by Cynthia Eden
Roman shoved the door closed behind Antony. “It’s necessary.” He assessed the other man. Tall, fit, with sharp, intelligent eyes. No nervous movements. Just stillness. Poise. Roman had never worked on a case with Antony Kyle before, but their paths had crossed. Antony had been on Dex’s side and Roman…had not.
Because for too long, I thought Dex sold me out. I thought he left me to die. He’d only recently learned the truth. Basically, when his worst enemy had become his brother-in-law. But that was another story, for another day.
“We’re going to be working closely on this one. Perhaps we should just let the past die and carry forward?” Antony suggested.
“I don’t exactly have a grudge against you.”
A sigh of relief slipped from Antony. “That’s great to know. Because I was afraid that, you know, since I was the one who helped Dex to hook up with your sister that you might be pissed about—”
Roman took a fast step toward him. “You did what?”
Behind the glasses, Antony’s eyes widened. “And you didn’t know that. I see. Got it. Let’s just pretend I did not say anything about that part, hmmm?”
Hell, no, he wouldn’t pretend that shit.
“Ahem. Where is Harper Crane?” Antony peered down at his watch. “Because I’ve been told we need to have wings up in thirty minutes.”
“She’s getting dressed.” He tucked the gun into the waistband of his jeans. “She’ll be out when she’s done.”
When Antony looked up at him, he was frowning again. “You did get the last update from Dex, didn’t you?” Antony asked.
“What last update?”
“He told me that he came by. Talked to you. Told you what I’d discovered.”
“Yeah.” Roman glanced over his shoulder. The bedroom door was still shut. “You’ve been digging on the Dark Web. Some asshole wants proof that I’m dead. Probably my head or some shit like that.”
The door opened. Harper stood there, with her hair tousled, her lips plump and red, and a faint pink glowing in her cheeks. She’d dressed in tight jeans, knee-high boots, and a thick, flowing red sweater.
She looked absolutely gorgeous, and for a moment, he simply stared at her.
“Oh, screw me,” Antony muttered. “He would leave this part out.”
Roman hauled his gaze off Harper. It took a serious effort. “What are you talking about?”
Antony pulled off his glasses. Began to clean the lenses on his shirt. “Nothing. We’ll update later.” He offered a smile to Harper as she crossed the room. “Hi, I’m Antony—”
“Kyle,” Harper finished. Surprise flashed on her face. “You’re Antony Kyle. You’re the hot tech guy.”
Hot tech? Roman’s brows rose. “Excuse me?” She thought Antony was hot? Roman’s jaw locked. And she’s saying that crap in front of me?
Harper waved toward Antony. “I read an article about him last week. His company is on the Hot Tech 20 List.”
Ah. Okay. So his company was hot. Harper had not been referring to her personal interest in Antony. Of course, she hadn’t.
“What are you doing here?” Harper asked. She paused next to Roman. Her shoulder brushed against his arm.
“I’m helping with the case. I owed a friend a favor, so I said I’d do some tech digging.”
Antony’s answer was part truth and part lie.
“My presence here is strictly confidential,” Antony continued. “Eric Wilde assured me that you were not a security risk. That you would not share my involvement with anyone.” He slid his glasses back on his nose.
“Absolutely. You can count on me.” Harper smiled.
Fuck.
Roman instinctively shook his head.
But it was too late. Antony had blinked. His gaze dropped to her mouth. Lingered on the—
“Nope,” Roman interrupted. He waved a hand between them. “Don’t be disarmed. Don’t fall for them. She is not available, and Harper is not looking to hook up right now. Focus on the case, and we’ll all be happy.”
Both Harper and Antony gaped at him.
Antony was the first to speak. “Buddy, we are focusing on the case. And I’m not disarmed by anything.” A hint of steel had entered his voice.
Harper stared at Roman as if he’d lost his mind.
Hell, he felt like he was losing him mind, at least where she was concerned. When had he ever been possessive or jealous like this? The answer was immediate. Never. But with Harper, he wasn’t responding normally. Nothing about the situation or how he felt was normal.
