Page 86 of One Secret

I agree. But I also remain quiet. What would I know about leading? About protecting?

I've never been responsible for anyone but myself. If nothing else, this mission is proving why.

Had I let jealousy rule me and forced Darcy to be searched by Lana, the evening would have ended with a whole lot more bloodshed.

'It was smart of you to push back at me. About the search.'

'You sound surprised.'

I shake my head against the pillow under our heads. Darcy is one of the smartest people I've met. And in my line of work, full of manipulators and calculating tyrants, that's no small feat.

'Not surprised,' I promise. 'Thankful.’

'But shit, Darcy, you should have at least given me a heads up.' Laying beside her, I brush some strands of hair back from her face. The tips of my fingers stroke along her undercut and the shorter hairs tickle my skin. 'I could have helped.'

'What about you?' she accuses, catching my eye in the dark. 'When you blurted out that you know who their assassin is? You won't tell me their name, but you admit to Felix that you have a shortlist? You nearly gave me a heart attack.'

I wince.

'I know.' My tone is contrite. 'But I needed to test a few reactions.'

'You mean Vincent's. He's the guy you're looking for, right? The assassin?'

There she goes proving that intelligence again.

'It's my working theory, yeah,' I admit. 'I figure, if he spends a lot of time in Egypt or wherever he's from, it would explain the killer's inactive periods here in Europe.'

'Still, it threw me a little when you started talking about monikers and theories.' Darcy exhales and slides in closer beneath the covers. I feel her fingertips absent-mindedly tracing the scars on my back.

"If you ever want to tell me..."

'What if Felix had gotten suspicious?' Darcy asks.

'Then, I'd have gotten you out of there,' I reassure her, rubbing my palm along her upper arm.

She snorts softly against my chest.

'You and what army?'

Adrenaline floods my system. A testosterone-fuelled instinct roars to life.

'I wouldn't need an army,' I vow. If I were the only thing between this woman and gunfire, backup would just get in the way.

Darcy nails me with her laser-pointer stare of citrine.

'Or a teammate apparently,' she adds.

Ouch.

I take a steadying inhale.

'Fine,' I agree. 'We should work together more. Let each other in. We should be more honest.'

A shadow flashes across Darcy's expression and her features freeze in place.

Yeah, I think. I know there's something you're still hiding from me.

But it isn't a boyfriend.

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