Second Nature (When Seconds Count) by D.L. Roan

hell, because he wasn’t about to shut her down now that she was finally talking. “And this would be a different someone than who’s trying to kill you?”
    Thalia shook her head. “No. I mean yes.” He watched as a chill shuddered up her spine. “ I’m pretty sure those were Hamisi’s men at the beach, though I have no idea how they found me. The man I’m supposed to meet tomorrow will think I’ve played him if I don’t show up. For more reasons than I can say, I can’t afford for that to happen. He will kill me if I don’t at least try to set up another time to meet.” She shook her head and ran her hands over her arms. “He’ll kill me anyway, but....”
    That’s what he was afraid of. In an instant he stood in front of her, his hands clamping gently around her arms. “First of all, no one is going to kill you. I won’t let that happen, but you have to talk to me. What do you have that Don Lalia would send Hamisi to kill you for?”
    He watched as familiar emotions of doubt and mistrust swirled in the expressions on her face, felt the surrender in her posture as she let out a long, heavy breath. “A thumb drive.”
    He had prepared himself for a lie, but he could see the truth in her eyes when she spoke. “I’m guessing that’s what you are supposed to deliver tomorrow?” She nodded wordlessly and, although in his gut he already knew the answer, he needed to hear it from her. “Who are you supposed to meet tomorrow, Thalia?”
    “Kafeel Jauhar .”
    Grant closed his eyes and took a deep breath. How in the hell had she gotten mixed up with someone like Jauhar? He was literally the epitome of human waste, and the very thought of her doing any kind of business with him made the blood sizzle in his veins. Good or bad, he had to know. “You work for him?”
    Thalia pulled away from him and walked to the bed, her fingers trailing over the tangled sheets. “It’s complicated,” she said as she sank to the edge of the mattress.
    Grant clamped down on his need to shake some sense into her and paced to the window instead. “So un-complicate it for me. Because after losing my island, my boat and Salina, I’d like to think I’m at least helping the right side here.” He saw the shock on her face at the mention of his contact. “That’s right. Salina is dead. She was gunned down right after she took the tracking device out of your arm which, by the way, is how they found you. So tell me she didn’t die helping a shit-bag like Jauhar.”
    “It’s not like that!”
    “Then tell me what it’s like, Thalia!” Grant kept his distance, sure that she would bolt if he crowded her. Or worse. He was still naked after all.
    “I… shit …” He didn’t move when she pushed from the bed and began to pace like a caged animal. In a strange way she was. She may not be an operative, but they were very much alike. They had the same sense of survival and need for control. Suspicion was second nature to them both, and he could feel her struggle to give him the trust he demanded.
    Against his better judgment, something inside him pushed him to comfort her. Understanding her better than she could possibly imagine, he needed her to know she could trust him. W hen next she pivoted away from him, his hand reached out and encircled her wrist, pulling her back to him. She wouldn’t turn to face him, so he wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her back to his chest. “You can trust me, fossa. I just need to know that I can trust you.”
    “Oh, that’s rich coming from someone who w on’t even tell me his real name, Silas. ” She tried to twist away from him, but he was determined not to let her push him away. “I know nothing about you and I’m supposed to trust you? Let me go!”
    Grant carefully and tenderly tightened his grip. Not t aking the chance that she wouldn’t try to crack his skull open with the back of her head, he nuzzled his chin tight against her neck and whispered into her ear, “And