Page 184 of House of Cards

Christ, what kind of monster puts the woman he loves in danger just because he can’t handle being away from her?

The kind that deserves everything that’s coming to him, apparently.

But she doesn’t deserve this.

Absolutely none of it.

Troy is in the hallway outside Zoey’s room, one foot propped on the wall behind him like he could wait there the whole night. When he sees me enter the hallway, he walks away from her bedroom door, meeting me halfway.

“She’s asleep already?” I ask. Fuck preamble.

Troy shrugs. “Went to bed an hour ago.” His mouth quirks. “Said all these expensive paintings were giving her a headache.”

The knot in my chest tightens. “I’m sure she did.”

I suspect it had more to do with what’s coming tomorrow, when she becomes Patricia Dyer and disappears from her life forever.

From my life.

“We might have a problem,” I say, crossing my arms as I share my attention between Troy and Zoey’s door. Even this close, it feels like I’m too far away. “Think I picked up a tail on the way over here.”

Troy straightens. “How sure are you?”

“I don’t know.” I sigh, rake my fingers through my hair, adjust my glasses before I realize what I’m doing. Contact lenses irritate the shit out of my eyes, but at least they’re not a dead giveaway when something’s bothering me. “Only saw them as I turned off the main road.”

If Troy’s judging me for being so careless, he doesn’t show it.

I still feel the need to explain myself when I reluctantly meet his eyes again. “I left in a hurry.”

“You think they followed you from the casino.”

It’s not a question, but I nod anyway. No point lying to Troy.

“Fuck.” He runs a hand through his hair. “Professionals?”

“Dark sedan. Couldn’t make out the plates.” I shake my head, angry at myself for not paying more attention. “What’s our security situation?”

“Two men on the perimeter, cameras on all approaches. But Smith, if—” Troy hesitates. “If they followed you here?—”

“Then we’re fucked.” I glance down the hallway. “We should leave. Head for her safe house now instead of waiting for morning. We could?—”

“Be blowing her cover and risking that safe house,” Troy cuts in calmly.

We stare at each other silently, my jaw ticking, his jaw clenched.

“Double the watch,” I mutter. “Hourly sweeps until we leave tomorrow.”

“We?” Troy shakes his head, glances at my cheek. Only then do I realize I’m touching Zoey’s claw marks again. “That wasn’t the plan.”

“New plan.”

Troy’s sigh says it all, but he’s already reaching for his radio.

I clap a hand on his shoulder as I pass, heading for Zoey’s room.

“Smith?”

“Won’t wake her,” I lie.