“Thanks.”
I hung up the phone and slipped out of the car. Walking around the building, I glanced at the grounds and facilities attached to it. It looked like an older facility, but it was in good shape. It probably cost a small fortune to keep her grandfather in here.
I walked farther around the fence, scanning the area for anything that seemed odd. Nothing stood out. A few residents played croquet on one side of the lawn, their old hands surprisingly accurate as they hit a ball through the hoops. Another resident sat by herself on a bench, feeding bread to some ducks. When I was almost halfway around, I spotted Cat with her grandfather.
He looked old and frail, supporting every step with a cane on one side and Cat’s arm on the other. I tried to hide myself behind a tree trunk as I watched them.
Cat glanced behind her and then led her grandfather down toward the edge of the grounds. They were getting closer to me, but not close enough to hear what they were saying. They sat down on a bench just outside of earshot.
Her grandfather looked like he’d been a strong man in his day. His body was aged now, falling apart and failing him, but he had long arms and surprisingly broad shoulders. Thin wisps of grey hair were combed over his mottled scalp.
Cat took his hands in hers and smiled at him. Her grandfather looked vaguely confused.
She reached into her bag and pulled something out. I squinted, peering around the tree trunk as if it would give me a better look. She was showing him some kind of paper.
I looked again as he brought it closer to his face.
A photo.
She was showing him a picture of something. Her grandfather’s face went from cloudy and confused to angry, and then panicked. He shoved the photo back at her and crossed his arms. She pressed him, the sound of her voice barely carrying toward me. I couldn’t make out any words.
Her grandfather looked furious. He shook his head, refusing to look at her. She said something else, and her grandfather snapped at her.
Cat flinched and gave up. Her grandfather stood and Cat sighed, finally peeling herself off the bench with him.
Then, the one thing that I hoped wouldn’t happen, happened. All my years of training went out the window as her gaze was drawn to mine. She frowned, staring at me as her jaw dropped.
My heart thundered. I’d been spotted. She told me to stay in the car and I’d done the exact opposite. So, I owned it. I stepped out from behind the tree and gave her a tentative wave.
She looked mad. Upset.
Scared.
All my senses were tingling. There was something she wasn’t telling me. I knew it. Why visit her grandfather now, specifically? What was that picture? Why had her grandfather reacted like that?
My natural suspicion of everyone and everything intensified, and I stared after her as she turned away and led her grandfather back toward the building.
With nothing else to see, I made my way back to the car and waited for her. Cat Crawford didn’t make sense to me. I wanted to trust her. I wanted to believe her.
It’s just that everything in my training, my career, and my personal life had taught me not to. It was my job to distrust her. It was part of the operation. I was supposed to sniff out any involvement with the Russians and then, well… deal with it.
Everything in my gut told me that she had nothing to do with Nathan Blanchet or the Russians. My instinct told me that she was clean. A month of surveillance had turned up nothing to incriminate her.
But then, there was the car tailing us. There was the activist, who just happened to target her. There was this impromptu visit to see her grandfather and some photo that I knew nothing about.
My heart was telling me to trust her, but my mind was screaming at me to stop.
I needed an explanation.
But when Cat got back to the car, it was me who had some explaining to do.
“What the hell were you doing, sneaking around the bushes like that?” She said as soon as she opened the car door. Her eyes were blazing as she sat down, turning completely sideways in her seat to face me. “Huh? What the hell, Bennett? I told you to give me some space.”
“I was doing my job, Senator.”
“Oh, fuck off. What kind of threats could there possibly be in an assisted living facility? Before I moved to D.C., I came here every weekend for the past four years. Give me a break.”
My eyebrows shot up. Every weekend? Maybe this wasn’t an impromptu visit, after all.
“What were you showing your grandfather?”
“A picture, Bennett,” she spat. “A picture. It helps him to remember.” Her eyes shot daggers at me as she shook her head. “I’m not going to have any privacy, am I? You’re going to stick around me like a bad fucking smell, and I’m going to have to bare my soul to you, whether I like it or not.”
She was trembling, gripping the car seat so hard that her knuckles were turning white. I said nothing.
She took a deep, shaking breath and shook her head. “My grandfather is dying in the worst possible way. Half the time he thinks the nurses are killing him, and the other half he doesn’t remember his own name. And I don’t even have ten fucking minutes to be alone with him without some oaf creeping out from behind a fucking tree trunk. Do you have any idea how ridiculous you looked?”
She inhaled, staring at the ceiling before slumping against the seat. She shook her head and I still didn’t know what to say.
I was an ass. I’d assumed that she had some ulterior motive for coming here because I always assumed there was an ulterior motive. Instead, she was just visiting her ailing grandfather. I’d intruded on that. I exhaled, shaking my head.
“I’m sorry, Cat.”
“Are you?”
“Yes.” I turned to face her, grabbing her hand in mine. She pulled away, turning her shoulder. I sighed again. “Cat, I didn’t mean to intrude. I’m just trying to do my job.”
