Page 29 of Secrets Beneath the Waves (Beach Read Thrillers #2)

CHAPTER

SEVEN

Ellie finished packing and set the luggage and duffel bag full of weapons on the floor by the door. She didn’t know where she’d go yet, but staying there was no longer an option. The house felt tainted now—its safety an illusion, shattered by the day’s events.

Compromised .

The word echoed in her head and confirmed what she already feared: the Middle Eastern men knew too much, and someone on the inside had betrayed her. Her thoughts darted to Matthew again, but she shoved the suspicion aside. No time for second-guessing now.

A faint noise outside made her freeze. A car door shut. Normally, she wouldn’t have noticed, but her senses were on edge. Her breath left her, and she strained to hear more. It couldn’t be the Middle Eastern men. They wouldn’t be that obvious.

Was Matthew back?

A sharp knock at the door sent a jolt through her, adrenaline surging instantly. Her heart pounded, lodging itself in her throat as she instinctively closed her fingers around the gun on the coffee table.

Moving silently, she crept toward the door, resisting the urge to check the peephole. Her mom’s warning echoed in her mind. If someone dangerous was on the other side, they could spot the peephole darken and fire straight through it.

Instead, she edged to the side and carefully parted the curtain while standing in the shadows. Mark’s car was in the driveway. Relief warred with dread. She hadn’t expected him tonight, and his timing felt too . . . convenient.

Taking a deep breath, she struggled to calm her racing heart as she tucked the gun in her side waistband. She opened the door and forced calm into her voice. “Mark. Hi. What are you doing here?”

He raised an eyebrow. “We had plans, remember? Dinner, maybe a walk on the beach? Did you forget?”

Ellie slapped her forehead, groaning as she realized she had completely forgotten about their date. For a brief second, she had forgotten about the raw, blistered skin as well. The price she’d paid climbing that hot ladder.

The moment her palm met her skin, a sharp sting shot through her hands, yanking her back to reality.

She hissed in pain, her burned fingers protesting the careless movement.

Clenching her jaw, she flexed her fingers carefully, willing the pain to subside.

The last thing she needed was Mark noticing and asking questions she wasn’t ready to answer.

“Right. Is that tonight? Sorry, it’s been a crazy day. Come in.”

She quickly motioned for him to come inside as her eyes darted to the street, scanning for any threats. She closed the door and locked it as her mind raced faster than a formula one car on an oval.

As he leaned in to kiss her, she grabbed his hands and guided them away from her waist where the gun was now hidden.Her stinging hands almost made her cry out a second time. She bit her lip to keep from doing so.

“Sorry,” she said with a nervous laugh. “I . . . I’m a little jumpy this afternoon.”

Mark’s brow showed his concern. “Are you okay? You look . . . I don’t know. What happened to your knees?”

“I’m fine,” she said quickly. “Rollerblading accident. I hit some gravel and went flying.”

She told him to sit on the couch, while she glanced around the room to make sure she hadn’t left any evidence of her CIA life lying around. “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll be right back.”

In the bathroom, Ellie splashed cold water on her face. Her reflection stared back, pale and tense.The water soothed her burning hands.

What should she do? Going out meant dragging Mark into the crosshairs. Suggesting they stay home and order in meant waiting for danger to find her. Neither option felt safe. She gritted her teeth, forcing herself to decide.

And what if he was the mole? He could also tell the Iranians where she lived.

The smart thing to do was to send him home. Make up some kind of excuse. That’s what she intended to do. She needed to find a place to stay tonight before it got too late.

When she returned to the main living room, Mark was flipping through a book on her coffee table. He looked up and grinned. “Are you going somewhere?” He pointed to the suitcase and duffel bag by the door.

“Yeah,” she said, forcing a casual tone. “Business trip. Just a couple of days.”

“I’ll miss you.” His sincerity hit her like a sucker punch, making her stomach twist with guilt.

Lying to Mark had become second nature, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. He deserved better than half-truths and feigned smiles, yet she couldn’t let him into the chaos that was her life.

No way he was the mole, she decided. He was the only thing untouched by the darkness she carried, and she wanted to keep it that way. Protecting him meant keeping her distance, no matter how much it felt like she was splitting herself in two.

