Page 45 of Ravens

I shake my head and turn into him, sliding down as I bury my face in his chest and understanding dawns on me. He’s mad because he was worried. I crack a little at the realization, hoping it’s true, and then I break a little more when I realize he’s right. I’m not trapped here because he won’t let me leave . . . I’m trapped because nowhere else is safe anymore.

After a while, he pulls me to my feet and washes me before wrapping me in a towel and stripping out of his drenched suit to don his own towel.

***

In bed, he strokes my hair, and I feel numb. The rain sounds louder. The warm light from the lamp in the corner casts a halo. My head starts to ache, and I squeeze my eyes shut against it.

“My head hurts,” I whisper.

A moment later, the lights are out. He pushes some pills between my lips, and tears leak down my face again.

Twenty-Three

I’ve been trying to sleep, but I can’t, and I know he can’t either, although I wish I knew what was on his mind. Mine is crowded with a million things that I can’t sort through anymore, and if I don’t figure some of it out, I may never sleep again.

“Tell me.”

He shifts. “Tell you what?”

I exhale and roll over to face him.

One of us needs to make a move, and with the Agency coming for me, I don’t know what or who I’m protecting anymore. Myself? From what? York? It could all be a ploy, but I can’t see the ends to that deception anymore. Honestly, if it is though, and I walk right into whatever it is he’s devised . . . it might just be a relief at this point.

“Tell me what you think you know, and I’ll tell you if you’re right,” I say calmly.

“Why would you—”

“Going once . . .”

He props himself up on his elbow in the shadows. “Raven is really an intelligence-gathering task force.”

“Yes.”

“They’ve stolen secrets from everyone, including allies.”

“Yes.”

“They’ve intercepted sensitive data regarding Great Britain and her interests.”

“Probably,” I whisper, and he gets out of the bed and starts pacing.

“You’vestolen her secrets.”

“No.” I cock my head back, surprised.

“Don’t!” His voice snaps in the silence, and I jump. “You are selling those very same secrets.”

“No,” I repeat breathlessly looking at his shadowy form. “I’m not selling secrets.”

“You’ve been partnered with two British agents in the past six months. Don’t fucking lie to me. You may not specifically be sellingusout, but we’re in the fucking mix.”

“I’ve done my job!”

“Fuck.” He walks away in the dark, headed toward the bathroom.

“York,” I say sternly.

“I need a minute!”