Page 95 of Liam
“Ooh, call me over to help. I’m always happy to paint a wall.”
Eleanor smiled, and this time, it looked a little less forced.
Nylah managed a couple more strokes before Violet yelled from the back room. “Cody? Can you help me reach the cider?”
As he headed to the back room, Eleanor shuffled closer. “I’ve been meaning to ask how you’re doing. Everyone keeps askingme, but you’re the one who saw him get…shot.” She stumbled over the last word.
Nylah swallowed, hating the memory of that night. For a moment, she didn’t know how to answer. Yes, it had been traumatic. But honestly, she’d had so much support from Liam that she hadn’t focused on that awful moment. The truth was, despite everything, she was happier than she’d been in a long time. But there was no part of her that wanted to flaunt her happiness at being in a loving relationship with a woman who’d just lost someone.
“I’m good,” she started slowly. “I’ll be better when we catch this person who’s targeting the guys.”
Eleanor nodded. “Right?”
“I’m really glad you’ve had Violet to look after you.”
“She’s amazing.” Eleanor quickly glanced over her shoulder, obviously checking for her roommate. “I actually think she’s been secretly dating someone, so I feel bad for using up all her time.”
Nylah’s brows rose. “Really? And she didn’t tell us? Heck, she didn’t tellyou?”
Eleanor lifted a shoulder. “I think it’s because she might have met him through her dad? He might even work with him, and she always swore she’d never date anyone from the FBI.”
Nylah paused mid-swipe, her arm lifted, iciness slipping over her skin. She turned to face Eleanor. “What?”
“Well, I’m not certain, but I’ve heard her talking to someone in a hushed voice in her room a couple of times. I heard the word FBI thrown around, and I know her dad works for them.”
Nylah’s breath started to shorten. It had to be a coincidence, right? That she was so closely connected to the FBI…the organization Liam and his team had suspected of having a mole. “Do you know what her dad’s name is?”
Eleanor wrinkled her nose. “Steve, I think?”
Now the breath caught in Nylah’s throat, every muscle in her body locking.
Footsteps sounded from the back moments before Violet stepped into the room, ciders in hand. “Got ’em! We have cider, and soon we’ll have pizza. If anyone calls this work, I’m calling their bluff.”
Nylah’s gaze flicked to the back room before returning to Violet. “Where’s Cody?”
“I think he popped out the back to check on Jason.” She didn’t look at them as she spoke.
Nylah swallowed, the thudding of her heart so loud, she could barely hear anything else. Eleanor went back to painting, but Nylah’s finger had developed a shake. She almost wanted to hide her hands behind her back in case Violet saw.
When Violet handed her a cider, Nylah had little choice but to take it.
The woman’s brows flickered. “Is everything okay?”
“Of course.” Shit. Her voice came out too high. But dammit, every part of her wanted to go into the back room and check on her brother. To call Liam and tell him what she’d just learned.
They’d suspected Hawk was close. How much closer could you get than Violet dating him?
Her coworker was still frowning as she handed a cider to Eleanor before opening her own. Violet took a sip, then lowered to the floor and lifted her brush. When she leaned toward the wall to begin painting, her shirt pulled up in the back…and Nylah’s gaze caught on a tattoo.
The world darkened around her. Even though she could only see half the tattoo, it was enough for her to know what it was—the same tattoo on every one of the perpetrators. But in Violet’s, it wasn’t an angel wielding the dagger.
It was a hawk.
Oh God!She wasn’t feeding Hawk information…shewasHawk!
It took every scrap of strength Nylah had to remain still. To not show the shock, fear, and anger on her face. She had to remain calm and contact Liam. She had to check that Cody was okay.
“Hey. You all right?”
