Catching Holbrook’s warning look in the corner of my eye I turned and trudged over to the nearest bed, my shoulders slumping.
“What the hell was that?” Johnson asked, the deathly calm in his voice belying the rage burning just beneath the surface.
“Harry, give her a break,” Holbrook said, stepping in front of me as if to protect me from his partner’s wrath.
“Shut it, Darius. This is as much your fault as it is hers. If you were able to keep your dick in your pants for more than five seconds, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”
I could tell by the stiffening of Holbrook’s shoulders, and the sudden flush that crept up his neck, that his partner had hit a sore point. Protectiveness flared inside me, washing away my hurt feelings.
“Now hold on a second,” I interrupted, jumping up from the bed to move around in front of Holbrook, doing my own white knight impersonation.
“No. You don’t get to speak, mutt. You will sit down, you will be quiet, and you will not leave this room without my say so. I’ve been ordered to protect your furry ass, and I will do my job no matter how much I would like to see that maniac tear you to pieces.”
Stunned, I sank down to the edge of the bed in silence, unable to do anything but stare wide-eyed at Johnson. He didn’t just dislike me because of my winning personality; he despised me because of what I was. He’d just as soon see me dead, torn apart by Samson, as safely ensconced in FBI headquarters. The chilling realization made me shudder.
Without saying another word, Johnson spun on his heel and stormed out of the room, the resounding thud of the door slamming shut behind him reverberating down my spine. For a long, silent minute, Holbrook and I stared slack-jawed at each other. Finally, licking my lips, I was able to mutter, “Well, that was about as much as fun as being ass raped with a dildo made out of rusty razor blades.”
Chapter 9
CHILLED BY JOHNSON’S outburst, Chrismer’s sudden intrusion, and the realization that Samson had been within touching distance, I hastened to find some clothes. As comforting as it was to be surrounded by the smell of Holbrook embedded in the fibers of his shirt, I needed the reassurance of my own clothes to keep the anxiety at bay.
Dressed in jeans and a thick sweater, I sat on the end of the bed to idly run my fingers through the soft, downy fur behind Loki’s ears. As much as I hoped his answering purr would lend some comfort, it did little to ease the stiffness in my shoulders. The calmness I had garnered from letting the wolf out had dissipated, leaving me tired and cranky.
“So, is Johnson always this much of an asshole?” I asked, looking up at Holbrook where he paced back and forth in front of the muted TV, the screen showing the outside of the motel and Chrismer’s perfect, smiling face. Fantasies of pounding her face into a snow bank danced through my mind, lifting the corners of my mouth into a vicious smile.
“He’s not a bad guy, Riley,” he answered, interrupting my daydreams.
“Could have fooled me.”
Pausing in his restless pacing, Holbrook ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Whatever he had been about to say was cut off by a curt knock on the door. It cracked open just wide enough for an agent bundled up in winter gear to pop his head into the room.
“We’re moving out in ten minutes, Sir.”
Rubbing the back of his neck, Holbrook smiled weakly at the agent. “Thanks Tillman. It’ll be good to get back to Denver.”
“We’re not heading down to Denver. The Eisenhower Tunnel is closed due to the storm. We’re just moving over to Dillon until the roads clear.”
“Great,” Holbrook sighed. “Thanks again, Tillman. We’ll be ready.”
“Why are we moving?” I asked, pondering the sudden change of locale.
“Our location has been compromised. We’re moving to a more secure location and bringing in more agents.”
A lackluster “Oh” was all I could manage to say.
***
It only took me a few minutes to gather up my belongings. Under Holbrook’s watchful eye, I tossed my clothes and toiletries haphazardly into my duffel bag. Coercing Loki back into his carrier was another matter entirely, but I was soon packed and ready to go.