The Midnight Hour - Brenda Jackson [61]
"Yes."
"Hold on." Drake passed the phone to Tori. "It's Hawk and he wants to talk to you. And thanks to Hawk, that car following us is the Feds and they're clean."
Tori nodded and placed the phone to her ear. "Yes, Hawk?"
"I didn't mention this to Drake but we found a definite connection between Rangel and Solomon Cross. You may have to accept the fact that he's discovered your true identity, Tori, and that's the reason he's after you. Time has run out."
Tori released a deep sigh. She had accepted that possibility long ago. She glanced away from Drake to look out the window as he turned the car around to head back for the interstate. "What are you suggesting?"
"That you tell Drake the truth."
"No!"
The word had been quick from her lips. She knew Drake's attention had been drawn to her. "That's not an option right now, Hawk."
"Then make it one. Drake has to be told. He needs to know what's going down and why. He needs all the facts, Tori. That's the only way he can protect himself as well as you."
Tori shook her head. The thought of telling Drake her true identity wasn't something she wanted to think about. "I can't. Not now."
"You don't have a choice, Tori."
She breathed in deeply. "We'll talk again later." She then quickly ended the call.
"What was that about?"
Tori turned to see Drake staring at her. If only you knew. "It was nothing," she said, returning her attention to the traffic.
Drake's hand tightened on the steering wheel. "You're holding something back, Tori, and I don't like playing games."
Tori sighed deeply. She didn't like playing games either but there was no way she could level with him right now. But then Hawk was right. If Rangel was connected to Cross, then time had run out and Drake needed to know the truth as to why Cross had reappeared in both of their lives.
"Tori?"
She met Drake's eyes and said, "I don't like playing games either, Drake. But there are some things in my past that I'm not ready to share with you just yet." She nervously licked her lips. "Things only Hawk knows."
Drake nodded. "Does it have any bearing on what's going down here?" he asked, sighing heavily.
She shrugged. "It might, but until I know for sure, I prefer not saying anything."
Drake was silent. Had she been involved in some high-classified secret mission that may have involved Cross at one time, although she'd claimed that she hadn't? He could understand why she might feel duty-bound to keep her lips sealed, but if it would give him the edge in keeping them both alive, he wanted to hear it and told her as much.
Tori heard Drake's words and knew both he and Hawk were right. But how on earth could she tell the man she loved and who had once loved her with a passion that the Woman he thought had died, the same one he had mourned for the last five years, was alive and well and had a new identity? She shuddered when she thought of what his reaction might be.
She hiked up her chin and met his gaze. "You're going to have to trust me on this, Drake. I'll tell you everything when I feel I should and not a moment before."
Drake saw the worry lines darken between her brow and around her eyes. Whatever it was that she was holding back was eating at her, so he decided to pull back for now, but he intended to bring it up again later.
"When we get to the hotel in Phoenix, it will be best if we share a room," he said, glancing over at her again.
Tori frowned. She knew that was practical and that she would be safer but the thought of sharing a room with Drake for the night didn't sit well with her. Just being this close to him was wreaking havoc on her nerves.
"You don't have a problem sharing a room with me, do you, Tori?"
She swallowed, thinking, If only he knew. Already her body was tingling at the idea of one bed and two bodies One bed and their two naked bodies. Of course they woul request a room with two beds. That was the only way s* would survive the night.