No One to Trust - Iris Johansen [51]
“Why?”
“Because I—It does.”
“Clear.” He chuckled. “Could it be you’re beginning to care a bit for me? Yes, that must be it.”
“Why would I care anything about an asshole like you?”
“Well, it might be because you sense that I’m willing to throw my heart out on the ground and let you trample on it.”
“Stop joking.”
“Who’s joking?” He brushed her temple with a kiss. “It’s a surprise to me too, but I find I’m bloody helpless around you. I feel like a mooning kid again. But don’t let it worry you. I’m a very patient bloke and I know you have a few problems to work out.”
“Don’t let it worry me? How generous of you. But you tell me that—”
“I thought you should know. I don’t know where it’s going to go or how far it’s going to take us, but I don’t believe in holding things back.”
“Particularly when you want to run out and get yourself killed.”
“That wasn’t my intention. I’m not into last hurrahs. I was merely—”
“I don’t want to talk anymore.” Her arms tightened around him. “And I’m tired of cuddling.”
“Sex? Glad to oblige.” He rolled her over. “Even when it’s a form of escape, sex is good.” He smiled down at her. “But I have to warn you, there’s going to come a time when I’m going to call it something else.”
He was asleep.
Elena carefully moved Galen’s arm from around her shoulders and slipped out of bed.
She paused a moment, gazing down at him. He was sprawled on his side, and yet he still possessed that catlike grace even in sleep. Most people appeared defenseless when sleeping, but Galen didn’t. He looked as if he was only resting, waiting for the opening bell so he could spring up and once again enter the fray.
Stop looking at him. Get out of here. Tonight he had confused and frightened her. She had been so absorbed in pleasure that she hadn’t thought of anything beyond sex; she didn’t believe Galen had either.
Or, if he had, she supposed he was thinking about “solving her problem.” Maybe whatever Galen felt for her was impossible to separate from the effort he’d put into helping her. In six months he’d probably be involved in another project and forget she existed.
And what about how she felt about him? She instantly shied away from that thought. She wouldn’t allow herself to feel this softness whenever she was around him. She had Barry and Dominic, and they were more than enough hostages to fortune. She was weakening too much already. If she hadn’t been weak, she would have let him go after Chavez. No one was more important than Barry, and it made no difference who killed Chavez.
But she hadn’t been able to let Galen go on the hunt.
Which meant it was getting close to the time she must go on the hunt herself.
“Your helicopter pilot, Carmichael, is dead,” Manero said. “And it wasn’t easy. If he knew anything you didn’t want Chavez to know, then you’d better regroup.”
“He didn’t,” Galen said. “Chavez was bound to have found out it was me who snatched Elena and Barry. When did it happen?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe four weeks. He was in Rio before he disappeared. They just found the body in a village outside the city.”
Four weeks. Then Chavez had definitely had time to get a massive search under way for Galen. He’d hoped for more notice. “Chavez is still in Colombia?”
“Sitting like a fat cat on the top of his hill. I told you I’d let you know when he made a move.”
“Okay, okay.” He had thought about this eventuality and it was time to run a check. “There are a few people who could tell him where I might be located. John Logan, Sam Destin, and Paul Russell. I need to know where they are and if they’re having any problems. Tell them about Chavez. Warn Destin and Russell they’d better go underground for a while. Logan can take care of himself. They probably won’t touch him.”
“I usually don’t work outside South America. A man has to have his specialty.”
“But you have contacts everywhere. I don’t have time to get anyone else. I’ll pay double.”
“Why didn’t you contact Destin and Russell before?”
“With enough money, even honest men can