and a New York accent.
“Ronan Ellis, this is Liv Darwin, she’s the target’s wife.”
Liv inwardly winced a bit at Axel calling her husband “the target.” That’s what he was though. Wasn’t it? And, she wasn’t fool enough to think Ronan came bearing good news.
She took Ronan’s hand, shaking it. “Ronan.”
She tried a smile but it felt forced. Axel’s hand warmed her waist from behind and she moved with a barely perceptible motion back into the comfort of his touch. She could still feel his passionate kiss on her lips, as she tried to clear her thoughts, noticing Ronan carried a small digital camcorder.
She stiffened, realizing what must be on it.
“You want coffee?” Axel asked Ronan over her shoulder.
Ronan shook his head. “I’m good, but thanks.”
“Let’s sit at the kitchen table,” Axel said, and his voice sounded tired. It was a stark contrast from moments before they’d opened the door and let Ronan in.
Axel’s hand pressed her back as though to urge her toward a kitchen chair, but she stalled, not moving. “There’s video on that camera,” she stated, then she looked over her shoulder at Axel. His features were tight with obvious stress. “It’s video of them ... together?” she asked.
He nodded solemnly. She quickly looked away, surprised at the burn of tears she had to fight back. Then she scooted from Axel’s hand at the small of her back. “I’m not going to look at that proof.”
She walked out of the kitchen without further explanation. She made it halfway down the hallway before Axel’s hand curled over her waist, stopping her. She wiped at her tears and turned to press her back into the wall, dislodging Axel’s hold, as she looked to the side of him.
“Liv ...” he started to say.
“Don’t tell me ...” she interrupted him. “That I need to see that video to prove it.”
She heard him sighing heavily and she saw his hand on the wall beside her, so she knew he was leaning over her.
“I’ll look at it for both of us,” Axel said.
“No,” she exclaimed, grabbing his shirt to hold him from turning away. She finally looked up at him. “That’s not fair. I didn’t leave so you would do it.” She paused, searching his features and seeing the pain. “I don't think either of us needs to watch it,” she whispered.
His hand came down from the wall and cupped her face with his thumb brushing at the tears drying on her cheek. He shook his head and she gripped his shirt tighter.
“Why?” she demanded. “If Ronan says there is evidence, we don’t need to see it.”
“I just need to see it,” he admitted softly. “I understand if you don’t.”
It felt as if a chasm was opening up between them. She knew it was unreasonable, but before they were becoming a team; us against them. They were together. Now they were splitting ... and it hurt. So she couldn’t see any good would come from seeing the video. It would only tear agony through both of them.
She wanted to tell him she thought he was making a mistake, but she realized she didn’t even know him well enough to offer such advice. And here she’d been kissing him as though they did know each other.
She moved away from his hand cupping her face. “I need to go anyways.”
He looked curious for a moment, as though he’d missed something, then he said, “I’ve got to talk to you about a few things. I’ll tell Ronan to cool it for a few minutes.”
She couldn’t imagine what he had to talk to her about, but she didn’t want to talk. She wanted to flee away from that video and any actions it would bring. “I would feel bad making him wait. Can’t you just call me later and we can talk on the phone.”
She started to scoot toward the bedroom she’d used last night.
“No, Liv,” he said. “It has to be now.” She raised her eyebrows at his firmness. “Come on into the living room for a minute, it won't take long.”
Reluctantly, Liv changed directions and followed Axel, who
“Ronan Ellis, this is Liv Darwin, she’s the target’s wife.”
Liv inwardly winced a bit at Axel calling her husband “the target.” That’s what he was though. Wasn’t it? And, she wasn’t fool enough to think Ronan came bearing good news.
She took Ronan’s hand, shaking it. “Ronan.”
She tried a smile but it felt forced. Axel’s hand warmed her waist from behind and she moved with a barely perceptible motion back into the comfort of his touch. She could still feel his passionate kiss on her lips, as she tried to clear her thoughts, noticing Ronan carried a small digital camcorder.
She stiffened, realizing what must be on it.
“You want coffee?” Axel asked Ronan over her shoulder.
Ronan shook his head. “I’m good, but thanks.”
“Let’s sit at the kitchen table,” Axel said, and his voice sounded tired. It was a stark contrast from moments before they’d opened the door and let Ronan in.
Axel’s hand pressed her back as though to urge her toward a kitchen chair, but she stalled, not moving. “There’s video on that camera,” she stated, then she looked over her shoulder at Axel. His features were tight with obvious stress. “It’s video of them ... together?” she asked.
He nodded solemnly. She quickly looked away, surprised at the burn of tears she had to fight back. Then she scooted from Axel’s hand at the small of her back. “I’m not going to look at that proof.”
She walked out of the kitchen without further explanation. She made it halfway down the hallway before Axel’s hand curled over her waist, stopping her. She wiped at her tears and turned to press her back into the wall, dislodging Axel’s hold, as she looked to the side of him.
“Liv ...” he started to say.
“Don’t tell me ...” she interrupted him. “That I need to see that video to prove it.”
She heard him sighing heavily and she saw his hand on the wall beside her, so she knew he was leaning over her.
“I’ll look at it for both of us,” Axel said.
“No,” she exclaimed, grabbing his shirt to hold him from turning away. She finally looked up at him. “That’s not fair. I didn’t leave so you would do it.” She paused, searching his features and seeing the pain. “I don't think either of us needs to watch it,” she whispered.
His hand came down from the wall and cupped her face with his thumb brushing at the tears drying on her cheek. He shook his head and she gripped his shirt tighter.
“Why?” she demanded. “If Ronan says there is evidence, we don’t need to see it.”
“I just need to see it,” he admitted softly. “I understand if you don’t.”
It felt as if a chasm was opening up between them. She knew it was unreasonable, but before they were becoming a team; us against them. They were together. Now they were splitting ... and it hurt. So she couldn’t see any good would come from seeing the video. It would only tear agony through both of them.
She wanted to tell him she thought he was making a mistake, but she realized she didn’t even know him well enough to offer such advice. And here she’d been kissing him as though they did know each other.
She moved away from his hand cupping her face. “I need to go anyways.”
He looked curious for a moment, as though he’d missed something, then he said, “I’ve got to talk to you about a few things. I’ll tell Ronan to cool it for a few minutes.”
She couldn’t imagine what he had to talk to her about, but she didn’t want to talk. She wanted to flee away from that video and any actions it would bring. “I would feel bad making him wait. Can’t you just call me later and we can talk on the phone.”
She started to scoot toward the bedroom she’d used last night.
“No, Liv,” he said. “It has to be now.” She raised her eyebrows at his firmness. “Come on into the living room for a minute, it won't take long.”
Reluctantly, Liv changed directions and followed Axel, who
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