“I’ll miss you too,” she said finally, hating how hollow the words sounded.

“Ready to go?” he asked.

She didn’t have the heart to cancel the date.

“What if we ordered in?” she asked. At least at home, she was on her turf with lots of ways to protect them. She had a small arsenal in the duffel bag.

His pouty lip and the hurt in his eyes made her immediately regret the question.

“I have reservations at my favorite place. Remember the one I told you about? It’s hard to get a table. I wanted it to be a surprise.”

Ellie hesitated as the words lodged in her throat. She wanted to say no, to get out of there, to stay safe.

“Yeah. Right. I remember,” she said, the lie burned on her tongue.

She took a deep breath and steadied herself. You can’t let fear control you, she told herself. What were the odds that the Middle Eastern men would be driving around looking for her tonight at local restaurants?

They were regrouping, scrambling to cover their tracks after the botched attack. At least that’s what she was counting on.

Yet the gnawing in her gut persisted. Was she dragging Mark into something he didn’t deserve? And she really wanted to spend time with him.

Reckless , as her dad had said.

“Alright,” she blurted, before settling the argument in her mind. “Let’s go.”

As they stepped outside, Ellie scanned the street again as her heart hammered in her chest. Every shadow, every car, felt like a potential threat.

She painted her smile on like armor, but in her mind, she calculated what she’d do if a threat appeared out of nowhere. She walked slightly in front of Mark, putting herself between him and where she thought the threats might come from.

Mark took her hand when they reached his car, but the slight pressure sent a jolt of pain up Ellie’s arm. She winced and quickly pulled away before he could notice.

The problem was that he did notice.

“Ellie, did you hurt your hands too?”

She forced a light laugh, shaking her head. “Yes. When I fell, I burned them on the hot concrete and scraped them on the gravel.”

“Let me see.”

She hesitated but then flashed her hands when she couldn’t think of a reason not to. He winced when he saw how red they were. “Are you sure you want to go out?”

No. I want to stay home. But I can’t.

“It’s fine, really,” she said. “Just be careful when you try and hold my hand.”

The last thing she needed was Mark asking questions. Questions she wasn’t ready to answer.

“I have a surprise for you in the passenger seat, Ellie.”

He opened the door. On the seat was one red rose. He picked it up and handed it to her. She would’ve enjoyed it except standing there by the car, she felt like a duck on a pond.

“You seem distracted,” he said, his tone light, but his eyes carried unspoken questions. He looked around the neighborhood, following her gaze.

Ellie forced a thin smile. “I’m a little out of sorts from the fall.”

When he closed the door behind her, her eyes darted across the street, sweeping in every direction. Every nerve in her body was taut, every instinct on high alert. She could feel her pulse thud in her ears.

As Mark started the car and pulled out onto the main road, Ellie’s gaze flicked to the side mirror. A car eased out from a side street, its headlights briefly cutting across their path. She tensed but shook it off. Just a coincidence.

The car stayed behind them, maintaining a polite distance. Ellie told herself it was nothing—paranoia, her nerves working overtime. Still, her eyes darted back again and again.

Ellie’s breath quickened. Whoever it was knew how to tail someone without being noticed—too well. The only good thing was that it was an SUV, not a sedan.

When it got closer, recognition hit her like a slap.

Matthew.

Why was he following them?

Was he jealous or did he see himself as some overbearing guardian? Or worse, was it an act of betrayal? The Middle Eastern men wouldn’t have to go looking for her if Matthew alerted them to her whereabouts.

The thought burned through her mind like an out-of-control wildfire.

Her chest tightened with frustration.She struggled to contain the roiling storm of emotions.

Matthew’s motives might be noble, but even if he were jealous, he was out of line. She hadn’t completely rebuffed his advances but hadn’t given in to them either. They certainly didn’t have a commitment.

She could see where he might be hurt, though. He had come to her rescue today at great risk to his own life, only to be rushed out of the house. Probably now thinking she wanted to get rid of him because she had another date.

That wasn’t the case at all.

On the other hand, if Matthew thought this was his way of “protecting” her, he was wrong. She didn’t need his protection. Not that he could provide it. He’d never even killed a man. She had.

