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“As much as I don’t want to disrupt ahappyfight for a change, Nathan’s been trying to get your attention. Sit your asses down and give it to him.”

After a few skull smacks and playful shoves, everyone returned to the couches. Charlee righted the chair, climbed back onto Jay’s lap, and handed him his breakfast. Hair mussed and face flushed, he gave her a brilliant smile.

59

Charlee’s earlier anxiety returned as Nathan approached her. Seeing his tense expression and hands on his hips took her back through their years on the run. He was worried.

“We have a spotter at Roy’s penthouse.”

“Another one?” Adrenaline heated her blood, energized her. This was great news. Nathan had been the one and only spy they knew of. Given the manner in which she escaped, it was safe to assume Roy wouldn’t be so trusting with new employees.

A twitch rippled over his jaw. “He works for Henry Munt.”

“The same Henry Munt who funded your undercover assignment?” After losing his family-owned company to Roy, Henry was determined in his revenge. And Nathan fucked that up by blowing his cover when he rescued her.

“Same Henry. His spotter has been embedded within Roy’s ranks since before I was there. I remember him. He’s good. I never suspected he was anything other than one of Roy’s corrupt guards.”

“Why did Henry hire you if he already had a spy in position?”

Nathan shrugged. “To cover his bases. In hopes one of us succeeded.”

Holy hell. That meant the spotter had been working undercover for over three years. She filed through all the possibilities. “He should’ve found a way to collect video footage by now. Of me. Or maybe of some of the behind-the-door conversations of Roy’s dealings.”

Nathan sighed. “Impossible, Charlee. Roy’s business is defense technology and information security. His shit is locked down. Videos feed to unknown locations. All data transmissions are encrypted. And with alerts on his equipment, he knows the moment someone tampers with it.”

Of course. Her excitement fizzled. “Then what has Henry’s spy been doing all this time?”

“Reporting Roy’s activities to Henry, who is waiting for…hell, I don’t know. A slip-up, I guess.” He rubbed his forehead, leaving red streaks from the pressure of his fingers. “Henry contacted me yesterday to tell me about the spotter. Seeing your whereabouts in the news prompted him to loop me in. He doesn’t know you, but he knows about you. He wants to do what he can to keep you safe from Roy.”

As part of Roy’s security team, Henry’s spotter would’ve seen her on the cameras. She swallowed and asked the question she’d feared the answer to since the day she escaped. “Has Henry’s guy reported other women? Other slaves?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose and stared at his shoes. “That was the call I received this morning.” He squatted before her. “Roy picked up a girl on the way home from the airfield last night. First girl he’d brought back to the penthouse since you left. We don’t know who she was.”

Was. The temperature in the room soared. Saliva pooled in her mouth. She remembered the look on Roy’s face when they drove away from her apartment. Returning to San Francisco empty-handed, his fury would’ve known no bounds.

A warm pair of hands gripped hers. Not Nathan’s hands. Jay’s. He was a silent, comforting presence against her back.

Distress radiated from Nathan’s eyes as he looked at her. “He bludgeoned her to death in his stockroom.”

Blood drained from her face and limbs, chilling her. Images of the devices hanging on the stockroom wall flickered through her mind. The aluminum side-handle baton. The old police nightstick. The rattan cane. Charlee had felt the cuts and bruises from all of them. “It should’ve been me.”

“Bullshit.” Jay jumped from the chair, lifting her with him, knocking Nathan out of the way.

Cradled against his chest, she watched the walls blur by. Was he spinning? Or was the room spinning? Nausea bubbled up. “I’m going to be sick.”

More spinning and a trashcan was shoved under her chin. Holding the can, Faye blinked glassy eyes at her.

Too much coddling. Too much protection. She was inconveniencing these people’s lives. And she definitely didn’t deserve their sympathy. She wriggled in the cradle of Jay’s arms. “Put me down.”

He let her legs drop, but didn’t let up on his squeezing embrace around her waist. She gripped the edges of the can and dry-heaved. A few noisy gags and nothing came out.

“You don’t have anything in your fucking stomach.” His voice strummed with anger. “Fine fucking job I’m doing taking care of you.”

She handed the can back to Faye and nodded her thanks. Then she turned to Jay and cupped his jaw. “Don’t do that. You’ve done nothing wrong.”

The muscles beneath her fingers flexed and his attention zeroed in on Nathan. “She’s going with me tonight.”

“No fucking way.”