“You wanted us to be together...”
He nodded, but said, “And I knew that when we crossed that line, things would change.”
She didn’t like the tone of his voice. Too hard. Too rough. “You...you don’t want—”
“I want you too much, that’s the problem.” And he stepped back. Again, putting more distance between them. Did he have any idea how much that hurt her? “I need to keep my head clear. I rushed out of your apartment last night, not thinking. I should’ve checked my surroundings. As soon as the engine sputtered—I should’ve known what was happening. But I was too focused on you.”
“I was just as focused on you,” she whispered back because he’d given her so much pleasure. Her body had been humming. She’d been so attuned to him.
Then, in an instant, everything had changed.
“I can’t afford that weakness, not now.” His words seemed to snap out.
Rachel’s brows lowered. Had he just called her a weakness?
“I’ve got Jack’s attention. Obviously, I’ve got it. And that was the plan all along.”
She didn’t like the direction this little chat was taking.
“So now I move forward.” His tone was that of a commander, not a lover. “And you...you, Rachel, you’re going to have to stay the hell back.”
She actually did stumble back a step then.
“You don’t have a choice,” he continued. She couldn’t read past the mask he wore. “I’m in charge of this mission, and you have to follow the orders I give.”
Pulling rank. Again.
She didn’t even know who he was right then. This sure wasn’t the Dylan she knew. Pain twisted within her. “Yes, sir.” Her own words were cold. This wasn’t the way it should be between them.
She turned from him. So much for clearing the air. Dylan had his own agenda. She took another step then stopped. “Why didn’t you come to see me in the hospital?”
When she’d been hurt a few months back, he’d stayed at her side the entire time. But this time...
“Because I had a mission.”
Her shoulders straightened. That was the response of an agent, but they were supposed to be more than just teammates. Something was changing with Dylan. This single-minded focus that he had. Almost an obsession with catching Jack.
It...scared her.
She’d thought that she knew Dylan. She’d trusted him enough to take him as a lover.
But I thought that I knew Jack, too.
She didn’t look back at him again. She was too worried about what she might see.
Chapter Six
“Jack took the bait,” Mercer said as he leaned back in his chair. A faint smile was on his face. “Obviously.”
Obviously? Dylan stood a few feet from Mercer. He hadn’t bothered to sit down. Rachel and Thomas were both seated, and Noelle stood near the back wall. The better to watch us all. But that was what the profiler did. She watched and she judged everyone else.
“We tapped into the traffic cameras near Rachel’s place. Tried to get an image of Jack from that night.” Merc
er tapped his fingers on the desk. “But Jack was careful. He kept his ball cap on, and he made sure that we only saw his back.”
Figured.
“He’ll make contact again,” Noelle said.