Cassidy stilled. Her lashes rose as she gazed up at him. “Why not? Genevieve is my friend. She isn’t a threat to me.”
Until he could learn more about the attack on her, Cale was viewing everyone as a potential threat. “You were targeted just hours ago. Right now, I’m not willing to risk your safety with anyone. Even your friend.” Actually, he didn’t even want her calling Genevieve back right then. What if the call was tracked? What if—
“Stop it.” Her voice came out low and cold. The ice—that had been the way Cassidy talked to him before. Back in the beginning. When he’d just thought she was a society queen and she’d thought he was an overprotective agent.
Only they were long past that.
Weren’t they? They’d spent a night burning up the sheets. They damn well should have been past it.
“Genevieve is my friend—the oldest friend I’ve got, and I’m calling her back. Something could be wrong. I have to check in with her.” She put the phone to her ear, and, a few seconds later, the call connected. “Genevieve?” A false brightness rang in Cassidy’s voice.
Genevieve might be her friend, or Cassidy might call the other woman that, but it was obvious to Cale that Cassidy wore a mask for the Frenchwoman. She was pretending—and that telling hitch was back in her voice.
Cale wasn’t interested in any false fronts. He wanted the real Cassidy in his bed.
“Genevieve, how are you?” Cassidy asked, still with that too-perfect and happy tone.
He leaned toward her and heard a quick smattering of French in response.
Cassidy laughed. “Yes, I know... I was glad to get out of that hell, too. It was a nightmare.” Her voice roughened a bit as she said, “I’m so glad that you got out of there. I was afraid they’d kill you, Gen.” True emotion was in those words. The real Cassidy, peeking out.
The real Cassidy was a hell of a lot sexier than the fake debutante.
He wanted to touch Cassidy then, but she pulled away, shifting toward the headboard.
He wanted her back.
“I’m sorry we didn’t get to talk more before I left Rio. The—the agents whisked me away.”
His eyes narrowed. Had Genevieve heard that little hitch in Cassidy’s voice?
“Since I’m an American citizen, the rescue team had orders to bring me back to the U.S.” Another laugh, one with a brittle edge. “So, of course, I’m back in—”
Cassidy broke off because Cale had touched her. He had to. The agent in him demanded that he stop her. Cale put his index finger over Cassidy’s soft lips.
She looked up at him, her eyes wide in the faint light.
Cale shook his head.
Her breath whispered out against his finger. Then she gave a little nod.
Slowly, his finger slid away from her mouth.
“Where are you, Gen?” Cassidy’s voice was huskier now. “Are you going back to France?”
A beat of silence.
“The U.S.?” Cassidy repeated, sounding shocked. “You’re in D.C.?”
Cale was already reaching for his phone. If Genevieve was in the city, then the EOD needed to know about that situation. Genevieve had been targeted down in Rio, Cassidy had been targeted...and now someone was after Cassidy once more.
Would the same fate befall Genevieve? If the threat was related to the mess with the Executioner, then, yes. But...
What if Cassidy had been targeted last night because of her link to Mercer?
“Where are you staying?” Now there was fear in Cassidy’s voice. “Yes, yes, I know the hotel. Look, don’t leave the room, okay?” Cassidy’s fears must have mirrored Cale’s. “Why? Because—because there are things happening that you don’t know about, Genevieve. I just need you to trust me on this. I’ve got connections in D.C. People who can keep an eye on you. Just...stay inside for now, okay? Stay there.”
Cassidy kept talking as Cale turned away. In just a few moments, he had Gunner on the line. He’d heard the name of Genevieve’s hotel, and he rattled it off to the agent. “We need a team there, just as a precaution,” Cale added, running a hand over the back of his neck. “Until we can figure out what the hell is happening with that attack—”