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CHAPTER

THREE

Kai tried to keep his expression neutral. But his mind raced as he tried not to stare at the yellow envelope on the table. He didn’t want to seem too anxious to see what was inside.

How did Tori know those details she’d just shared?

No one knew about the secret program he’d been a part of—only the people who were directly involved. And Kai knew each of them. They were a small, close-knit community.

Everyone who’d participated had been unattached. The military had purposefully chosen men without strong family or community ties. Men who didn’t have anyone to miss them if something happened.

But this Nathan guy had clearly had Tori. He didn’t fit the profile.

However, everything else she’d said did fit. They were things other people weren’t supposed to know about.

Kai’s stomach churned as he tried to make sense of everything she’d told him.

Tori took a sip of her soup, but her eyes remained apprehensive as she waited for his response.

His gaze went to the yellow envelope again, but he used his self-control and didn’t touch it still. Besides, the documents inside could have been forged.

However, Tori had risked a lot to come here and find him.

He wanted to believe her. But what if she wasn’t telling the truth? What if she was a plant? Someone who’d been sent to test his loyalty?

It was a possibility. He wouldn’t put anything past Alan Larchmont, his boss.

Even though Kai and his teammates weren’t officially part of Project Elevate anymore, Larchmont treated them as if they were. Each time one of his colleagues had tried to engage in any type of relationship, Larchmont protested.

Thankfully, his colleagues hadn’t capitulated. But Larchmont was putting even more pressure on the rest of them. He clearly wanted to keep them under his thumb, and he didn’t like the fact he was beginning to lose control.

So what about this Nathan Bristow guy?

And who exactly was this Tori woman sitting in front of him? Who were the men chasing her?

Kai needed to figure out his next play.

“You don’t believe me.” Something glimmered in Tori’s eyes—a deep emotion, pleading, maybe even desperation. “Why would I go through all this trouble to find you just to lie?”

“I can think of many reasons, actually. But I’m telling you the truth when I say I didn’t know your brother. I’m sorry you’ve gone through all this for nothing.”

“Don’t tell me this was for nothing.” Her hand hit the table, and her soup leapt from its bowl.

The hostess glanced at them, and Tori murmured an apology.

“Don’t make a scene,” Kai warned.

“Sorry.” Tori took a deep breath. But her words still sounded charged as she said, “Something happened to Nathan, and I will find answers—with or without you.”

Kai studied her. The woman seemed so sincere, not like the type to pull the wool over his eyes, so to speak. But he’d learned to trust no one. In his world, everyone had ulterior motives. Had reasons to use him.

Especially women.

“Nathan left your name and photo in that packet,” Tori continued. “And your work address. So I bought a plane ticket here. After landing at the airport, I dropped my things off at my hotel and then caught the Metro to downtown. I was about to go to your office when I saw you leaving. I decided to follow you a moment to see what you were like before I approached . . .”

More details fell into place.

He glanced at her and realized she was hardly breathing as she waited for him to say something—to possibly confirm that he believed her words were true.

He didn’t know this Nathan guy. But he was intrigued.

How else would Tori know the things she did? What else was in that packet? What exactly did she want his help with?

This whole situation spelled trouble, and Kai still wasn’t sure if he could trust her or not.

He swallowed hard. His best bet right now was to stick with his cover story.

“I can’t help you,” Kai finally said. “I’m a security contractor, but that’s it.”

“Then why did Nathan mention your name and address in the papers he left for me?”

Kai shrugged and kept his expression neutral. “What’s your theory?”

“He said he was searching for other people like him. People that had been through this top-secret program. He thought he’d found information that led to you. He hoped that you might have answers, but he never had the chance to find you. That’s why I tracked you down instead.”

“I’m sorry you went through all this trouble, but?—”

Tori grabbed his hand. “Please, don’t dismiss me. If you don’t help me, I don’t know who will.”

Fire raced through Kai at her touch—fire so hot he reactively pulled away.

Her cheeks flushed, and she lowered her hand into her lap as if she hadn’t meant to touch him. As if she felt self-conscious of his rejection.

He kept his expression placid. “There’s got to be someone else you can talk to. Are you saying my name was the only one your brother mentioned?”

“There was one other name, but this person is unreachable. There’s no way I can get to him. Besides . . . Nathan mentioned him as a suspect in the death of one of his friends. If this guy could kill my brother’s friend—and then my brother—then he could definitely kill me.”

Kai went still. “Who was that guy?”

“A man named Alan Larchmont. He’s supposedly in charge of the program that got my brother killed.”

Larchmont? Kai’s eyes narrowed.

Maybe this woman was telling the truth.

But if that was the case, his whole world was about to turn upside down.

As soon as Tori said Larchmont’s name, she saw the flash of recognition in Kai’s gaze.

He couldn’t deny what she’d said anymore. Even if he did, she’d seen the truth in his eyes.

Now she waited to see if he’d help. If he said no, she didn’t know what she’d do.

As the seconds ticked by, her mind drifted back to the men who’d been trailing her through the streets of DC. She had no idea who they were. She only knew her life would never go back to normal—if she lived long enough to see the future.

Kai shifted, his gaze heavy with thought—yet carefully guarding his emotions.

She waited more.

Finally, he said, “I don’t know if anything your brother said was true or not. He could have been having some type of mental break or?—”

“Mental break?” Her voice climbed higher. “Are you kidding me? People who have mental breaks don’t give those kinds of details. He wouldn’t have specifically mentioned your name. You’re trying to deflect from the truth.”

He opened his mouth and then shut it again. Finally, he said, “I’m sorry. I should have been more sensitive.”

“Thank you.”

“Either way, I’m intrigued. I’ll see what I can find out for you.”

Tears rushed to her eyes at his words. “You will?”

Kai’s expression tightened again as if an emotional wall had gone up after her reaction. “But to be clear, I don’t trust you, and I’m not saying I agree with anything you’ve said. However, I will try to find out more.”

“That’s all I want.”

Maybe Tori would finally get some answers as to what had happened to her brother. She’d done all she could on her own and knew she needed help—help from someone on the inside.

Help from someone like Kai.

She forced herself to take a couple more bites of her food. Though the spring roll and soup was delicious, her appetite was gone.

Kai reached for the package. “May I?”

She nodded, though nausea squeezed her insides.

But as he reached for the envelope, he paused and stiffened as if something were wrong.

Tori followed his gaze out the window. She didn’t see anything except shoppers and tourists. Busy professionals. Taxis and cars. A mailman.

Nothing of concern.

Then she sucked in a breath as someone across the street came into focus.

Two someones.

The two men who’d been chasing them.

They were outside the restaurant looking this way.

At any second, those guys might find her and Kai.

And Tori might be permanently silenced . . . just like her brother.