“So I’m doing nothing? Is that it?” Erin glared at Melody then Grant.
“You’re doing something.” Melody stood and took a few steps until her knees bumped against the cushions separating the two women. “All we want to do at this point is handle this correctly so that you are safe, and we do our job. It’s a delicate balance.”
“What are you doing, then?”
“Our home office has the link. They’ve made the identifications and will reach out tomorrow through the proper channels to report Mark and what we know.” Melody bit her lip.
Riley knew what she wasn’t saying.
They didn’t know if Mark’s company, his off the books arm, did jobs for the government or someone else. By doing the right thing and handling this through the correct channels, they could be inviting problems for Erin and themselves. Erin could become more of a target and Aegis Group could find themselves on the wrong side of some influential people. Not everyone cared about the costs to getting the job done.
“This is bullshit.” Erin turned and stalked down a hallway, leading away from the main part of the house.
“Erin...” Melody stared after her.
Riley grimaced and watched Erin duck into a room at random.
“I should talk to her,” Melody said.
“Let me?” Riley knew Erin better. He understood the guilt driving her to do something. Melody could never get that.
He strode down the hall to the closed door.
“Erin?” He tapped on the door. “You aren’t trying to run away again, are you?”
He tried the handle and found it was unlocked. He pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Erin sat on a padded bench at the foot of the queen-sized bed, bent forward with her face in her hands. He shut the door behind him and crossed the room to sit next to her. The shit she’d been through this last week was the kind of stuff no one should have to deal with, and yet she’d taken it all in stride. It spoke to the strength of her character and her resolve to see this through till the end. She was more concerned about others than her own safety. He admired that about her even if he would like nothing better than to lock her in a closet for her own good.
“I get that this is frustrating, but we’re trying to protect you and take care of Mark. It’s not simple,” he said.
“Don’t you think I know that?” Erin pushed her hand through her hair and sat up slowly.
“Then what are you mad about?”
“Everything?” She blew out a breath. “I should have gone through his stuff sooner. I should have found the link. I should have done something sooner.”
“You had no idea. You couldn’t have done two jobs at once, anyway.”
“It shouldn’t have stopped with him. Someone should have been told. We should have taken care of this.”
“What did you tell me? I can’t shoulder the blame for everything? Erin, you’re taking on too much responsibility. The way I remember it, when you found out about Mark’s team doing shady shit, you called them on it and got them fired.” In his book that was some pretty stand up stuff.
“I just did the right thing.”
“Not everyone does that. I bet when Allied got let go they had a lot of fires to put out and you weren’t on their radar but now that you are, it’s personal with them. Which is all the more reason to be ultra careful. We aren’t trying to hide this. We’re just trying to make sure the good guys stay alive.”
“I hate not knowing what’s going on.”
“You’ve got a bit of a control freak in there, don’t you?”
“You’re just now noticing?” She chuckled.
“I only know one way to rein in your control freak.” He reached over and tugged on a lock of her hair.
“Don’t.” One side of her mouth screwed up, betraying her words.
“We’re going to do the right thing. We’re all on the same side here.” He wound her hair around his finger, not pulling, but he could. “NexGen hired us to bring you home safe, and we’re committed to that. Even if that means protecting you from them. We don’t know if they’re involved yet. Okay?”
She nodded and leaned against his shoulder. He slid his arm around her waist, some of the tightness easing in his own chest.
“Any word from your brother?” she asked.
“Which one?”
“The one who was hurt? Matt?”
“I’m taking no news as good news right now. Casey did text me back. He’s got something tonight, but he’s going to try to meet up with us tomorrow afternoon.” If everything worked out that would mean he’d meet up with Casey once the protection detail job was over.
“Will I get to meet him?”
“Do you want to?”
“It might be useful to know a local cop.”
“He’s not exactly local, but if you’re going to be here even for a few days I’d like to know someone can look in on you every now and then.”
“Careful, I might start to think you care about what happens to me.” She poked his ribs.
“I care.” And that didn’t make him panic. It was new, weird and oddly appealing.
Erin lifted her head off his shoulder and peered up at him as though she didn’t quite believe him. He didn’t know how or why, but this was different. He cared about her. He felt things that made him want to run, but not as much as he wanted to stick with her. It was a change. One that didn’t leave him second guessing himself. It was like he looked at her and knew this was his destination.
“Yo.” Nolan knocked on the door. “You want to make a room service order?”
Riley grit his teeth and resisted the urge to tell Nolan to fuck off.
“You want to go out there?” Riley nodded at the door.
“Not really. If I do, I’m going to want to dig.” Erin pushed to her feet.
“Okay, then how about I make us both a plate and we eat in here.” He nodded at
