“And if she dies?”
“Not your fault. Not your responsibility.”
The words should have made sense. Should have felt like relief. Instead, they sat wrong in his gut, creating the same knot he’d carried for three years.
“Yes. Yes, it is.”
Chai sighed. “You can’t save everyone, Skeet.”
“I can save her.”
“Maybe. And if you don’t?”
The words were a punch.
“Narin did a real number on you. That’s all I’m saying.”
Chloe’s whimpering had stopped. Her breathing evened out, returning to the deep rhythm of exhausted sleep. But the imageof her face, tense with whatever nightmare had gripped her, stayed burned in his mind.
“Get some sleep. I’ll take the next watch.”
Skeet nodded as Chai became another shadow among the trees.
The fire had burned down to glowing coals. He glanced at Chloe. She wasn’t Narin. Wasn’t the woman who’d betrayed him.
The woman he couldn’t save.
But Chai was right... Chloe knew danger. She’d spent years chasing dangerous stories, investigating corruption, putting herself between threatened people and the forces that would destroy them. Always alone. Always fueled by the belief that someone had to bear witness.
And oh, she was beautiful. He’d always thought it, but seeing her in repose... with her blonde hair in the firelight, the shape of her face. Beautiful and fierce and untouchable and completely committed to a mission that could get her killed.
Oh no,she was just like Narin.
The comparison sent ice through his veins. Because Narin’s determination to save people was what had drawn him to her in the first place. Her refusal to back down when civilians were threatened. Her willingness to risk everything for strangers who couldn’t protect themselves.
All the same qualities that made Chloe Silver so dangerous to be around.
He settled against a tree at the edge of their shelter and checked his weapon.
Tomorrow they’d hike back to the border, drive to Chiang Mai, and talk to Chai’s wife about Dr. Radic. He’d help Chloe get the information she needed, then figure out how to convince her to leave before the investigation got her killed.
Simple plan.
Professional.
Nothing personal about it.
The lie tasted bitter even in his own mind.
He closed his eyes and listened to the jungle sounds, trying not to think about Narin or the weight of six graves he carried in his soul. Trying not to think about how Chloe’s fierce independence reminded him of everything that had gone wrong before.
Trying not to think about how much he already wanted to keep her safe.
Because wanting to protect someone was the first step toward caring about them.
And caring about them was the first step toward getting them killed.
FOUR