But her eyes had different ideas. They started to close and she didn’t fight it. She snuggled closer into his side and let the warmth of his body lure her in. “You feel so good.”
“I was just about to say that to you.” He pressed a kiss on her forehead. “Go to sleep.”
She didn’t have the strength to answer him. She thought she groaned, but she didn’t know. Her muscles weighed her down and her bones refused to move. No body part responded to a signal from her brain. She took that as a sign it was time to sleep. After all the death and panic, her body gave in and she drifted.
She could feel him drag the covers over them. Smell his skin. She was just about to fall under when she heard him whisper.
“I can’t fail at this.”
Her eyes popped open, but she didn’t move. Didn’t want him to know she heard the fear. But she had, and now she had to figure out how to fix it.
Chapter Nine
Frank Jay had his orders. He’d gone from living one lie to another. Getting caught pretending to be a SEAL was just the start to his trouble. It led to the news story, then his friends turned on him and the two job offers on the table were rescinded. The interest from the senator who wanted a real-life hero on staff disappeared as fast as it had come.
No one wanted to be seen with him or associated with his name. Anyone who tried got an anonymous email directing them to Wall of Dishonor. The mistake refused to die.
His life had flipped upside down, and he took responsibility for that. That damn website also played a role, but he had created the problem. But what came after wasn’t his fault. He’d apologized and gone to rehab. He’d been through the program and stayed clean. Hadn’t had a drop of liquor in seven months. Seven long months.
Getting swept up in the rest had been an accident.
He thought about that as he sat in the coffee shop. His drink had long turned cold as he turned the file over in his hands. He’d picked it up ten minutes ago as ordered in the set drop location. Protocol demanded he finish the drink, get up and go, but he didn’t. Not today. What else could they do to him?
He opened the fastener on the back of the folder and peeked inside. Photographs and paperwork. The usual. Digging deeper, he saw Makena Kingston’s picture and a police report about a break-in at her house. He dropped the documents back inside, not needing to read more or wanting them to be seen. He’d been tied to enough conspiracies and trouble without adding more.
The bigger issue was what came next. He balanced an elbow on the table and stared blankly out the shop’s window as he tried to reason it all out. He knew what the contents of the folder meant without reading closer. The boss wanted Makena dead.
Whatever she’d said or stumbled over put her on the firing line, and now... Frank shook his head. He liked her. After he’d gotten done hating her, which he had at first. The smug face and the way she’d scolded. But she’d been the first to believe him. She’d given him a second chance. And now she’d call and ask for help. Seek information. He’d give it to her, tying the string tighter. Then she would be gone and whatever secrets she had would get buried with her.
He took out his phone and stared at the screen. He was in countdown mode now. Soon his debt would be paid...but not soon enough to save Makena.
* * *
CAM ARRIVED EARLY the next morning. Too early. He used the alarm codes and buzzed through the layers of protection and walked in.
Makena stood in the kitchen wearing only Shane’s tee. On her it worked like a minidress. Not that it fooled anyone. Shane could tell from Cam’s smile and the knowing look in his eyes that he had figured out exactly what had happened here last night.
Shane cursed his unexpected need to sleep in. He rarely rested for long periods of time. With his history, short bursts of sleep with a hand on the weapon proved to be the answer. Not this morning. She’d wiped him out. The first time, the second... He’d finally fallen into an exhausted dream around three. Before that he couldn’t leave her alone.
Makena unstuck from the floor as her gaze traveled from Cam to Shane and back again. “I should probably...yeah, my clothes.”
“Subtle,” Shane mumbled under his breath, knowing no amount of subterfuge would help now.
“You’re not exactly helping.” She let her gaze drop to his briefs as she walked by.
Wearing only a T-shirt and briefs early in the morning wasn’t odd, but wearing the outfit on a formal bodyguard assignment when Corcoran kept all kinds of gear and clothing there was. “Cam knows when to shut up.”
“Let’s hope so.” She didn’t turn around again as she headed for the bedroom.