Page 19 of Girl Betrayed

Right now, Claire needed her.

Dana checked on her protégé one last time before retreating to her bedroom. The girl was still sitting on the sofa, looking impossibly small under the large chenille blanket, but at least her eyes were closed. She finally looked comfortable, her head slumped to the side against the rich leather.

Macabre images danced in the recesses of Dana’s mind. She’d seen too many corpses posed the very same way. Thesteady rise and fall of Claire’s chest was the only thing that chased Dana’s dark thoughts away—for now.

She knew they would return. They always did. Relentlessly haunting her dreams.

14

Jake wokelike he always did, bolting upright at the slightest unusual sound. This morning it was the creaking of an unfamiliar door. He reached for his gun on the nightstand before his feet even hit the floor, but Dana’s shocked expression sobered him, reminding him where he was.

“Sorry,” he muttered, setting the weapon down and wiping the sleep from his face. “Force of habit.”

“I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“You didn’t. This is the Army’s doing,” Jake said, standing to stretch his back. With hands over his head, he twisted from side to side letting his spine pop, crack, and settle back into place as best it could. After so many years sleeping on the ground and hauling 90-pound rucksacks around the desert, there was only so much he could expect from his abused joints.

Dana still stood apprehensively in the doorway, mug of coffee in hand. It was an enticing vision in the early morning light, and his stomach growled, prodding him for another fix.

He glanced at his watch and grimaced.

“I wanted to let you sleep longer, but I heard back from Dr. Dvita,” Dana said sheepishly.

“Don’t apologize,” he said, sauntering over to her, wondering if she had any idea how gorgeous she looked in her oversized Georgetown sweatshirt. Jake loved the way Dana looked in the morning, her hair wild, lips and nose rosy from the Earl Gray tea she’d no doubt been drinking while reading some fascinatingly old tome.

Jake, on the other hand, looked worse for wear. Sleeping in his clothes only added to his bedraggled appearance. But he’d been so tired when Dana relieved his watch, he was out the moment his head hit the pillow.

“Thanks,” he said, gratefully taking the coffee she offered. He took a long sip, savoring the way the warmth spread through him. Then he set the mug down and pulled Dana into his arms, holding her tightly just because he could. He kissed the top of her head before letting her go.

Dana grinned up at him. “What was that for?”

“‘Cause I can. And because I know you were probably standing outside my door for at least twenty minutes wondering if you should let me sleep longer.”

Dana cocked her head, hand on hip. “You think you know me that well, huh?”

“Yep. Plus, the coffee temperature gave you away.” Jake grinned. “Next time nuke it if you don’t want me to know how long you’ve been standing out there.”

“Always the detective.”

“Uh, it’s Special Agent, ma’am.”

Smirking, she tried to swipe the mug back, but Jake was faster. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t drink it,” he teased. After another sip he asked, “How’s Claire?”

“Still asleep.”

“Any news on Meredith?”

“I have a call in to the hospital but haven’t heard back.”

“What about Dr. Dvita? Can he see Claire today?”

“Yes. Actually, he offered to come here.”

“When?”

Dana bit her lip. “In twenty minutes.”

“Damn, Gray.” Jake shook his head, amused. “Give a guy a little more warning next time.”