Taste Me Deadly (Sensory Ops) (17 page)

“Liam.”

“I want you, Grey.” He pressed another kiss to her lips, but didn’t linger. “As much as I want you safe I want to know where we could take this thing between us.”

“So you would follow me?”

“Yes.”

“I’d feel bad for taking you away from your family.”

“You’re my family too.”
And I love you.

The words wanted to tumble free. He wanted her to be ready to hear them, but his wants weren’t the important ones. Only Grey’s mattered.

“It can’t be that simple for you.”

He shrugged. “It can, but right now you should focus on Ruby.” He kissed her once more. “You’ve waited long enough for this.”

Chapter Fourteen

Liam hadn’t immediately said he would go with her into WitSec, but he’d said he would. His reason had been scarier than the agreement.

You’re my family too.

Thinking too much about his answer, when an offer hadn’t officially been made by the U.S. Marshals, was a waste of energy, so Grey turned her attention to their mission of the moment. “What’s the next part of your plan? I’m guessing you’re trying to get me unseen into Ruby’s room. Tell me what to do.”

“You make keeping you safe easy, Grey.”

“Only because I’m getting my way.”

“I think you’re just glad for a break from hiding everything.” He tilted his head sideways while shrugging with his eyebrows. “But I’ll take what I can get.”

He leaned across her, as he had every time they’d exited a car together, and opened her door. When they met at the hood, he placed a hand on her back and guided her toward the door.

“We’re going in through the professional building since Jessup or his people will most likely expect to see you come in through one of the main entrances. When we pass people, you’ll feel like you need to duck your head and hide your face.”

That had been exactly how she’d felt every time they’d entered the hospital. “If they can’t see my face they can’t identify me.”

“True. But hiding your face can actually draw more attention, and if you’re looking away you can’t identify them. If you can look people in the eye you’ll be able to convince them you’re not afraid.”

“And if I am?”

“Then you fake the bravery until it’s no longer necessary.”

She glanced up at Liam. He was looking directly into her eyes, and it occurred to her that he was always looking up and directly at people. The warmth in his gaze had always pulled her in and had her trying to figure out what he was thinking. It had never occurred to her to avoid his gaze, just as it had never occurred to her that looking directly at people was likely something he’d learned rather than something he did naturally.

Or was it? Maybe it was something some people were just better at than others.

She’d looked down and away when she’d shared the elevator with Jessup’s man. Thinking back, she’d looked down and away when Jessup had found her in the storage room. In fact, she’d never looked him in the eyes.

“You can do this, Grey.”

Liam opened the door that led into the professional building. Meeting his gaze was easy, but she was suddenly aware of her discomfort with meeting peoples’ gazes. A wig and fake scar didn’t really help. “I think I’d rather be in hiding.”

“Listen.” Liam pulled her to a stop. “There’s every chance Micah will show up pretty quick to offer you protection.”

“So you’ve said.”

“And I’ll go with you if you want.”

She smiled, but didn’t feel happy about it.

“Can I offer you an alternative?”

Please.
She nodded.

“Stay here. Trust my team, trust me, to keep you and Ruby safe. We’ll get the operation done as soon as they clear you, and then we’ll move you both to my house as soon as possible.”

“There’s a hospital stay of up to seven days after a kidney surgery.”

“I know. We’ll get registered nurses to stay at the house to help you both. You will be safe with us. With me.”

“Not that I mind the idea of not being in a hospital, but wouldn’t it be easier for you to catch Jessup if Ruby and I are here?”

“There’s nothing easy about you being in danger.” He took her hand in his big one, linked her fingers with his long ones and led her downstairs. “Besides, at home we have better control over the people in and out of your rooms.”

“You seem confident this is all going to work out.” His outlook was appealing and something she normally would have led with. “I would’ve pegged you for a glass half empty kind of guy.”

“And I had you pegged as a glass half full gal.” He opened the stairwell door, scanning the area before he opened it wide enough for her to pass. He was on high alert as they walked purposefully through the lobby.

