Secret Obsession (Carder Texas Connections #6)(23)

Noah turned on Zane. “You keeping secrets?”

“Aren’t we all?”

“Definitely.” Noah sent Lyssa a pointed look. “I think you and I need to talk. Alone.”

Oh, boy. She recognized that look, even after only being around him a day. He wanted to know more, and she couldn’t tell him everything. She wouldn’t.

She possessed one secret she would take to her grave...without hesitation.

A secret she couldn’t afford to even think about or she might very well break down. She clutched at Jack’s ring, the chain pulling against her neck.

Noah led her out of the main room and into the kitchen. He leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms. “Elijah did a bit of surveillance. He went to Reid’s house.”

Lyssa stiffened. Reid was the only person who knew, and only because she hadn’t had a choice.

“I see you know what I’m talking about.”

Lyssa cursed his ability to read her. She had to get better at hiding her feelings and her responses from him. “Can’t you just stay out of my head?” she groused.

“I better be good. It’s kept me alive.” He studied her, not speaking, just staring with an impatient, knowing look.

Sweat beaded on her upper lip. “This is ridiculous. It’s simple. Archimedes wants me dead, and I intend to kill him.”

“Reid had a file on you at his house. He burned it. Or rather, tried to. Want to tell me why?”

Her throat closed off. This couldn’t be happening. She couldn’t risk contact, and she refused to panic. Reid would never have given her away. He’d promised her.

“Was the file readable?” She didn’t want to ask, but she had to know.

Noah scowled at her.

“No.”

She nearly sighed in relief.

“Damn it, Lyssa. I’m trying to save your life.” Noah clutched her upper arms.

His imposing six-foot-four-inch presence loomed above her.

“Don’t try to intimidate me, Noah Bradford. I won’t let you.”

She shoved at his chest, and he let her go. She stormed out of the kitchen, panting, and headed straight for her temporary bedroom. She slammed the door closed. Her duffel rested on the bed, untouched.

She could leave, but the truth was, she needed Archimedes dead. Noah Bradford gave her the best chance for that to happen.

Her entire body sagged, uncertainty weighing on her. She rubbed her eyes. She couldn’t see a way out. For anyone.

The door cracked open.

She crossed her arms in front of her. “I don’t want to talk anymore.”

He said nothing but walked over to her, placing his hands on her shoulders, kneading the muscles gently. “I need you to be honest with me, Lyssa. Otherwise, I can’t help you.” Noah turned her in his arms. “I don’t want to fail you.” He met her gaze. “And right now, Archimedes has all the advantages.”

Her eyes widened at the intensity in his expression. “Oh, my God. You don’t think we can win.”

“Failure isn’t an option,” he said, words laced with pent-up frustration. “I don’t understand why you’re still not being honest. I’m only trying to help.”

What could she say? That something more important than herself was at risk?

Someone more important.

“You don’t know how to track him,” she said. “Despite all the equipment, Zane, Rafe and even Elijah, Archimedes is still invisible.”

“For now.” The words dragged out of Noah with distaste, as if he’d chomped on a piece of spoiled fish.

“Thank you for admitting the truth.” She stood stiff in his arms, his body strong and sure...and honest, if nothing else.

He tugged her against him and lowered his head to her ear.

“Tell me,” he whispered.

His breath caressed the side of her cheek, his strong arms wrapped around her like a cocoon. For the first time in eighteen months she wished she could share the burden.

“I can’t,” she said.

A single tear ran down her cheek. She pressed her face into Noah’s chest. She couldn’t let him see the emotion pulsing just beneath the surface.

The past twenty-four hours had given her a glimmer of hope, but she couldn’t give anything away.

Not until Archimedes was dead.

Once he was dead, she had a prayer.

Of bringing her baby daughter home.





Chapter Six

Despite her resistance, Noah didn’t want to let Lyssa leave his arms. He held her close, too close. She possessed a spine of steel, one he’d never imagined. Noah wanted to shake her, to force her to tell him what she hid. What could be so important that even in the midst of Archimedes’s threat, she refused to tell him what Reid knew?

While the operative in Noah cursed her lie of omission, her strength made him want her even more.

Her small convulsive squeeze against him, as if she were clinging to him against her will, gripped his heart. Unwanted emotions bubbled deep within him, feelings he’d quelled the moment he’d realized how much Jack cared for her.

They’d first met Lyssa during a brief assignment at the United Nations. He’d mooned over her from afar. He’d wanted to ask her out, but she’d been too good to be true, so he’d hesitated. Jack had swept in. Game over. Noah had pushed aside the want and taken a few too many overseas assignments so he wouldn’t have to face what might have been. He’d been happy for Jack, but the knowledge Noah would never have anyone like Lyssa in his life had haunted him since.