Chloe spun around to find Skeet standing in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, tousled sandy-brown hair rumpled from sleep. But his green eyes were completely alert—the look of someone who’d clearly learned to go from unconscious to operational in seconds.
He looked annoyingly good backlit by the soft apartment lighting, all lean muscle and protective intensity, the blond stubble along his jaw turning a little red in the light.
“Medical conference in Bangkok,” she said, holding up her phone. “May found him.”
“No.”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re not going to Bangkok to hunt down a potentially dangerous witness at a public event where anyone could be watching.”
“I’m absolutely going to Bangkok.”
The words hung in the air between them. Beyond the villa’s walls, the city hummed with evening traffic and the distant sound of music from a night market. The pool below reflected stars that were just beginning to appear in the darkening sky.
“Over my dead body,” he said quietly.
And that, right there, was what she was afraid of.
Oh goody.Now they got to have another argument.
He fully planned on winning, even as Chloe stared him down.
Her jaw was set in that stubborn line he was beginning to recognize—her default response to anyone suggesting she might want to think twice about charging headfirst into danger.
“You can’t just go hunt this guy down.”
Her blue eyes blazed. “Why not?”
“Because you could be walking into a trap.”
“So, what?” Her voice lowered, sharper. “I’m supposed to just sit here while Dr. Radic disappears? While whoever killed Dr. Tobias gets away with it?”
“I’m saying you should think strategically instead of emotionally.”
Wrong move, Blackwood.
Her eyes narrowed. “Emotionally? You think this isemotional?”
“I think you’re upset about Dr. Tobias?—”
“I can’t just let people gethurt.” Her voice cracked on the last word.
“Chloe—”
“No.” She turned away, pressing the heels of her hands against her eyes. “You don’t understand. People always get hurt when I’m not paying attention. When I’m not there to stop it.”
The words hung between them, loaded with history. He knew the story of her missing sister a little from the wedding, from Jake.
He’d never asked for details. But the regret he recognized. So, “C’mon.”
She dropped her hands. “What?”
“We’re going out.”
“I don’t want to go out. I want to plan how to find Dr. Radic?—”
“We can do that while we’re out.”