He still seemed to be in overdrive. The fear that she was going to be taken from him kept pounding through his mind and body. The sooner the threat to her had been eliminated, the better.
***
Harper settled in her seat on the private plane. She bent her head as she locked her seatbelt, and her hair slid over her face.
Roman took a step toward her. He intended to sit in the chair opposite hers.
But Antony’s hand curled around his shoulder. “We need to talk. Immediately.”
He shrugged. “Fine. Let’s talk as soon as this plane is in the air.”
Antony cut a glance at Harper. “Not around her.” His voice was low. Carrying only to Roman’s ears.
He was way over the spy games. “Let me guess. Dex told you she didn’t have clearance, so you had to watch what you said around her.”
“Not like you’re telling her your secrets, so don’t give me that BS response,” Antony snapped right back, voice still barely above a whisper. He leaned closer to Roman. “You don’t understand what you’re doing with her.”
I have a pretty good idea.
“You’re going to hurt her. Badly. As soon as we can be alone, we have to talk. Damn Dex—he should have told you before it was too late.”
What in the hell was that dark warning supposed to be about? Roman turned his head and met Antony’s stare. “I will never hurt her.” A vow. Hurting Harper was the last thing that Roman ever intended to do. She was like a breath of fresh air in his life. The woman made him laugh, for shit’s sake. All he wanted to do was protect her.
Not like he had a ton of experience protecting something good. But he was trying. As hard as he could.
He was screwing up, yes, as evidenced by his whole Harper isn’t available routine. But he didn’t want to lose her. He’d never had anything good. Not until her.
I want to keep her safe.
Pity darkened Antony’s eyes. Pity? “I’m afraid it’s too late for that.” He spared a glance for Harper. “Just try to keep your distance, okay?”
“If you’ve got something to say, spit it out right now. Don’t give me cryptic warnings. I don’t go for that crap.”
Harper looked up. Her stare met Roman’s.
Some of the tension slid from his shoulders. Hurt her? Never.
But Antony seemed even more agitated as he warned, “You don’t want this kind of bombshell delivered in front of her. Just keep your hands off her, okay? Try, man. Try.”
The pilot called out to him, and Antony hurried toward the cockpit.
Roman took the seat opposite Harper. Settled in. Buckled up.
“What was that about?” Harper asked as she tilted her head. “Looked all intent and whispery.”
“I’m not sure.”
Her brows rose.
“I’m not.” Unease had settled in his gut. “Guy told me that we have to talk—alone—very soon.” He paused. “You know I wouldn’t hurt you. I mean, you understand I would never do anything to cause you pain?”
Yet hadn’t he, already? Because she was his partner, Harper had been pulled into his nightmare. Was that what Antony had meant? That he was putting Harper in harm’s way just by being close to her?
“I know.” Her gaze was steady. “You don’t need to tell me that.”
His breath eased out. He glanced out the window. They’d be taking off very soon.
“But you do need to tell me what the heck you were doing back at
the cabin. Warning Antony away from me? What was that about?”
Roman winced. “I’m…possessive with you.”
“I did notice that.”
“I apologize.” His voice was stilted. “I don’t exactly do a whole lot of relationships.” So he had no clue how to navigate things with her.
“Pro tip,” Harper told him cheerfully. “Don’t speak for your partner. You don’t need to warn others away from me. I’m not interested in other men. I’m only interested in you.”
His gaze swung back to her.
Harper leaned toward him. “I want to know you. Good, bad, everything. All your secrets. You tell me yours, and I’ll tell you mine.”
He could not look away from her gorgeous eyes. “Harper—”
“Prepare for lift-off,” Antony called out. “Time to get this baby into the air.”
***
A limo was waiting for them at the airport. A long, sleek ride courtesy of Wilde. As they headed toward the vehicle, Harper stayed at Roman’s side. He saw her gaze cut around the area, and he knew she was searching for threats.
He was doing the same thing.
