Page 26 of Striker
She scoffed. “I’m taking two weeks off. I don’t think I’m mentally or physically ready to return to my regular schedule yet.”
His brow furrowed. “Good. Lay low. I’ll be in touch once we’ve captured Rex. I’m sure you’ll breathe a little easier then.”
Sadness washed over her. It was after five o’clock in the afternoon. Any minute the parking lot would be flooded with Dunne’s employees. She wanted to get out of here, but tearing her feet away from Atlas became more impossible by the second.
He didn’t move either.
Instead, he settled his hands on either side of her neck, cradling her face. “If at any point you need help, call me. Whether it’s tonight, next week, or next year, call me. I’ll come.”
His words wrapped her in their softness. Tears rushed to her eyes and because of the way he held her, she couldn’t hide.
The pads of his thumbs swiped her tears away. “Molly, what’s wrong?”
She sniffed, shaking her head. She wanted to look away, to escape the intense scrutiny of his gaze, but she couldn’t. She’d known him less than twenty-four hours, but the trauma bond had her in its grip.
She curled her fingers around his wrists. “I’m just grateful I met you. If you hadn’t come after Rex, I wouldn’t be here right now.” The last part came out shaky.
He pulled her into another hug. “But I did come. And you’re going to be fine. Next week you’ll forget all about me,” he said jokingly, giving her another squeeze before releasing her.
He dug into his pocket and pulled out a slim phone. He typed something in and passed it to her. “It’s encrypted. My number’s on speed dial. But I want you to memorize it, too.”
He took out a white business card. All it had on it were ten digits. No name. No company title. Just the numbers etched in charcoal gray.
“Memorize that. Promise me.”
She nodded. “I will.”
“You can charge that with any phone charger.”
“Thank you.” She took a deep breath and stomped out the hesitancy to say what she needed to say. “And Atlas? I won’t ever forget you.” She rose onto her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
The rough bristles under her lips sent heat searing through her. He reached for her and almost caught her waist, but she ducked her chin and opened her car door. Once she was inside and buckled, she risked another glance at the tall, stacked soldier who’d stormed into her life without a single demand.
Atlas’s blue-green eyes dazzled in the sunlight. The thick stubble at his jaw, slightly longer than they’d been yesterday, stirred a yearning inside her.
He lifted his hand in a wave, his smile light, yet something flashed over his face . . . worry? She couldn’t put her finger on it.
She waved back and pulled out of the lot.
And a fresh current of tears burst free.
“You comin’, Romeo?” Viper called from the window of their SUV.
Atlas sighed with irritation and turned around. He glanced over his shoulder just in time to see Molly’s bumper exit the parking lot.
He trudged to the vehicle and got in the front passenger seat. “I should’ve driven myself,” he grumbled.
“But you didn’t,” Viper sang. “Seriously, you’ve got your balls in a bunch with this one, huh?”
“Shut up,” he said, with more fatigue than fire.
Viper was with him because they’d rented only two SUVs. They’d dropped off Rogue at the hotel to go over their intel of Rex, and Havoc, Wraith and Reaper would be there by now, too.
“Just stating the obvious.”
“How ’bout you just drive the car?”
Viper’s laugh flowed through the vehicle. Atlas flicked the vents toward himself and blasted the A/C as Viper maneuvered out of the parking lot and onto the street.
