All I Want(75)

Parker’s face was blank, giving nothing away of his thoughts. He didn’t speak.

Shock.

“What’s today going to cost you?” she asked.

He slid his gaze away.

“Your job?” she asked.

He shrugged.

“Oh, Parker,” she breathed. “But I don’t get it. In the end you did what your boss had asked you to do. Honor the deal with Carver and let him walk.”

“They meant for him to stay in Idaho, in a known place where they could keep an eye on him. I sent him packing.”

“But Joe told the authorities that Devon only flew Carver to Coeur d’Alene.”

“We lost him from there,” he said.

She bit her lip, refusing to cry for him because he wouldn’t want her to, but it was all so unfair. That he’d ended up doing what he had was all her fault, her doing. He’d had to react to keep her safe and if she knew one thing about Parker, she knew that he’d never even weighed the choice. “Surely they’ll understand—”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s my problem, not yours.”

Right. She’d nearly forgotten. Her problems were his problems. And his problems were his problems. It infuriated her all over again. God, she was such an idiot. Because she was still falling for him, even now. Hell, she’d already fallen. She dropped her head to the table and thunked it a few times, but it didn’t help.

“Okay,” he said, and pushed away from the counter. “Bedtime.”

She lifted her head when he wrapped a palm around her arm and pulled her out of the chair. “I’m not in the mood.”

His lips quirked. “To sleep.”

“I knew that,” she muttered. Tugging free, she headed to the door and then stopped. “I need something from you,” she said to the wood.

“Anything,” he said from behind her. Right behind her.

He’d followed and was close enough that she could take in his scent. They’d been gone for hours, in an incredibly tense situation, and he still smelled amazing.

She could hate him for that alone. “I need you to be strong here, because I don’t think I can be, not after today. I need you to keep the space invasions to a minimum until you go, which I assume you’re doing sooner than later.”

Parker paused. “I have to be in D.C. to face the music on Monday,” he finally said.

Today was Friday. She swallowed hard and nodded, and walked out.





Twenty-seven




Parker walked through the house, checking windows and locks, turning off lights. He’d put off going to bed because he knew sleep wasn’t going to come for him.

He spent a few moments with the ridiculously energetic Bonnie and Clyde, who’d gotten bigger this week, their strength finally matching their courage and bravado. They were now insane heathens who climbed and destroyed everything in their midst.

And he adored them every bit as much as he did Oreo.

When he finally went upstairs, he passed by his bedroom, heading to Zoe’s, needing to check in on her just to make sure she’d been able to fall asleep without any trouble, that what had happened wasn’t bothering her.

He had no intention of letting her know he was there, but the sight of her soothed an ache he hadn’t even realized he’d had. In the center of her bed she was curled up around Oreo, the two of them huddled together and lit by only the moon’s glow.

Oreo’s nose wriggled. Then one bleary eye pried open. At the sight of Parker, his tail thumped the blankets.

“Stay,” Parker mouthed to him, pointing at the bed, but Oreo, hopeful that he’d brought food, abandoned his mistress and hopped off the bed.

Zoe turned restlessly, reaching out for the dog in her sleep with a soft sound of distress.

Stay the hell away from me.

Okay, so that wasn’t exactly what she’d said, but it was what she’d meant. And then she made the sound again, like her dreams were dark and chasing her, and he couldn’t, he just couldn’t leave her to face the demons—his demons—on her own. Lying down beside her—on top of the covers—he stroked a hand over her arm to her fingers, which he entwined with his. “You’re safe,” he whispered.

He’d made sure of it. There was a watch on this house, and would be for as long as he thought it necessary to make sure Carver kept his word.

Zoe immediately curled up into Parker, pressing her face in the crook of his neck and inhaling deep, like she needed his essence to breathe, like maybe he could chase away all the bad in the world.

And then she made a sound of frustration at the covers caught between them, yanked them free, and wrapped herself around him like an octopus. He was still fully dressed but she wore her pj’s, which tonight consisted of a teeny, tiny pair of shorts and an equally tiny, snug tank top. He had to close his eyes and do math problems in his head. When that didn’t work, he tried to count sheep. Hell, he told himself, think of the job he’d probably screwed himself out of.

But all he could think was that there was nowhere else on earth he’d rather be than right here, holding Zoe. And knowing it, he buried his face into her hair.

“Parker?” she asked sleepily.

“Shh,” he said. “Go back to sleep.”

There was a beat during which he held his breath, but then her arms came around him and she did just that, went to sleep.