The plane ride had been short. Tense. Harper wanted his secrets, and he was actually thinking about giving them to her. It was just a little hard to start that conversation. It could go something like…
So, my dad was a sadistic killer, and he raised me to be just like him.
Or maybe…
I used to work for the CIA. But then I thought my best friend sold me out and left me to die, so I went rogue. I’ve been living in the darkness for so long that I almost forgot what the light was like.
Or the always popular…
I had to fake my own death to start a new life because I’ve got so many enemies gunning for me. I’ve left fire and destruction in my wake and I—
Harper stopped. So did he.
Antony kept right on strolling past them toward the limo.
“He’s going with us?” Harper asked. Her head turned toward Roman. “He’s coming with us back to your place?”
“Hurry up,” Antony chided. “Standing in the open just puts targets on you.”
Roman curled his arm around Harper’s shoulders. “This is not a permanent situation.”
Antony was already at the back of the limo. His stare took in Roman’s arm. Harper’s body. He shook his head. “Did you even try to follow my advice? Like, for half a second, did you try?”
“Look, asshole, I—”
“Harper, this is your ride.” Antony gestured toward the open limo door. “We’ll meet you at Roman’s house.”
“Excuse me?” Harper demanded.
“What?” Roman shook his head. “No, no, Harper stays with me. She—”
“Yes, yes, I get that you have a very strong attachment to Ms. Crane, but we have to talk, confidentially, and we will be following her in the next vehicle.” He pointed in the distance, to a black SUV that waited near a chain-length fence. “This is non-negotiable. She rides in the limo. We ride behind her. We must talk.”
“She is staying with me,” Roman snarled back.
“Non-negotiable,” Antony fired. “I know you understand what the word means—”
“Oh, just stop it.” Harper shook her head and climbed into the limo. “Roman, I’ll see you at your place. Go get your confidential briefing.” She pointed to Antony. “And you…do your tech work, dig into my life, and get me cleared enough so that this bullshit doesn’t happen again, got me? I want to know everything that’s happening.” She settled against the leather seat. “Utter bullshit.”
Antony appeared bemused as he gazed inside at her. He shook his head. “Yes, ma’am.” He slammed the door.
Roman’s hands fisted. “I wanted to stay at her side.”
“Yes, yes, I got that.” Antony was already hurrying toward the SUV. “But we’ll have her in sight at all times if you just haul ass with me.”
Roman hauled ass. Got in the SUV. He noticed an armed guard a few feet away. The man inclined his head to Antony.
The limo pulled away. Moments later, the SUV was on the road and following closely behind the limo. “The vehicle has been swept. We’re clear to talk here,” Antony informed him. “No one else will know what we’re talking about.”
So this was his briefing? His gaze remained on the limo’s taillights. Light rain pelted against the windshield. The wipers flew back and forth. Back and—
“I can’t believe Dex didn’t tell you. I mean, he assured me that he’d warn you. That he’d tell you to be careful with Harper.”
Roman’s hands flattened over his thighs. “We’re not back to this crap, are we?”
“Just what crap would that be?”
“Harper isn’t going to betray me.”
“You sound awfully certain of that for a man who only recently met the woman. I believe you’ve been her partner for approximately one week?”
Roman’s jaw locked.
“And didn’t your last, ah, female companion turn on you and—”
“Heather Madding wasn’t a female companion. We weren’t involved. She was a paid bodyguard. And, yes, she turned on me.” He’d been involved in an abduction of his own. Maybe that was why things with Harper had freaked him out so much. No, I was freaked out because it was Harper. He cleared his throat. “Thanks so much for asking. No need to keep throwing the past in my face. I’m good. She’s dead.” Flat. “And Harper is nothing like her.”
“Because you’re so sure of Harper already. So certain she’s this good, trustworthy person.”
“Don’t play games with me.” The limo was turning up ahead. “You have something to say, spit it out. If you’ve found intel in her background that I need to know about, tell me.”
“Dex was supposed to tell you.”
They turned to follow the limo.
