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Anger flared within Dolly, her cheeks burning with indignation. “You knew, and you didn’t say anything?”

Nash sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked away. “I was waiting for you to tell me. I didn’t want to pressure you or make you feel like you couldn’t trust me with your secrets.”

Her anger waned, replaced by a heavy sense of unease. “Do you believe me, Nash? That I never actually slept with anyone for money?” The words tasted bitter on her tongue, the admission of her past still feeling foreign and raw.

“I do,” he said.

Dolly looked away, struggling to process the sincerity in his voice. Could she really trust him? Did he truly believe her, or washe just saying what he thought she needed to hear? She wanted desperately to believe him, to let his faith in her wash away the lingering shame and doubt that had plagued her for so long.

“Thank you,” she whispered, not daring to meet his eyes. The words felt hollow, but they were all she had, a feeble attempt at acknowledging the depth of her gratitude and his unwavering support.

Miles returned, his stern expression softening as he addressed Dolly. “The bureau won’t be pressing charges, provided you no longer interfere in the investigation. You’re free to go,” he said, handing back her phone.

Relief washed over her, but it did little to ease the tension that coiled in her gut.

“I appreciate that,” she said, unable to keep the tremor from her voice.

Nash shot her a reassuring look before turning back to Miles. As they stood up, Miles gestured toward Nash. “A quick word in private?”

“I’ll wait for you by your truck, Nash,” Dolly said, trying to sound casual despite her wavering nerves. “You can give me a ride to work. I’m late.”

As she walked out of the trailer, she caught sight of Debbi, looking miserable, in a meeting with another agent. Her mind raced with possibilities, and she wondered if they were getting closer to uncovering information on Blevins’s offshore account.

Waiting outside, Dolly leaned against Nash’s truck, feeling the warmth of the sun on her skin.

She glanced back at the trailer, curiosity gnawing at her insides. The arid breeze did little to lift the unease still churning within her. It wasn’t every day a girl got grilled by the FBI as a suspect and lived to tell about it. What were Nash and Miles discussing? Was it about her, or something else related to the investigation?

“Ready to go?” Nash’s voice startled her out of her reverie as he approached the truck.

“Y-yeah,” she stuttered, trying to shake off her uncertainty. “Let’s go.”

As they drove away from the makeshift FBI headquarters, Dolly stole glances at Nash. His jaw was set, his eyes focused on the road ahead. Was he really okay with her past? She could prove it to him. She could call up Jefferson Laker and ask him to talk with Nash. It would be horribly unprofessional and a potential career-ending move, but if Nash had any doubts about her character, it would be worth it.

Chapter Nineteen

Nash

Nash wasn’t surehow to address the elephant in the room—or rather the strained silence between them in his truck. He pulled into her apartment complex.

“I need to go to work,” Dolly said.

“I told Shelby you were taking the day off.”

“You had no right,” Dolly began, but then trailed off. “Is she going to fire me?”

“What? No.”

“But the morality clause…”

“She doesn’t give a shit about that. The morality clause is there for people who try to do illegal things in the rodeo’s name. Like our buddy Jackson Blevins. Can I come up?”

“Yeah,” Dolly said and got out of the truck. Once they were in the apartment, Dolly said, “Can I get you anything?”

“Just this.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. After a surprised moment, she hugged him tight and kissed him back. He would have loved to take this further, but he still had to tell her about Dr. Lance’s statement, which was now being reviewed by the UPRC board. It was only a matter of time before his own morality clause bit him on the ass and he was ousted, leaving Shelby as the sole CEO.

Reluctantly, he broke off the kiss.

“So I didn’t ruin things?” she asked.