Defenseless (Salvation, #5)(55)

The grin on his face forewarns me that I’m going to pay for that. “You’ll go home when I’m ready for you to go home.”

I glare at him as he’s sure as hell going to pay for that.

Erik laughs. “We see who wears the pants in this relationship.”

“Shut up. You’re dismissed. Send in the next of my royal subjects.” Mark stands with his arms spread open.

“Mark, we should talk,” I say as the next minion approaches the doorway.

“Or better yet, we’ll do this again when I’m in the mood.”

A few people laugh from the corridor, and Mark shuts his door in the guy’s face. “What’s going on?”

“We have hope. We have Mandi in our corner.”

Mark scowls. “Isn’t this the same girl who sold you out at your debrief?”

“Yes, but she’s answering on the line only she and I know about.”

“And you think this is a good idea?”

“I think it’s our best shot.”

His eyes drift as he seems to weigh his thoughts. “You trust her?”

“I trusted her with my life. I don’t think she’d double-cross me. And the info I’d send her wouldn’t be crucial.”

He shakes his head, “I don’t want to involve the agency.”

“We’re not.”

“We are.” He slams his hands on the desk. “I say no. I don’t want you to do it. I think we can find information another way. I don’t want the CIA involved.”

“Mark.”

“No, I don’t trust them.” His eyes close and he lets out a deep breath. “Look, I think they’re behind who drugged you.”

No. I mean, it’s not impossible, but it’s highly improbable. I’m not a risk. It makes no sense that they’d drug me. Plus, where the hell would he come up with this idea? He has no proof.

“I think you’re wrong.”

He crosses his arms. “I’m not. I’m telling you, there’s something going on, and I’m not going to let you risk it.”

“Mark,” Lee says over the intercom and interrupts our argument. “Sorry to bother you, but there’s an issue with the bid. Can you look at this?”

“Sure.” He stands but turns to me before he goes. “We’ll finish this when I get back, but my answer is no. I don’t want anyone from there tangled up in this. We’ll handle it. Just us.”

Mark exits the room, and I start to pace. Let me? Let me risk it. I hear the words over and over, but I don’t agree with him. I think he’s shortsighted in realizing the information I can get if Mandi comes on board.

I know it’s a stretch, but if she’s willing to gather info that I can’t get, then I can dig deeper. It’ll take less time, less energy, and there will be less of a chance of being exposed. There are a lot of cards laid out, but if we can use the resources of the agency, then it’ll be okay. If we can just have everyone not disappear, get shot, or be taken hostage then we can get our answers. He’s not calling the shots on this one. It’s my handler, and I trust her. I grab my phone.

Me: I need your help, but I need to trust you.

Mandi: I never betrayed you, Charlie. I never would.



“I swear to God, if I get bitten by anything, you better hope it kills me,” I threaten Mark for the tenth time. I can’t believe I let him talk me into this.

“I told you, sharks need to eat too.”

“It’s a wonder that you’ve been single this long.”

He smirks. “I was just waiting for you, princess.”

“Sure you were.”

It’s been a week, and Mandi and I have been communicating regularly. I hate keeping it from Mark, but we disagree, and I’d rather ask for forgiveness than permission.

However, he kept his promise, and I kept mine. That night in the vineyard was an anomaly. No more talk of making love, even though I do a shit job of not looking at him. I catch myself frequently, but for the most part . . . we’re back to Charlie and Mark—the hostile, sex-craved, sarcastic *s who want to be on top of the world. It works better this way, even though I’m hopelessly in love with the jackass.

His eyes roll as he lays the surfboards down. “Whatever you say, Chartreuse.”

“That’s the worst one yet.”

“If you’d just tell me, I would stop having to guess. Unless your name really is Charlie?” I shake my head with a smile.

We spent some time with Aaron last night. It wasn’t as awkward as I thought it would be. He’s doing really well, and he actually had some information that might help me find Mazir. Seems I wasn’t the only one listening to everything.

“If I told you, I’d have to kill you.” I smile over my shoulder as I go to put my toes in the water. I really hate this. There’s not much I’m afraid of, but sea creatures are one. I hate not being able to see what’s beneath me. It’s a vulnerability that doesn’t sit well with me. I understand, considering the amount of time Mark’s spent in the water, how this feels like home to him. I, however, do not feel the same. The only reason I agreed to this is that he promised to take me back to DC soon. I’ve been gone long enough, and all this mushy stuff between us has me spooked.