“The only shit Dex told me was to be careful with Harper. He said to not get my ass emotionally involved.” Roman’s voice roughened. “Don’t worry. I’m not exactly the falling-in-love type.” Ice burned in his chest. “So go back to the spy master and tell him I’m good.”
They stopped at a light. “Yes, um, you sound super good. The best.”
Roman slanted a glance at him. “You’re not funny.”
“She won’t love you back,” Antony mumbled.
“Excuse me?” That ice in his chest was growing thicker.
“Not that I’m saying you’re falling in love with her or anything. Because I’m not saying that. But if you did, she won’t love you back.”
“You’re pissing me off, Antony.”
The light changed. The limo drove forward.
“She can’t,” Antony continued doggedly. “I’m sorry, but because of what happened to her—”
The limo ignited. The back of the limo exploded into a ball of flames, and the vehicle flew forward. The back tires flipped into the air, and the whole vehicle seemed to spin. When the limo landed, it was upside down, and flames were pouring from the rear.
Roman heard a loud roar. Didn’t even realize he was making the sound.
“Oh, Jesus,” Antony breathed. “That car should have been checked. It should have been clear. Roman, Roman, I am so sor—”
He was out of the SUV. Racing toward the wreckage. And screaming Harper’s name over and over again.
Chapter Eleven
He ran straight for the flames. Harper was in there, and he had to get her out. He would get her out. She was going to be all right. She had to be. He’d get to her. “Harper!”
Someone tackled him. Launched right at him and sent Roman slamming into the pavement. He took his attacker down with him. They rolled, and he grabbed for the knife he’d put in his boot after getting off that plane—
“Roman. It’s me.”
He blinked. He was raising his knife…toward Harper’s throat?
Harper?
His Harper?
“Baby?” he gasped.
She yanked the knife out of his hand. “You c
an’t just run out in the open when people are gunning for you.”
The limo was burning behind her. Gawking men and women were spilling onto the street. Other cars had braked so the road was a sea of red lights. And flames. Lots of flames.
He ignored everything but her. “You’re…okay?”
She hauled him to his feet. “We’re getting the hell out of here.” She shoved him back toward the SUV.
He stumbled. Turned. Caught her hand. No, caught her. He pulled her into his arms, lifted her against his chest, and raced with her back to the waiting SUV. They ran right by a gaping Antony.
“The driver is okay,” Harper said as she curled one arm around Roman’s neck. “I got him out and left him near the light post. We should call an ambulance for him, though, just in case.”
Roman put her in the passenger side of the SUV. Paused to stare down at her. “You’re okay.”
“Yes. Fine. Maybe a few scratches.” She scrunched her adorable nose. “Maybe some singed hair, but I’m good. Now can you get in the car and drive—actually, no, scratch that. I’m driving.” She hopped over the console and settled in the driver’s seat. “Come on.”
He came his ass on and jumped into the passenger seat.
Antony ran toward them, waving his hands. “Wait! Wait for me!”
“Do we have to wait on him?” Harper asked.
Harper. Alive. Safe.
Roman leaned toward her. Curled his hand under her chin. Turned her head toward him and kissed her. Frantic. Hard. She’s alive.
The back door slammed as Antony hurried into the backseat. “Oh, yeah. Great job of keeping a distance. Way to listen to me.”
Roman raised his head. Then he glared back at Antony. “You almost got her killed!”
“Let’s talk about this after we’re away from this place,” Harper directed.
Roman’s focus shifted back to the road in front of them. Quite the crowd had gathered. And the limo was still burning.
“Don’t worry, I can get us out of here. Just make sure you’re buckled up, would you?” Harper’s voice was mild.
Roman’s hand lowered toward the seat belt even as Harper took off. She didn’t head down the crowded street. She whipped the SUV to the left, shot down the lane like a bat out of hell, then proceeded to drive like a winning race car driver through the streets. Left, right, she turned fast and kept her laser-like focus on the road ahead of her. He was pretty sure she hit ninety at one point, maybe a whole lot more.