Page 11 of The Fixer
She met his gaze, her lips curving into a small, wry smile. “Was that a compliment, Sands?”
“Don’t let it go to your head,” he said, but there was a warmth in his tone that hadn’t been there before.
Later that night, the cabin was quiet except for the occasional creak of the wooden floorboards. Jake sat by the window, his Glock resting on the table beside him as he kept watch. Lyndsey appeared in the doorway, her silhouette outlined by the dim light.
“Can’t sleep?” he asked, his voice low.
She shook her head, crossing the room to sit across from him. “I’m not sure I’ll ever feel safe enough to sleep again.”
Jake leaned back, studying her. The stiffness in her shoulders, the shadow of fear in her eyes—it made something tighten inside him. “You’re safe here.”
“For now,” she murmured, tracing a finger along the edge of the table. “But for how long?”
“As long as I’m here,” he said simply.
The sincerity in his voice made her look up, their eyes locking. The room felt smaller, the air between them charged with something neither was willing to give voice to.
“You make it sound so easy,” Lyndsey said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“It’s not,” Jake admitted. “But it’s what I do.”
“And what about you?” she asked, tilting her head. “Who keepsyousafe?”
Jake’s breath hitched, her words striking deeper than he expected. He looked away, his jaw tightening. “I don’t need anyone to.”
“Maybe you should,” she said softly, her hand brushing his across the table.
The touch was fleeting, but it sent a jolt through him. He looked back at her, his eyes filled with something she couldn’t quite name. Vulnerability? Desire? Maybe both.
“Lyndsey...” he started, but the words caught in his throat. He reminded himself for the umpteenth time that she was just a job—nothing more, nothing less.
She smiled faintly, pulling her hand back. “Goodnight, Jake.”
As she disappeared into the bedroom, Jake exhaled, running a hand through his hair. The danger outside the cabin was real, but it was nothing compared to the danger lurking within.
CHAPTER FIVE
LYNDSEY
The early morning light filtered through the curtains, casting golden streaks across the wooden floor of the cabin. Lyndsey sat cross-legged on the sofa, the laptop Jake had secured for her balanced precariously on her knees as she typed. She was glad of the fact that she had a secure storage area on the Cloud. It wasn’t as good as having her own laptop, as some information was on her desktop, but it was better than nothing. The hum of the satellite phone on the table in front of her drew her attention, the blinking light signaling an incoming connection.
Jake stepped into the room, coffee mug in hand, his sharp eyes immediately catching the light on the phone. “That’ll be Cerberus,” he said, setting his mug down and moving to check the connection.
“Or Marcus,” Lyndsey said, sitting up straighter.
Jake glanced at her. “You expecting him to call?”
She nodded. “I sent him an encrypted message last night. He’s the only person who fully understands the scope of my work. If anyone has answers about why my research is suddenly life-or-death, it’s Marcus.”
Jake tapped a few buttons on the satellite phone. A moment later, the secure line connected, and the voice of Marcus Vance, Lyndsey’s mentor, filled the room.
“Lyndsey? Are you there?”
“I’m here, Marcus,” she said, leaning closer to the phone. “I’m okay.”
“That’s a relief,” Marcus said, though his voice was tight with concern. “When I heard what happened at your lab and then outside of that lifestyle club, I feared the worst. Are you safe now?”
Lyndsey glanced at Jake, who leaned against the wall, his gaze fixed on her. “Safe enough. I’m in a secure location, and I’ve got someone watching my back.”