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“It’s almost lunchtime.” Cat held up her phone. “What if we just ordered lunch and did a briefing while we ate?”
Diha frowned. “I don’t know…”
“Oh, it’ll be great,” Cat insisted.
Robin leaned closer to Jessica while the others were distracted. “We aren’t done talking about you and Samuel. What the heck, Jess?”
Jessica flopped over on her side, closing the distance. “When we’re alone? I’ve got to talk to you.”
Robin nodded and her features relaxed into an easy smile.
One thing was certain, Jessica needed to talk this out with someone and Robin was her go-to girl.
Chapter Ten
Saturday. Task Force Headquarters, Fairfax, VA
Samuel re-read the email one more time. Despite being looped in through email and calls, he was behind on so much else. Baruti could only help so much because of his ongoing duties supporting the team currently in Europe.
It was frustrating to go from being in the middle of the action to sidelined. He still couldn’t do much, but he was determined to pull his weight. Which was easier said than done considering that at least once every half-hour he had to pause, wonder how Jessica was doing, then convince himself to go back to work.
He’d been doing this for more than eight hours at this point, and he was damn tired of it.
Was she okay? Had she slept well?
She’d kicked him once during the middle of the night. He’d woken to her jerking about in her sleep, clearly distraught. He’d whispered to her and held her tighter. Eventually, she’d calmed back down and he’d fallen asleep, but he hadn’t forgotten waking up to her pained whimpers.
What had she been dreaming about? Was this new? Or something from her past?
He wanted to know all her secrets.
Baruti gripped Samuel’s shoulder suddenly and turned him from the laptop.
“What? What is it?” he asked, his mind going to the worst place possible.
“Stop. Working,” Baruti said, his nose inches from Samuel’s.
He rolled his eyes and shoved the bigger man away from him. “I’m fine.”
“You sure about that?”
Baruti handed his cell phone to Samuel with the texts pulled up from Robin’s phone.
Hey
Srry 2 bother u
I ned 2 talk 2 Sam
Samuel
None of that looked right.
He glanced at the clock on the wall.
A little past six.
Baruti started snickering and turned his back on Samuel.