A Cold Dark Promise (Cold Justice #8.5)(24)

She found a dark blue jersey dress with a beaded neckline. Her back to Reilly, she dragged off her bra and tossed it aside for a strapless one. She put the bra on, aware of Reilly’s gaze on her back though she didn’t turn around. This wasn’t a seduction and even if it was, she knew it wouldn’t work on this man. She was his client. She pulled the dress over her head, and the material draped softly over her body. She’d always liked this dress because it flattered her curves, making her waist look smaller. She kicked off her boots and dragged her pants down her legs, tossing them in the suitcase.

“Nice socks.” Reilly’s voice was low, and vibrated with more than just amusement. She glanced over her shoulder in surprise.

His jaw was clenched, and his nostrils flared.

She raised her brows. “Regretting all that time we wasted playing Crazy Eights?” she teased.

“Getting to know you wasn’t wasted time.”

She blinked. The guy was always thoughtful about the things he said. If he was trying to seduce her mind he was going the right way about it.

He drew in a deep breath, and his lips twitched. “But I’m wishing I’d thrown in a few rounds of strip poker to shake things up a little.”

She laughed as she bent over and pulled off her socks, tossing them in the case, too. “Not sure I would have been able to keep my hands to myself if you were naked, Mr. Reilly, and I seem to remember you didn’t like me touching you.”

“I’d like it just fine if I wasn’t at work. What I don’t like is being treated like a piece of meat.”

Her mouth dropped open in horror. “Oh, my goodness. That is not what I was thinking when I touched you the other day.”

“What, then?” he demanded.

Her eyes widened as she took in his disbelieving expression. She swallowed. “I was trying to get rid of you.”

“Seriously?” He sounded dubious.

She nodded. “That’s how it started out.” She retrieved a pair of low-heeled sandals and slid them onto her feet. She met his gaze. “But after I touched you I would happily have taken a few hours of sexual oblivion.”

His brow quirked. “Oblivion? Where’s the fun in that? I’d want to remember every detail.”

Her heart suddenly pounded. God, yes. She definitely wanted to have sex with this man one day.

“You need to eat and drink so you have energy to complete the op,” Reilly told her, sliding quickly back into the role of chief guardian.

Her mouth curved. “You make it sound like I’m about to compete in hand-to-hand combat.” She flinched at her own words.

That was the terrible truth about having someone you loved beat the ever-loving crap out of you. The memory could hit just as hard as the punches.

The pity in Reilly’s bright blue eyes proved what she’d already suspected. Either he’d overheard her conversation with Alex the other day or Alex had filled him in on her abuse.

She sat on the bed, hating that her secrets had been revealed. She didn’t want this man’s pity. She didn’t want anyone’s pity. “Don’t,” she said, tersely.

He came around and sat beside her. Bumped her shoulder like they were a couple of teens. “Don’t what?”

She huffed out a reluctant laugh. “Feel sorry for me.”

“I don’t feel sorry for you. I’m in awe you had the guts to leave him. That must have been terrifying. And I’m in awe you’re willing to face him again tonight.”

“It’s for my daughter. I’d do anything for her. I’d die to protect her.” Her hands tightened back into fists.

“It’s not going to come to that.” He held her gaze. “I won’t let it get that far.”

She’d attended support groups for battered women and it had helped. She knew the cycle of violence was about power and control and not about love. But deep down she always harbored a little blame—she was the one who’d been foolish enough to fall in love with an abuser. “It was my own fault. I made a bad choice.”

He thrust the plate into her one hand and the water into the other. “You fell in love with a man who didn’t deserve you. But he’s the one who made the decision to hit you. It’s on him. Always on him.”

She took a bite of the soft bread. Salt from the butter and succulent cured ham hit her tongue and she realized she was starving.

“He didn’t deserve you.”

She glanced up at Reilly’s face, stunned to realize he seemed to genuinely care about her. It had been so long since she’d allowed anyone to get close, to see her weaknesses.

“Eat,” he told her.

She bit into her sandwich. She needed fuel. She hadn’t eaten since all these people had arrived at the chateau and it had become clear Alex hadn’t told her the truth about what was going on. She’d tried to be angry with him, but had put herself in his shoes. He’d had to choose between saving one child versus containing a bioweapon.

It was a no-brainer, except when that child was yours.

“Did you know what was going on with Ahmed? About him being a suspected arms dealer?” she asked Reilly. Was she the only one who’d been kept ignorant?

Faint lines creased the corner of his eyes as he frowned, but there was an honesty in his gaze that made her breath catch.