“And I’m just trying to figure out why I’m already grieving a man who’s still alive, why people are suddenly following me, and why I’m the target of some weird environmental activism. I’m trying to deal with you guys following me around everywhere which is another thing I never asked for. It’s a lot to take in.”
She exhaled, massaging her temples.
“It’s just hard, Bennett. I needed some time with him. He was… he wasn’t the best today, but he knew my name. He was calm… for the most part.”
“He seemed to get agitated when you showed him the picture.”
She wouldn’t meet my eye. She just sighed. “Yeah.”
I felt like a heartless idiot. All this time, I’d been trying to convince myself that my gut feeling about her was wrong. That I should be suspicious of everything.
What if my gut feeling was right? What if Cat Crawford was just a young woman whose career was taking off? What if her intentions were pure and she knew nothing about dirty Russian deals?
She sighed again and finally met my eye. “I guess you’re going to be staying in my guest room tonight, huh?”
“Either that or the car, yeah.”
A smile twitched at her lips and she exhaled again. “As much as you annoyed me today, I won’t do that to you. Let’s go.”
She held my gaze for a moment, and the air between us thickened. Then, I nodded and started the car.
She cleared her throat, pointing toward the exit. “Go back to the lights where we turned off, up there,” she said, and the moment was over.
11
Cat
It was easy to be mad at Bennett. Easier than thinking about my grandfather’s reaction to the photo, anyway. I could mask how upset I was by it all by pretending to be angry. Being mad at him made it easier to ignore how much I wanted him to rip my clothes off, too.
I’m a complete mess.
I wasn’t really mad at him. I was kind of flattered, actually. Was he really that worried about my protection when I was in that assisted living facility?
He and I obviously lived different re
alities. I’d never thought about my safety as much as I had during this month, but he lived and breathed it. The fact that he cared that much was kind of nice. I’d never had anyone look out for me like that before.
We drove in silence, punctuated by my directions to my old home. I hadn’t rented it out or sold it yet, since I expected to come visit Gramps at least once a month when I was in D.C.
It was just as I’d left it a month ago. I walked in the front door and took a deep breath. It smelled like home. Mickey and I grew up here when Gramps took us in. I kicked off my shoes and flicked on the lights, glancing behind me as Agent Bennett closed the door.
“Guest room is up there, second door on the left.”
“Thanks.”
His eyes swept over me, and a delicious tingle flowed to the pit of my stomach. We were alone, and it wasn’t unpleasant.
I smiled shyly. “You want something to drink? Eat?”
He shook his head, his eyes still lingering on me. I took a deep breath and nodded toward the back of the house, where the kitchen and living area were tucked away. He followed me and settled on the couch while I pulled out some cat food from the cupboard. I filled up two bowls that I left on the back porch, glancing around the yard for any movement.
“You have cats?”
“Just a couple strays,” I said, closing the door again. “They keep the mice away. I don’t see them much unless it’s raining or cold, but they eat the food. I haven’t been here in a while, though, so I don’t know if they’re still around.”
He tilted his head and chuckled. “I don’t quite know what to make of you.”
“What do you mean?” I put a clip on the bag of cat food and checked the fridge for anything to eat. Empty. I put on a pot of coffee and glanced at him. “Why don’t you know what to make of me?”
“Well, I thought you were this hard-ass senator.”
I snorted. “Have you met me?”
“Based on your file, I mean.”
“What else does my file say?” I grinned, arching an eyebrow. “Anything good?”
He grunted, saying nothing. I tucked a leg underneath me as I sat down across from him. He held my gaze, and his deep brown eyes seemed to pull me toward him. It felt like there was an invisible string between the two of us, and the longer we stayed still, the more it drew us together.
“I’m sorry about earlier,” he finally said. “I didn’t mean to intrude. I just… I have a natural distrust of people.”
“I get that,” I said. The coffee machine gurgled and I gestured toward it. Agent Bennett nodded. We didn’t really need words—it was like we were always on the same page.
I poured us two cups of coffee. Instead of sitting across from him, I took a seat on the same couch. Folding my legs underneath me, I took a sip of coffee and sighed.
“To be honest, I was a bit unfair. I shouldn’t have yelled at you—you were just doing your job. I get upset seeing Gramps like that. He’s the one who took care of my brother and me when my mom got sick, so seeing him deteriorate is…” I sighed. “Well, it’s heartbreaking.”
“What about your dad?”
“Couldn’t cope. Left as soon as my mom started getting sicker.”
“Wow.”
I scoffed. “Yeah. It was a long time ago. I’m over it. But Gramps… It’s just hard, is all. I’m sorry I snapped at you.”
“I should have respected your request to stay in the car.”
“Thanks.” I smiled at him and took another sip of coffee. Then, without warning, Bennett reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. His touch was gentle and surprisingly intimate. The back of his fingers stroked my cheek as I leaned into his touch, sighing.
“You’re beautiful,” he said.
Words stuck in my throat. My eyes were glued on his, and all I could feel was his hand on my skin and the thumping of my nervous heart.
What was happening?
I mean, I knew what was happening. I was hopelessly, completely attracted to him. I hated the fact that I liked having him around, and I resented the idea of needing protection in the first place.
