Page 107 of Enigma: The Complete Collection
“Nothing I told you was a lie.” I move closer to her, wanting her to look into my eyes, so she knows I'm telling the truth. “Anything I ever said or did when I was with you, was me, Izzy, your friend. I wasneveran agent when I was with you.”
“Some friend.” Her glare cuts through me like a knife. “Not only are you suffering the consequences of your actions, but others are as well.”
I step back, confused. What is she talking about?
My heart breaks when a tear splashes onto her cheek. “Harlow…”
She holds her finger into the air, begging for a minute. If I didn’t feel responsible for her tears, I’d leave her alone as requested, but since she’s my friend, and I care for her, I step closer to her instead.
When I curl my arms around her quivering shoulders, she attempts to shrug out of my embrace. I hold on tight, refusing to relinquish her from my grip. “I’m sorry. I should have been honest. I would have if I could.”
The reason for her heartbreaking sobs come to light when she murmurs, “Cormack hasn’t returned any of my calls this morning.”
“Oh, Harlow, I’m so sorry.”
Her hand sweeps across her wet cheeks. “He probably thinks I knew all along you were working with the FBI.”
“I’ll explain everything to him. I’ll make this right, I promise.”
I have to make this right. Harlow loves Cormack. She told me precisely that only days ago. I wish I had put more thought into the ripple effect my deceit would create. Alas, when I’m in Isaac’s world, I forever wear rose-colored glasses.
My eyes float up from the floor when Harlow murmurs, “Cormack has a reason to be suspicious. I did conspire to set you up with Isaac.” She blows her nose before her purge fess begins. “I met him a few weeks before we went out to celebrate your birthday. He ordered cupcakes for a meeting he was holding. With Fallon quitting the night before, I delivered his order instead of having them couriered. It wasn’t the norm, but the instant I saw him…” She stops talking, her face expressing what her mouth can’t. She fell in love with him on sight, just like I did with Isaac.
“As I was leaving, I ran into Isaac. He interrupted us…” Her heated cheeks have me wondering what Isaac walked in on. “After some not-so-fun to and fro, I discovered Cormack and Isaac were good friends. Cormack was hesitant, but I convinced him we should conspire to get you two together.”
She sucks in a big breath before continuing, “I didn’t book a table at that restaurant the night we went out for your birthday because I knew Cormack already had one booked. He and Isaac did the same routine every week. I saw the way Isaac looked at you but thought you were being stubborn. I had no clue what I was pushing you toward. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. It’s not your fault. I should have been honest from the get-go.”
She nods, agreeing with me. “Please tell me you weren’t with Isaac solely for the FBI.” She glances into my eyes, hers once again welling with tears. “Because if you were, not only will Cormack never forgive me, I won’t forgive myself.”
Her devastated tone kills me, but nothing can alter the facts. “I love Isaac, Harlow, more than I could ever explain, so you can be assured I was never with him for the Bureau.”
She nods for the second time, once again believing me.
If only Isaac could be as easily convinced.
By the time I leave the bakery, things aren’t back to normal between Harlow and me, but they're better than they were when I arrived. I’ll do everything in my power to ensure Cormack understands that Harlow is innocent in this situation. I don’t care if Cormack never speaks to me again. He can despise me for the rest of his life, but he needs to take his anger out on me, not Harlow.
A vehicle parked across the street from the bakery halts my quick exit. A blue sedan is parked two spaces up. Although I can’t confidently declare it’s the same vehicle that was tailing me earlier, my intuition is warning me to remain cautious.
With my body facing the shop frontage, I commence walking down the street. I don’t even get four steps away before the sedan begins following me. When I increase my speed to a jog, it also increases its speed.
Against my better judgment, I freeze before turning to face the vehicle that’s come to a stop three car lengths behind me. If they're going to blatantly follow me, I want them to be aware I know of their pursuit. When I step closer to my pursuer, it heads in the opposite direction. It reverses down the street, its tires squealing from the heavy compression of the accelerator.
My heart feels seconds from escaping my chest cavity, but instead of it pounding in fear, it's thumping with adrenaline. I’m sick and tired of being pushed around. It’s time for me to give as good as I’m getting.
CHAPTER6
ISABELLE
Numerous pairs of eyes track me when I enter my office building. Ignoring the tension ridding the air of oxygen, I deliver the morning coffees as I have every day since joining the team six months ago. Since Alex isn’t in his office, I leave his on his desk.
Brandon is the only agent who acknowledges me during my deliveries. He's quiet, but his eyes are missing the judgment every other agent had while glaring at me. Once my deliveries are over, I store my satchel in the bottom drawer of my desk, then fire up my computer. While it starts the slow process of downloading the malware required for my job, I hang my coat on the rack next to the front entry door.
When I spin back around, I come close to losing my footing. A female agent I haven’t met previously is standing within an inch of me. “Sorry I didn't see you there.”
“That’s fine. I’m sure your daftness can be excused after the tense week you’ve had.” Her eyes are friendly, even though her tone is anything but. “Isabelle Brahn, I assume?”
