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“Still doesn’t explain why I was kept in the dark.”
Suddenly feeling so weary and sad, she let her shoulders slump. “Kate believed you’d go after Turner with all you had. If you’d done that before you got the evidence you needed, you would have lost.”
Surging to his feet, Ash began to pace around the room. Anger pulsed from him in palpable waves. No one liked to be lied to, no one like to be used. She imagined he felt betrayed and hurt. Causing Asher Drake pain was the last thing she wanted. She had uprooted her whole life for this mission, and it had been a complete and utter failure.
“I really thought I was doing the right thing, Ash. Instead, you’re no closer to getting the intel you need, and Turner won’t hold off much longer. When she learns I didn’t follow her last order, she’ll find someone else to do it.”
He didn’t offer her reassurances or anything remotely encouraging. She didn’t expect anything. She had lost her job with OZ, lost her credibility with the team. Lost the right to give her advice.
And she had lost Ash. There was nothing left for her.
“So what now?”
“Is Turner having you watched?”
“At first, she was. I don’t think she is any longer.”
“Just in case, it’d probably be best if you stay holed up somewhere until we can figure this out.”
“All right.”
“I’ll send a doctor to remove the tracker.”
Her devastation was complete. What she had so strongly objected to only a month or so ago was suddenly something she wanted to hang on to like a security blanket. Having the tracker removed would destroy the last link she had with Ash.
She cleared her throat, determined to sound as strong as possible. “Okay if I stay somewhere else? I’m not a fan of cabins in the woods.”
His recognition of why was almost her undoing. The pity in Ash’s eyes was something she absolutely could not abide.
Throwing her feet to the floor, she waited for him to back away so she could stand.
He seemed to hesitate, as if he wanted to say something else. She hoped he didn’t. She was a hundred degrees past her limit and needed to find someplace to crash. Falling apart in front of Jazz and Gideon had been beyond humiliating. Doing so in front of Ash would be so much worse.
Keeping her gaze focused on the small abstract painting on the wall across from her, she waited him out. Surely he would let her go now. He knew she was no threat to him or to OZ.
It seemed to take an eternity, but he at last stood and stepped back. Willing her legs to hold her, she pushed herself to her feet.
“Your dress…”
She looked down at what had once been a stunning silver-blue gown. It had been the prettiest thing she’d ever worn. When she’d slid into the dress, she had felt like a princess. The material was now ripped in several places and stained with dirt and blood, a perfect complement to how she felt.
She grimaced and tried to rearrange the material to cover a particularly large hole on the left side of the dress. “I’m sorry. I don’t think it can be repaired.”
“It’s not important. Here, it’s cold outside.”
He held his tuxedo jacket out for her, and she gratefully took it and slipped her arms into its luxurious warmth. Even though the jacket swamped her, the comfort of being covered went a long way in making her feel whole again.
“I’ll have Gideon take you to a hotel.”
“Thank you.”
She didn’t bother to protest that Gideon would be her ride. Getting out of here was her number one priority. If she had to ride with the devil himself to get out of here, she would.
She didn’t look at Ash again. She couldn’t. Escaping was her only focus. She got to the door, but stopped when he said, “Was everything a lie?”
“No, not everything,” she whispered. Her lips formed the words that her love wasn’t a lie, but she couldn’t bring herself to say them. He wouldn’t want to hear them.
“Why you?”