But I loved it.
Every time he looked at me, it set my blood on fire. Sparks of desire ignited between my legs as his hand curled into my hair, resting at the nape of my neck.
I leaned in closer, my breath hitching. I tried to swallow past a lump in my throat as his tongue slid out to lick his perfectly plump lips.
Everything in my head told me this was wrong. The last thing that I needed was a relationship with Bennett. Or with anyone, for that matter. But still, my whole body was drawn toward him. That string between us pulled tighter and tighter until my face was just inches from his.
His fingers curled into the nape of my neck and I felt his breath wash over my skin. I closed my eyes, waiting for the first touch of my lips on his when—
Bang.
The front door flew open. Agent Bennett jumped up, his hand already on his service weapon as my heart thundered. My whole face was red with embarrassment.
“Cat! Where are you?” My brother’s voice called out down the hallway. I put a hand on Bennett’s arm for him to relax, but his whole body stayed as tense as a coiled spring.
My brother, Mickey, stepped into the room. His frown deepened as his eyes flicked from me to Bennett and back again.
“Who’s this?”
“Who are you?” Bennett growled possessively. He stepped in front of me and a smile threatened to stretch my lips. I liked him like this—all growly and alpha, wanting to protect me.
“He’s my brother,” I said softly, squeezing Bennett’s arm. I couldn’t get halfway around his bicep, and butterflies fluttered in my stomach. I loved the feel of his body under my hand.
He glanced at me, frowning.
“What the fuck is going on?” Mickey said, glancing at us. “What did you say to Gramps?”
“What do you mean?”
“He was upset when I went to see him. The nurses said you were there, and when you left, he started having a bad delusion. I saw him, Cat,” he said, shaking his head. “He was bad. He was screaming about all kinds of crazy stuff. He kept saying this name over and over—Kowalski or Kowalczyk or something? I don’t know. Some Polish name. What did you say to him?”
My heart thundered, and not because of Bennett’s biceps. I could feel the blood draining from my face as my mouth went dry.
“Nothing. I showed him a picture of him when he was younger, and I told him about D.C.,” I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I should have just stayed away.”
Mickey sighed and took a step toward me. Bennett bristled and then stepped out of the way. Mickey gave him a suspicious glance and wrapped me in a hug.
“It’s not your fault, Cat. He’s been bad this week. Hey, hey,” he said as I started sniffling. “It’s not your fault. And it’s always better for you to go see him.”
I nodded, gulping back tears. I tried to smile, but it faded as soon as it appeared on my lips.
Mickey was wrong. It was my fault. I didn’t even know what it was, but it was definitely my fault.
12
Chris
I felt useless, standing there as Cat hugged her brother. I took a step back and drifted toward the walls. My body was going into overdrive. I’d been so close to kissing her when her brother burst through the door, and then I thought he was here to hurt her.
Adrenaline was still flooding my veins and it took all my self-control to keep my breathing steady. The comedown from this would be extreme. I knew it already.
Cat pulled away from her brother and glanced at me. Her cheeks reddened, and then she cleared her throat.
“Mickey, this is Secret Service Agent Bennett. Bennett, this is my brother Mickey.”
“Agent Bennett?” Mickey said. He turned to Cat. “What, you’re all important now and Secret Service following you around?”
“Kind of, yeah,” she laughed. “I never asked for it, though.”
Mickey glanced at me and then back at his sister. “Why you? Is a Maryland senator really that important that you need the Secret Service?”
Cat smacked his arm, rolling her eyes. “What if I am, Mickey? You should show some respect.”
“Us lowly dock workers aren’t worthy of your presence anymore, are we?” He put Cat in a headlock and started rubbing his knuckles over her skull as she yelped. I stiffened, taking a step forward and Mickey released her. He put his hands up as Cat tried to smooth her hair down.
“All right, all right,” he glanced at me. “I get it.”
“You’re a prick,” Cat laughed.
“And you’re still my little sister, no matter where you end up working.”
They both grinned at each other, and I started to relax. He wasn’t a threat. I could tell by the way he was looking at her that he’d do anything for his sister.
And I didn’t blame him.
Cat had that effect on me, too. Every time I was with her, all I wanted to do was make sure she was safe and happy. Then, without fail, I would try to convince myself not to. Whenever I felt this flood of affection for Cat, I thought about my mission and reminded myself of what happened last time I felt like this. It was a complete headfuck.
But everything about Cat, so far, inspired confidence. It pointed toward her being close to her family, good at her job, and the unfortunate victim of an environmental activist.
Nothing to do with Russians.
I couldn’t explain the guy following her car, but that could be related to the activist.
I forced myself to relax and Cat stole a glance my way. Her hair was still sticking up in all directions and her eyes gleamed with laughter. She looked at her brother.
“You staying for dinner?”
“Nah, one of the boys is retiring so we’re having a little get-together.”
“A little get-together as in, a three-day bender?” She arched an eyebrow and Mickey chuckled.
“Whatever happens, happens, you know?”
She scoffed, and he sighed.
The Protector: The Complete C.I.A Romance Series Page 23