“I used to be.” Grey worked at keeping her chin up and meeting the eyes of anyone she saw looking at her.

“You still are. This just matters more than anything else.”

Grey thought about
this
and all the ways he could mean it as they turned down a hall that led through the back of the hospital. They were well away from the main entrance as he opened another stairwell door.

He never hesitated to read a sign, but instead moved like he knew exactly where he was going and belonged everywhere. “When did you study the layout of this place, Liam?”

“When I was watching Ruby sleep and waiting for you to arrive.”

“Did you know then we’d need these back paths?”

He shrugged. “It’s never bad to be prepared. And Tyler makes it easy for us.”

At the door to the third floor, he held up a finger for her to wait. She stepped away from the door, pressed her back to the wall. He opened the door and looked up and down the hall. He muttered a curse, but offered a hand.

Whatever he’d seen it wasn’t something to hide her from. When she cleared the door, she understood. Marshal Micah Carpenter stood a few doors down talking to two suited men.

Micah looked up and his gaze bored directly into Grey as if the large man at her side was invisible. Or didn’t exist. Knowing Micah, he’d prefer the non-existence angle.

“Greycen.” Micah’s tone was brusque as he cut through the two men he’d been talking to and headed her way. He moved like he spoke, always focused on the target. In five years she’d never seen him laugh or even smile a smile that reached his eyes. And though she’d trusted him, she’d never really liked him.

“Micah.”

“You haven’t checked in. We need to talk.” He reached for her elbow, something else she noticed he always did. He never gave her the chance to argue.

“No.” She shifted her shoulder back, pulling just out of his reach. “I need to see Ruby.”

“Your sister is fine. She’s going to be entering the program.”

Grey lifted her eyebrows and, taking Liam’s advice, met Micah’s gaze directly. “Has she signed your contracts?”

He narrowed his eyes, a move more telling than his head shake. He hadn’t won yet. Stepping around him, empowered by Liam’s presence, she moved toward Ruby’s room. “You can’t go in there,” Micah said.

Grey turned. Liam stepped in front of her and stopped Micah. “Neither Grey nor Ruby are your jurisdiction, but they are under my protection. You’re going to want to back off.”

“It’s only a matter of time, Agent Burgess, before you lose her again.”

Liam vibrated. Visibly. Grey rested her hand on his back and left it there as she stepped up to stand beside him. “What are you saying, Micah?”

He looked stunned, but recovered quickly. “Karl Jessup is dangerous.”

“So are you, Liam and his team. I’m safe.”

The only time she’d disagreed or argued with Micah had been when she left Vegas to see Ruby. She’d done that over the phone, because she’d known she would bow to the force of his convictions if she faced him. She’d learned something since leaving, though, mainly from Kami and Lori. Life could kick her teeth down her throat, but she could get through it with the right support system.

“Liam and I are going in to see Ruby. I’ll let you know if I want to discuss an offer of protection.”

Micah pointed at Liam, but didn’t look away from Grey. “Did he tell you about Jessup?”

“That he’s escaped? Yes. That he’s gunning for me?” Her fingers went to the scratches on her face. “I’m well aware.”

“His hired gun is in this hospital, and there’s likely more than one.”

“His hired gun, as you call the guy, is in a hospital bed under guard.” She rested a hand on Liam’s arm and smiled. “Mine isn’t.”

She said nothing else as she turned and closed the distance to Ruby’s room. Like Micah had cut through the two men standing nearby, so did she. The whole way, Liam was silent at her back.

Grey had waited long enough to see her sister again. Despite the worry about the tension between them when she left, she pushed the room door open and went in without delay.

The head of Ruby’s bed had been raised so she was sitting up. Simon sat on the edge of the narrow mattress, saying something that had Ruby smiling. He stopped when she turned her head on the pillow and looked at Grey. Her smile wobbled but then widened.

