Page 49 of Stripped

"Well, hopefully, that will work in her favor." The colonel continued to study him.

"Sinclair is already in Edinburgh. He'll do an initial recon of the address and formulate a plan. I'll text you the location where you'll meet him, and you'll go in together. He'll be in charge," Gabriel said.

He had never met Sinclair. "It's my case. He doesn't know anything about it. Why is he in charge?" He already knew the answer. They didn't trust him.

"He knows the city and he'll have time to assess the risk," the ex-priest answered diplomatically.

"Wraith, don't mess this up." The colonel walked toward the door. Wraith expected there to be an or else, but he left without another word.

"I'll see you to your car," Gabriel said, picking up the bag.

He took it out of the agent's hand. "I've got it." He stormed through the hall and down the wing. Gabriel caught up to him.

"I didn't betray you. This is just bigger than you think. The longer you're here, the more freedoms he'll give you."

"Let me guess, I just need to prove myself," Wraith snapped.

"Just keep me up to date. Let me know when you meet up with Sinclair."

Wraith sped down the A9. Damn it. He had lied to the colonel; he did have feelings for Pim and he knew it, no matter how hard he tried to convince himself otherwise. She was smart, and her emotions ran deep, challenging him to think in different ways. It was a mistake to sleep with her, to take her down a path she, too, despite all her self-assurance, was very innocent about. The image of her as she lay beneath him, the blush in her cheeks and her large eyes pale and luminous staring into his, submitting to his commands as she said the words that drove him over the edge, 'yes, Sir,' squeezed at his already battered heart. Take away her hard edge and bravado, and he had seen glimpses of the girl who hid behind the wall she'd built around herself. She could be hurt, had been hurt, and had the scars to prove it. He should never have used her to get inside Angus' inner circle, never convinced her to trust him. It was his fault she had been taken. A girl like her gave her trust to very few people.

The ringing of his phone through the radio, jarred him from his thoughts. He pushed the button on the steering wheel, answering it.

"Robert?" the voice said.

Shite. "You can't call me."

"I just wanted to see if you found the girl," Ailsa said.

"No. Not yet. Look, I need to go. Please don't call me again."

"Wait."

His thumb hovered over the disconnect button. "What?"

"I promise I won't call again, but I need to know if you're happy. Does she make you happy?"

He shook his head, laughing at the irony. "Christ, Ailsa, I'm not in a relationship with Primrose McNeil."

"You're sleeping with her."

"That's personal," he said, his voice rising slightly.

"But you are sleeping with her?" Ailsa insisted.

He felt the thrum of his own pulse increasing. He didn't need to explain his actions to her. "We're having sex if that's what you're asking."

"The Robert I know wouldn't just have sex with someone if he didn't have feelings for her."

His stomach tightened. "Well, the Robert you knew is dead. He doesn't exist anymore."

"I just want you to be happy. She seems very innocent and naïve."

"Look, Duchess, I appreciate your concern, but Robert McFadden is dead. He's gone. My name is Wraith, and I'm not the same man. If I want to fuck Primrose, then I'll fuck her. It's nobody's bloody business."

"I can see I've crossed a line."

He could hear the hurt in her voice, and he instantly regretted it. "I'm sorry I involved you. I should never have brought you into this, it was unfair of me," he said, softening his tone. "And Pim is neither innocent nor naïve, she's actually one of the strongest people I know. I've got to go; we can't talk again. You'll have to destroy your phone."

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