Behind the Lies (Montgomery Justice #2)(44)

How could one man be so thoughtful? This would last her months. Long enough until she found a way to generate an income.

Hiding for the rest of her life wasn’t the future she wanted for Sam, but perhaps she could contact a different FBI office. Maybe—

A shadow crossed her plane of vision. She whirled around, her fist clinched.

“Pretty good reaction time,” Zach said. He clutched a white packet in his hand. He sat it on the table and opened the clasp. Two familiar blue booklets, several cards, and two pieces of paper slid out, along with a rubber-banded stack of documents.

Hand shaking, Jenna shifted through the papers. Her entire being stilled.

Social security cards and birth certificates with new names. Gennita and Zan McMann. She opened the authentic-looking passport. A photo of her stared back. She couldn’t tell when it had been taken. It resembled her driver’s license a bit. Same quality, but something…then she recognized the shirt. The one she wore today.

Her mind tried to wrap itself around the quality of the documents. “How?”

“I tried to keep them close to your real names without being obvious,” he said.

Emotion shut off her air passage. She swallowed past the realization of Zach’s gift. He’d provided them a lifeline to a future.

He tucked the items back into the envelope. “There’s a deed to a house in Georgia, paid for free and clear. A bank account with enough money to see you through a few years, I’d think.” He handed her a second envelope. “This is five thousand dollars, proof of ownership, insurance for the Range Rover, and a New Jersey driver’s license.”

Jenna’s legs shook at the magnitude of what he’d done. She sank into the oak chair before she passed out. She opened the envelope and pulled out the driver’s license. Perfect. Just like everything else he’d done for her. “I…I don’t know what to say.” She stared open-mouthed at him.

“It wasn’t hard. I just changed a few names on the forms.” He nodded toward the suitcases. “Those ready?”

Her mind awhirl, she nodded. He walked over to the bags, and the truth slapped her in the face. Everything she’d seen. The high-tech room, the gadgets, his ability to fight, his secretiveness. She seen enough of his heart to know he wasn’t like Brad. But he did hide his true job. Maybe he was a spy or a secret agent. But he was in danger. That much she knew. And he’d created a new identity to keep himself safe. He’d sacrificed his plans for her and Sam.

“If you give me all this, how will you disappear, Zach? How will you protect yourself?”

He shrugged and crossed to her, dragging his knuckle down her cheek. “I’ll land on my feet, Jenna. I always do. I still have resources I can tap.”

She sucked in a slow breath and leaned into his cheek. “Are you certain?”

“Of course.”

His gaze was steady. She couldn’t tell if he was lying.

He ran his hands up and down her arms. She shivered under his touch. What might have been.

Zach stared down at her with a gaze so intense, her entire being felt the pull toward him.

He shook his head as if to clear the electricity sparking between them. “Well…” His touch lingered for a last moment, then he straightened. “Let’s get you on the road.”

He loaded the suitcases and returned to the kitchen. “What else do you have?”

“That’s it. That’s enough.”

He cursed under his breath, disappeared down a hall, and returned with a box topped with a folded quilt and two pillows. He stalked out of the kitchen and shoved it into the back end of the car. She followed, moved the bedding to one side, and peered into the cardboard container. Food, lights, tools, first aid.

“An emergency kit,” he said.

She’d lose it completely if he kept doing this. She pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes. “I’ll never be able to thank you enough.”

He paused and took out a piece of paper with a phone number written down. “I can’t give you a number to reach me, but if you get in real trouble…this is my brother’s number. Seth. He has connections—”

“No! I can’t risk involving your family.”

“Call from a pay phone or a prepaid cell. He can help.”

She nodded, knowing full well she’d never use it. Zach had done enough. He’d given her a new start. Now she had to learn to stand on her own two feet. She’d have to listen to the stories she told Sam. She’d have to be her own hero. Not rely on anyone else. It was the only way to protect them both.

Zach folded the note into her hand. “I can see in your eyes you want to throw it away. Don’t. Keep it. You never know when you might need help. For you. Or for Sam.”

Reluctantly, she shoved the paper into her pocket.

With finality, Zach slammed closed the back of the vehicle. He stood, staring at her, silent, watchful. Then his control slipped just a tad. Sadness laced his expression.

She wiped her hands on her jeans. “I guess this is it.”

“I guess so.” Zach looked down at her and smiled. “You’ll be fine, Jenna. Don’t forget, eyes—”

“Throat, groin.” She shoved her hands in her pockets, then leaned up and pecked him on the cheek. “Thank you, Dark Avenger,” she whispered. “You really are a hero.”