Her insides churned at the reminder.

Mark looked over at her with a puzzled look.

Had he said something? Did he ask me a question? Was it my turn to respond?

Pull yourself together, Ellie.

She didn’t dare let Mark know something was wrong. She couldn’t let him sense her spiraling fury.

When they reached the restaurant, Matthew parked a couple blocks away. Ellie’s jaw was shut tighter than a vice. Any trepidation had turned to unbridled rage.

Matthew? He was a wildcard. Jealousy. Protection. Betrayal. She didn’t know his motive.

One thing was for sure. If Matthew had aligned himself with the enemy, this wasn’t just betrayal, it was a death sentence. His.

Mark had picked the perfect restaurant. One that seemed designed to make her forget everything outside its doors.

But as they waited for their table, Ellie instinctively clocked the exits.

One by the kitchen, another near the restrooms. Her gaze swept over the other diners and lingered on the man with his back to the wall and the couple who spoke in hushed tones.

Threats? No. Just her imagination running wild again.

The salty tang of the ocean mingled with the rich aroma of garlic and butter wafting from the kitchen. The muted clink of silverware and low murmur of conversation filled the air. Dim light spilled from overhead fixtures, casting a romantic glow on the white tablecloths and soft linen napkins.

On any other night, this might have been soothing, but for Ellie, the sound of waves crashing against the shore reminded her of her own life, calm on the surface, chaotic beneath.

A thought occurred to her that a bullet could come through one of those open windows, and no one would know where it came from.

Her mother had said, The bullet that kills you will be the one you don’t see coming .

Why did she have to think about her mother now?

Mark was adorable. He was cute. Charming. A perfect gentleman. She really liked him. She hated that she was ruining the evening that he had so carefully planned.

“You’re quieter than usual,” Mark said, his head tilted to the side in confusion. “Work stress?”

Ellie nodded as she swirled her glass of water. “You could say that.”

He reached across the table and covered her hand with his, careful to only touch the top of it. “You know you can talk to me, right? I’m here for you.”

She smiled. His sincerity was genuine, but the risk of letting him in was too great.

“Thanks, Mark. That means a lot.”

He didn’t press the issue or ask what had distracted her at work. Thankfully.

Their food arrived, and for a while, Ellie found herself relaxing somewhat. Mark had a way of making her laugh, but as Ellie’s eyes flicked toward the waiter behind him, she felt a moment of panic.

Was his hand lingering too long near his pocket?

Mark pulled her attention back to him, waving his fork in front of her. A perfectly seared piece of steak glistened in the restaurant’s dim lighting. “Earth to Ellie. You’ve got to try this. Best steak I’ve ever had.”

She forced a smile, nodding as though nothing was wrong. “Yeah?”

“Here, try it.”

Ellie hesitated, her mind still tangled in a web of doubt from earlier. Was Matthew watching her, now?

Forcing herself to stay in the moment, she leaned in, letting Mark feed her the bite. The rich, buttery steak melted on her tongue.

A mischievous thought crossed her mind. She was tempted to lean across the table and kiss Mark, if only to get under Matthew’s skin. It would serve him right.

“So, funny story,” Mark said, cutting into his steak. “I ran into someone the other day who knows you.”

Ellie’s stomach clenched. “Oh? Who?”

He shrugged, his tone light. “Some guy named Luke. Said you work together.”

Her heart dropped. “Luke?” she echoed, struggling to keep her voice even. “What did he say?”

“Small talk. Although . . . kind of weird questions, you know? He said he saw us together and wondered if we were dating. It felt . . . odd.”

Ellie’s mind raced. Luke knew about Mark? How did they meet? Who initiated the conversation?

“Sorry about that.”She wasn’t sure why she was apologizing.

Mark chuckled. “No big deal. I think he likes you. But hey, if he’s competition, I’ll just have to step up my game.”

Ellie’s laugh felt hollow as her appetite vanished.

Now she had a new worry. Not only was Matthew following her, but Luke was as well. How else could he have seen them together?

She thought she could keep the three of them separated. Compartmentalized. Now all their paths had crossed. They knew about each other, and that was disconcerting.

This was what her parents meant about romantic entanglements.