Moth(61)

She nods again. “Yeah, for her whole life. When she got older it was worse. They stopped using their hands and went with other objects. I think her father sexually abused her, but she never admitted it to me.”

“So you located her? She’s alive?”

“Yes. She’s alive and she’s happy. She met someone while she was at college and kept it a secret from her family. They met online. That’s how I was able to track her down in Katy, Texas. She has a little girl, and didn’t want her parents knowing she was pregnant. Once I saw that child I knew I couldn’t proceed with the investigation. I hid the file and deleted all of our information so when I used her name it wouldn’t put up red flags in the system. I broke the rules, but it was all to protect that child from the same upbringing her mother was a victim of.”

“Shit. I don’t blame you. That’s crazy. I would have done the same damn thing.”

“What happens now? Do you handcuff me and turn me in? Do you call your director and tell him what’s going on? I know I’m not going to be able to go back to my life.”

I run my hands through my buzzed hair. “I don’t f*cking know the protocol for this. I don’t even know if there is any.”

“So what now? What do you want to do?”

I shrug. “Where do I even begin? This case is a nightmare. My brother is dead because of my involvement. Now there’s a hit out on me. Your life is in danger, and I’m still no closer to nailing Alizar.”

“That’s not true. I think I might be able to help with that. I know exactly where he’ll be in two weeks.”

My stomach knots up. Elation can’t begin to describe what it feels like to hear that. “Where?”

“Guatemala. All of the scientists from each location are going to meet with him. It’s a big step for his company. The new product is ready to ship. Everything will be in place.”

“I assume that’s why they were pressing you to take me out. Alizar knows the DEA would be all over Virginia instead of back in Guatemala. Smart move.”

“For what it’s worth I had second thoughts. I tried to get you to walk away from me.”

I flash her a quick smile. It’s not because I’m pleased, but more so appreciative. “We’ve both lied to each other. We can’t take back what’s done.”

“I made a huge mistake. I know that, but none of it means anything if you don’t believe I wanted to be with you. I could have taken you out without a second’s thought, but I didn’t. I was trying to find a way to keep you safe without telling you who I was. I knew nothing would ever come of this, and maybe I’m the most selfish person on this earth, but I wanted to have it while I could.”

I take her hand, because it’s the only thing that feels right. How am I to tell her that I feel exactly the same? How am I supposed to conceive letting my guard down again when I know this could be another one of her tricks?

I don’t have to wait long for the answer. She nestles her body close to mine and wraps her free arm around my back. Holding her there, feeling her in my arms reminds me of all the reasons I vowed to keep her safe. This situation is majorly f*cked up. I can’t predict what’s going to happen next, but I know we only have a short window to figure it out before life gets in the way. Right now we’re safe. We can’t be located, and it needs to stay that way. I’ll contact the guys and let them know the situation first thing in the morning. For now I need time to recuperate. I need to take this in and figure out my end game.



I wake to the sun shining in through the bedroom window. I’m alone and sit up with worry. I search the room hoping she’s close, but discover the worst. It only takes me a second to rush out of the room to find her. After she ran out of the house into the cold conditions without clothes I’m worried what she’s capable of if she fears what I’m planning to do to her. Little does she know I have yet to decide. If things were different I’d wonder if there was a way to help her through this. Now I’m not sure anything can be done. Neither one of us have been honest from the beginning. How to even begin to build a friendship out of that is beyond my recognition. I didn’t come into this looking for romance and I know that now I have to walk away from it as well, but it doesn’t stop me from worrying about her. She’s done something to me, and I can’t shake my inability to let it go.

I find Nina in the kitchen. She’s doing her best to make coffee by hand. I hear her cursing before I get it all the way down the stairs. When I come up behind her she startles and screams, placing her hand on her heart as if to slow it down. “Oh my god. You can’t sneak up on someone like that.”

I’m laughing to myself while removing the pot from her hands. “Here, let me have a go.”

I focus on the coffee while she hops up to sit on the old countertop. I want to tell her it’s probably not secure, but she’s too cute to move. After we have two piping hot cups of coffee, I come to stand in front of her. My hands touch her knees as I focus my attention on her face. “I’ve been doing some thinking since last night. I think we need to remain here until I can come up with a new game plan. Are you okay with that, or do you plan on running around outside naked again, because I’m going to be honest and say it sucked having to chase you down.”

“I won’t be doing that again. My leg is killing me and it’s pretty embarrassing to recall.” She snickers. “About that. You can’t blame me for being hurt and confused, and especially scared. I never expected to care about you, Moth. It wasn’t the plan.”