leg.
“Two, in fact,” he replied.
She gave a jerk on the ties, tightening the knot so hard, it sent pain shooting into Roman’s groin and brought his back off the wall.
Yep, she was pissed.
Thomas cuffed a still-unconscious Mikhail. Nadia, Ronni, and Polly appeared in the doorway.