A welcome rain after a draught, tears fell from Grey’s eyes as she crossed the room in a rush. Simon stood and backed away. Grey, careful not to bump a bruise or cast, wrapped her arms around her sister and hugged her.

Ruby’s good arm came around her and squeezed her close. They didn’t speak. There was a lot to be said, but for the moment words were less important than the confirmation of their connection.

Two years older, Ruby had been seventeen when their parents had walked away. She’d been awarded emancipation and then had fought for custody of Grey. Every meal had been a struggle, but they’d had each other. When Grey hit rock bottom, unable to cope, Ruby had been there. When she sank a second time, Ruby had still been there.

“I’m sorry, Ruby. I’m sorry about everything.” She’d left thinking she was protecting Ruby for a change. She’d thought wrong. “I was screwed up, but I shouldn’t have left.”

“It’s okay.” Ruby brushed her hand down the length of Grey’s hair, the wig, the way she had so many times before. “I’m pretty well caught up. You did the right thing when you left, which makes me prouder than you can know, but I’m glad you’re back.”

Grey eased back and took Ruby’s uninjured hand in hers. “They want to take me back into WitSec.”

“I know. They offered me protection.”

Grey looked behind her to where Liam and Simon leaned against the wall. Both men had their arms crossed as they watched her and Ruby in silence. Grey considered asking them to leave her and Ruby alone. She was pretty sure Liam would honor her request, but then she met his gaze.

He would leave the room and let her talk to Ruby privately. He’d do anything she asked. Knowing that, she needed no other reason to trust him. She’d called him her hired gun, but he was so much more.

Certain she was making the right decision, Grey turned back to Ruby. “You may have noticed you’ve been sleeping with round-the-clock guard dogs.”

“And an apparent fiancé.” Ruby looked past her and smiled at Simon. “Yeah.”

“If it’s okay with you,” Grey spoke to Ruby, but she turned and met Liam’s gaze, “I’d like to leave things in their hands.”

Liam’s mouth lifted into one of his rare smiles. He tilted his head with the tiniest acknowledgement. They were nowhere close to having things settled between them, but with him and Simon—Ruby’s undercover fiancé it seemed—and everyone else at her back she only needed the U.S. Marshals to track Jessup.

Ruby nodded toward Liam and asked, “You trust him?”

“I do. So, if you’re okay with keeping your own identity and life, I say we reject Marshal Carpenter’s offer.” Grey’s answer was automatic and without a shred of doubt. She’d trusted Micah to keep her safe, but her loyalty ended there. With Liam… Given enough time she could trust him with everything.

Liam uncrossed his arms and stepped forward. He didn’t cross all the way to her, though, and his eyes held an uncertainty she wouldn’t have thought him capable of. “Are you sure, Grey?”

“If Ruby’s on board, yes.”

“I’ve been asleep the entire time they’ve been in my life,” Ruby said. “If you trust them I see no reason I shouldn’t.”

More tears burned Grey's eyes. Ruby’s easy acceptance and faith was more than she deserved. She would do everything to make sure it was the right choice. “Then we’re staying.”

Liam sighed an exhalation that carried the cloud of doubt from his eyes. He’d been willing to give up his life, but was clearly relieved it wouldn’t come to that. Having spent the last five years without her sister, Grey knew exactly what misery he was avoiding. Glad she could do something for him for a change, she smiled. Maybe it would help make up for walking out on him.

A knock on the door broke off any more conversation. Simon checked it and when he opened it all the way it was to admit Dr. Keiths. Silver hair and wrinkly eyes were the main signs of age. The doctor was tall and fit and carried himself with the confidence of a successful surgeon.

“Ms. Donovan.” He smiled at Ruby. “It’s great to see you awake.” He turned his smile on Grey. It was more of a practiced smile than a genuine one, but she’d seen worse when she’d met with him for the donor screening appointments. “Grey?” The doctor hesitated only briefly over her new look. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”