Yardley pinned him with a stare that made even marines follow her orders. “Tell me what’s going on, David.”
He seemed surprised by the hardness in her tone, which made her regret it. She should be worrying about him. She touched his face. “You’re hurt. I need to know how to help you.”
He closed his eyes and turned his face into her caress, his stubble tickling her palm. “It’s nothing. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.” His voice had begun to get sketchy again, as if breathing was a chore. He frowned suddenly. “What happened to your face? Jesus! Have they already been here looking for me?”
He began to sit up but she stopped him with a hand on his chest. “No, David. I’m fine. But you’re not. Let’s talk about you. Who’s looking for you?”
“That’s not important. Now.”
Not happy with his answer, Yardley glanced again at Oleg, who had stood up but made no move or sound. “Could you have been followed?”
“No. I made certain of it.”
When she looked back at him David smiled at her, and a familiar tide of longing rolled through her. But she’d spent her life around men and women who knew how to prioritize needs over feelings. “How can you be sure of that?”
He grimaced, definitely in pain. “I just know. Like I know there’s a man here with you. Who is he?”
Yardley’s turn to be surprised. “His name’s Kye McGarren.” She felt herself blush as she mentioned Kye.
David didn’t relent. “Is he responsible for what happened to your face?”
“No. He actually— I don’t want to talk about a few bruises. I want to talk about you. I thought something had happened to you.” Her gaze strayed again to his bandaged arm.
“I’ll tell you everything. But first.” He scooped a hand behind her head and brought her head down to his.
At the touch of his mouth heat shook through her. His mouth was hungry and hard, as if he were imprinting her with his taste and touch. Or reminding her why he was here.
Familiar passion surged through her. After all, they’d been together for more than a year. It was a good kiss. It was what she’d been waiting for, everything she expected. What she’d been hoping to recapture, needed desperately to make things whole again. This was it. The real deal. But it felt strange, all the same.
Something had changed. She had changed.
His eyes were heavy as he gazed at her, blue eyes now sharp and bright with desire. “God, I’ve been waiting to do that for three months.”
“Me, too.” The words came automatically but felt false on her lips. She hoped he wouldn’t notice. Because it was no longer true.
She was good at many things but she wasn’t a good liar. Even that much had her conscience squirming as she pulled back from him. Because somewhere in the middle of that kiss, Kye’s face had slid into view behind her closed lids.
Confused and more than a little off kilter, she shifted her gaze to the blood on his jacket and winced. There were more important considerations than her feelings at the moment. “You’re bleeding! What can I do to help?”
“I need to know a few things first.”
He was watching her intently, as if looking for a tell if she’d lie. This was a new side of him, but one she suspected was necessary in the world in which he worked. “Has anyone been asking about me?”
He wouldn’t be put off this time. “Yes. An FBI agent and a DEA agent were here yesterday asking questions about you. But that’s because I called them first. Weeks ago,” she added when his eyes widened. “You were missing and I was worried.”
His eyes narrowed until his blue irises looked like chips of ice. “What did you tell them?”
“The truth. That I hadn’t heard from you in three months.”
“What did they tell you?”
“Nothing, at first. And then about a week ago I got a call saying they had learned that you had applied for a visa to leave the country permanently. Is that true?”
“No. It was a cover.”
“For what?”
When he didn’t answer immediately, Yardley glanced down at the makeshift bandage around his right biceps again. It was oozing, which meant the wound was still bleeding. She glanced back to catch his expression as she voiced her worst fear. “Did someone in law enforcement do this?”
His brows rose. “Are you hoping your guy’s turned romantic outlaw?”
“Don’t joke, David. This is serious.”
“You’re right.” He touched her face very gently with his left hand, rubbing his thumb lightly across her lower lip. “Those bruises are less than a day old. Are you certain you’re okay?”
She grabbed his hand to still it. “I’m not a fragile flower who has to be distracted from reality, David. Tell me what the hell is going on.”
“I was just about to ask the same question.”
Both she and David turned toward the doorway at the sound of Kye’s voice.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“Kye. I’m glad you’re here.” Yardley scooted off the bed but the man on it refused to release her hand. “We need your help.”
“Who’s we?”