“It’s no’ a good feeling, is it?”
The way he said it, the fury-laced words and bone-deep resentment told her that something similar had been done to him. “The feeling is enough to change someone forever,” she said and watched him closely.
“More than you know,” he murmured before he took a deep breath. “What else can you tell me about what MI5 knew concerning Dreagan?”
At that moment, Rhys returned, smiling. “I got you some clothes. Cassie pointed out that you might not want anything too constricting near your injury, so she gave me some of these.”
Denae watched as Rhys held up a pair of black yoga pants. “Those will do nicely. Thank you, Rhys.”
“My pleasure.” He handed her the clothes with a wink.
She laughed at his flirting, because she knew it was harmless. Rhys was one of those guys who would flirt with any woman up to the time he found one who captured his heart—if he ever allowed that to happen.
At Kellan’s odd look, Denae slowly made her way into the bathroom to change. She was elated to find a cami that had a built-in bra. Denae stripped out of her bottoms first.
Whoever had undressed her had removed her wetsuit and bathing suit she’d worn beneath, and then put her in a pair of bright pink cotton panties.
Denae turned on the sink faucets and grabbed a washcloth. She might not be able to get her stitches wet in the shower, but she was going to bathe.
“Need some help?” Rhys asked her through the door.
“Bugger off,” Kellan said. “We were talking.”
Their words became muted, and even when she turned off the water she still couldn’t hear them. A moment later she heard Rhys leave the room.
Denae found the soap and began to bathe as best she could. “This place holds many secrets,” she said, raising her voice so Kellan could hear her.
“Every place holds secrets.”
She thought of the beach house her family owned, of that terrible day years ago, and knew he was right. “Will Con really let me go? Or will he turn me over to MI5?”
“MI5 came after us,” Kellan said, his voice hard and unforgiving. “As long as you hold up your end of the bargain, we’ll keep ours.”
“There’s a catch,” she said as she dried off and began to dress. When she was finished, she opened the bathroom door to find Kellan sitting in his usual chair. “There’s always a catch.”
“And what do you think the catch is this time?”
“I don’t know yet. There is something about Dreagan I can’t put my finger on. It’s a beautiful place with secrets, although, as you pointed out, there are many of those. There is still something different about this place. And you.”
Kellan ran a hand through his long hair and shrugged. “We make whisky and raise sheep and cattle. No’ anything to worry MI5 about.”
“You were in the cave.” The realization hit her out of the blue. How could she have forgotten that he’d said she was in his cave?
One caramel eyebrow lifted. “I’ve said it was my cave.”
“But you were in it. How else would you know I was there?”
“It was luck that had me walking those caves and finding you. That is all.”
Denae sank onto the chair near the bed and pulled her hair over one shoulder to braid it. She had thought another piece of the puzzle had been found, but Kellan had a believable answer to every question or statement she had.
“What would happen if both you and Matt had died and I hadna found you?”
“I suppose MI5 would have sent another team in, but more likely several teams. They would’ve guessed that whatever we’d been sent here to find had killed us.”
“So you admit to being sent to find something?” he pressed.
Denae rolled her eyes as she finished her braid and tied it off. “For the third time, yes. I don’t know what it was however.”
“Did you no’ have communication with MI5?”
“No. We were going in blind. MI5 didn’t want anything traced back to them.”
Kellan gave her a sardonic look. “And two agents wouldna lead us back to them?”
“We had nothing on us to suggest we worked for MI5. We could have been anyone. The only reason you know who we worked for is because I told you. MI5 has spies everywhere. You might think you’re keeping me hidden, but I can guarantee they know I’m alive.”
He sat forward, his gaze fixed, direct. “And we’ve guaranteed your safety as long as you cooperate.”
“Which is what I’m doing,” she said, exasperated. It was hard to stay irked when Denae didn’t know if Kellan’s anger was directed at her or something else.
He made sure to keep his distance from her. If she got too close, he would move away. It was subtle, but obvious.
“You said MI5 had a file on Dreagan,” Kellan said, putting the conversation back on track. “What was in it?”
“Next to nothing. There were maybe twenty pages, tops.”