He scrutinized her in that way he had, as if he could see right through her and delve into her every secret. He settled one knuckle beneath her chin and nudged it up, forcing her to meet his gaze.
She could’ve stepped back, but she held her ground instead.
“You still love me.” His voice sounded like rough water over sharp rocks.
She wasn’t a very good liar, so she didn’t deny it.
His smile finally arrived. “My nana would be the first to say that love conquers everything.”
“After you lied to me, your nana said I should take a cast iron pan to your head.” Nana O’Shea may look like a sprite and believe in magic and fairies, but the woman was fully Irish and had the temper to prove it. Of course, when she’d recommended the cast iron pan, she had seemed rather calm about it. She’d also had more than a clue about Rory’s true line of work but wouldn’t go into detail about it.
Rory stepped into Serenity, and his scent of cedar and musk wafted over her.
Her entire body did a slow roll.
Then, keeping his knuckle in place, he swept the side of her jaw with his calloused thumb, sending sparks of fire through her body to land low in her abdomen. “Serenity, I get it. I lied to you. It ticked you off. Maybe even embarrassed you. But most of the town doesn’t know about my job. They still think I work for the forest service. So, this is really just about you being mad, and I’m sorry.” He was earnest, but he was also firm.
“Like I said,” she reiterated softly, “I forgive you.” More than anything, she wanted to step right back into him like she used to. It had been a while since she’d slept, and not just because of the weird phone calls and flowers. She missed him. Even if she could get over the fact that he was such a good liar, there were other obstacles she didn’t think she could demolish.
While she knew she was being stubborn, she’d lost her father at a young age, and she didn’t want a life of worrying about the father of her children not coming home. She admired people strong enough to live that life, and she had several friends who did, but she wasn’t sure she could handle being one of them.
Plus, he had lied so easily to her. So naturally, she hadn’t a clue. If he did it again, would she even know? She doubted it. It was part of a skill set she’d had no idea he had.
“Tell me about these phone calls,” he said.
“No.”
He waited patiently, still standing in front of her. She couldn’t get around him, and she knew it. So, she leaned back against the counter, finally swiping his hand away from her face as she stared.
Another partial and way-too-sexy smile lifted his lips. “I know you’re stubborn, darlin’, and I’ve always appreciated that, but you won’t win this one. Tell me about the phone calls.”
She thought through the matter. While she wanted to hold on to her anger and be stubborn, she also wasn’t stupid. If he was some James Bond from northern Idaho, which seemed ludicrous, maybe he could help. “I’ve been getting a lot of hang-ups. Maybe one or two a day. Someone’s on the other line, but they don’t say anything,” she admitted. “There’s usually some breathing, and then they hang up.”
“And you thought that was me?”
She shook her head. “Not really. Though I kind of hoped it was you.” At least, then, she would know who she was dealing with.
“I’m more direct,” he drawled.
She nodded. “I get that. Well, except when you’re lying your ass off to me.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Who do you think is calling you?”
“I have no idea, Rory,” she said honestly. “If I knew, I’d go after them.”
Both of his eyebrows rose. “How about I go after them.” He hadn’t phrased the sentence as a question.
“Feel free.” She smiled. “You do you. I don’t know what kind of resources you have. I was going to head down and talk to the sheriff anyway, even though there haven’t been any threats. The caller’s number obviously doesn’t come up, or I’d know who it was.”
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. I will definitely find out who it is.” Rory’s tone turned ominous.
A little shiver clacked down her back, partly from the dark warning and a bit from intrigue. Just exactly who was this man, and why did she want him now more than ever?
Chapter 3
Rory parked outside his brother’s log cabin just over the border into Montana, his mind clear and his determination stronger than ever. Before he could exit his truck, his phone buzzed. He glanced down to see an unlisted number, and his breath heated. “Albertini,” he answered. Several beeps came over the line, and then a face took shape on the screen.
“Hi there, old friend,” Lewis Hackson said.
Rory stared into the eyes of the man he’d been hunting for six months. “We were never friends.” He tried to study the background, but nothing came into focus. There was no doubt in his mind the call wasn’t traceable.
Hackson smiled, his eyes a calculating dark brown. “Sure we were. In fact, why don’t you remember how close we were and stop this manhunt? I’d hate to actually have to take you out. You were always my favorite.”
“How about you turn yourself in, and we can avoid the long, drawn-out games?” Rory shook his head as snow gathered on the windshield, encasing him. Hackson had been his trainer, and the guy had taken money that didn’t belong to him.
“You never should’ve turned me in. We had a code.” All congeniality faded from Hackson’s chiseled face.
Rory tried to listen for ambient sounds, but only silence surrounded the traitor. “You broke the code, and you know it. I’ll never stop, Hackson.” The man had to understand Rory well enough to understand that one salient fact. He had captured the guy once, but Hackson escaped right after accepting a plea deal that included prison time. “I will find you.”
“Then get your passport up-to-date because I have friends in places not even you have visited.” Hackson leaned closer to the screen. “Come after me, Albertini, and I’ll put you in the ground.” He winked. “Say hi to your pretty partner for me.”
The screen went black.
Rory reported the exchange to his supervisor, and they informed him that Hackson was right now being tracked through Texas. “Faraway places, my ass.” His partner, Hana, was on vacation in Hawaii, and he texted her to head back to the mainland. They were closing in on Lewis, for sure. Rory shoved his phone into his back pocket and opened his door, sending snow flying.
His brother Knox met him outside before he could exit the vehicle. “Hey,” he said.
“Hey,” Rory answered, shutting the truck door.
Knox was only a year older than Rory and had just turned thirty. He had the Albertini dark hair and height, but his eyes were an unusual mixture of green and blue, which varied according to his mood. Right now, they were a mellow aqua. “You and Serenity figure things out?” He stalked over to his long metal shop and pressed a button to roll up the wide garage door.
“No, not yet. She doesn’t seem to be forgiving me very fast.”
Knox threw back his head and laughed. “That’s why I don’t get involved, brother. I love Serenity. I think you two are meant to be together, but with your career, it’s not the time to settle down…unless you’re finally ready to come on in.”