Tamed by Love (Agent Lovers Series Book 2) (23 page)

***

When they walked into the house, Jeff and Terence were waiting for them in the entry. Neither of them said a word, but their looks couldn’t have been more reproachful. The women’s outfits were scrutinized from head to toe. Liz felt like she was in front of a tribunal.

Gray and Chris went into the office. After a disappointed shake of his head, Jeff followed them while Terence continued to look at Jennifer and Liz.

After the office door had been closed, Terence said, “Did you two really not know how risky it was for you to engage in such conduct?” His tone revealed how deep his disappointment ran. When Liz tried to answer him, he held up a hand. “No, not yet! No excuses. Gray and Chris are doing everything in their power to bring an extremely difficult situation under control. And all you can do is to get yourselves into trouble and create more problems than they already have.” He looked from one woman to the other. “Why do you keep putting yourselves in danger; you and your unborn children? Don’t they mean anything to you?” he asked in amazement.

“But…,” Liz began again and tried to explain to him why they had done it and what they had found out and that they hadn’t been in danger at any point.

“You don’t owe me an explanation, but you owe one to your husbands. I sincerely doubt they’re in any shape to listen to you right now.” With a last disappointed glance, he went into the kitchen. After the scare, he needed something stronger than just a simple cup of coffee.

Liz sighed and looked at Jennifer. “It looks like they’re really pissed.”

“Yeah. Quite a bit this time.”

“Maybe we can calm the waves by telling them what we found out. If they would even listen to us and hear us out.”

“Hopefully. I can’t stand these reproachful looks anymore; they’re even spoiling my appetite. We were just trying to help.”

“Of course. And none of them appreciate it.”

Together they went into the lion’s den.

***

Gray looked up from his monitor when Liz and Jennifer entered the room and then he turned right back to his work. He wasn’t in the mood to deal with his wife yet. She had put herself and their unborn child in danger without giving any thought to his feelings. This had hurt him a lot.

“Gray? There’s something I have to say to you,” Liz began and was interrupted before she could finish.

“Not now!”

“But it’s about…”

“I said
not now
, Liz!” He glowered at her before he looked away “I’m furious … No! Not just furious. I’m seething. So it would be best if you left me in peace until my anger blows over, unless you want me to take it out on you. And I’ll do that if I hear another fucking word!”

Liz and Jennifer withdrew hastily and closed the door behind them.

“Whew! This isn’t good at all. Chris and Jeff didn’t even look up; they seem so pissed.”

“I think it would really be better if we tried later. Hopefully they’ll be more receptive.” Jennifer agreed with Liz and followed her up the stairs.

***

Liz eventually got tired of waiting for Gray. She and Jennifer had been thrown out of the office four hours ago and he hadn’t emerged since. And yet she really did have something important to tell him. Maybe what they found out wasn’t much, but still it was something. She thought for a while about the initials E.T.

What had one of the prisoners said earlier? Oh yeah, Eddie. So Eddie T. That didn’t help in any way, because, as far as she knew, none of their colleagues were named Eddie. And Banks wasn’t a direct associate who worked with the TDAs. She had closely watched how he rolled his eyes when the prisoner under his foot had roared “Eddie.” Probably Banks felt as if things had gone from bad to worse. First he had let Liz rope him into going along with her plan and then the guy had said his name during the interrogation. Liz grinned. Eddie was always good for a laugh. Quickly she got back on track. Eddie. Eddie T. Hm. Several people had a T as the first letter of their last name. A dead end? Maybe. But maybe not.

If only Gray would finally come, then she could tell him what she had learned. But no! He’d rather continue to sulk in his office like a child. Liz tilted her head, pulled her legs under the blanket and put her hands behind her head while she continued to dwell on her situation.

Gray had a right to be mad because she had taken a certain amount of risk when she walked into the holding cell to interrogate the prisoners, but after all, she had had the SEALs with her. Besides that, nothing happened. And the baby was fine. The guys hadn’t gotten within an arm’s length of her. They didn’t have a chance.

Grinning, she placed a hand on her belly. Your father should have calmed down long ago; she carried on a silent conversation with the baby. He certainly knew how she was. Somewhat impulsive. She would just get him to think of other things later and he would, as usual, condone everything she had done. Gray loved her; he couldn’t do anything else.

Eddie, E.T., Eddie. Again her thoughts circled around the unknown. She was overlooking something. But what? “Eddie. Eddie. Eddie,” Liz whispered to herself as if it would jog her memory hearing the name aloud. Then she closed her eyes and slept soundly.

***

Exhausted, Gray climbed the stairs to the second floor. The others had already gone to bed, but he had continued to work. Hours had passed since he had yelled at Liz and now he was almost sorry. But only almost. After all, she had knowingly put herself and the life of their baby at risk. Good thing nothing had happened to them. But then did something bad have to happen before she woke up and saw things as they were? Her life would be in danger until they caught the guy or guys who had stolen the files. No one knew to what extent the files had been sold further and if they were still in circulation. What that meant, was that they had to be as careful as possible to keep those involved from harm.

A sliver of light came from under the door of their bedroom and he smiled. Apparently she was still awake. Had Liz wanted to apologize and stayed awake?

His rage had blown over some time ago, but he wanted her to stew more. That’s why he had delayed coming upstairs. Now he was ready to listen to her apology. And he would forgive her. Of course. But Liz had to finally understand that he wouldn’t accept and tolerate any more escapades of this kind. Too much was at stake.

Gray went into the bedroom believing his wife would be remorsefully waiting for him. Grinning he stepped closer to the bed and looked down at Liz. She was curled up like a ball, sleeping.

The smile suddenly left his face when he heard her murmuring a name. And it was
not
his!

In two long strides he was at her side, leaned down, grabbed her shoulder and shook Liz slightly. “What did you just say?” he said, his voice strained.

His entire body was tense; he was trying so hard to get himself under control. Burning jealousy gnawed at his insides, torturing him. He wouldn’t accept that. Never. “What did you say, Liz?” he repeated and shook her again when she didn’t immediately wake up. Dazed, she looked at him and murmured sleepily, “Eddie?” Liz tried to struggle out of his tight grip, but Gray grasped her even tighter.

“Who the hell is Eddie? And how do you know him?” Gray asked furiously. When Liz shook her head in disbelief and looked at him with eyes dulled from sleep, he took this as a refusal to answer him.

No one would take Liz away from him and get away with it. No one! She was his wife and would stay his wife! With a quick movement, Gray turned her over onto her back, grabbed her shoulders with both hands and shook her again softly. “Who’s Eddie, Liz? Are you cheating on me with him?” he said between clenched teeth. Gray swore that he would hunt down the guy who dared to interfere in his marriage.

Liz squirmed in his grip trying to free herself. She pushed against his chest. “What are you doing, Gray? Let me go!” she said, confused. “Why can’t we just talk about this like normal people?” What was wrong with him? She couldn’t understand why he had swooped down on her with rage. She had hoped his anger would have blown over by now.

Her resistance stoked his anger even more. Gray grabbed both of her wrists in one hand. Then he pulled Liz up into a sitting position, took hold of her chin with his free hand and held it tightly while his grim gaze bored into hers.

“Do you really think I’d let you cheat on me with this Eddie guy?”

Slowly it dawned on her what it was all about. Liz looked at Gray with wide eyes. He thought she was having an affair. Men! She must have been talking in her sleep. No wonder Gray reacted with such jealousy.

“You misunderstood it completely! Let me explain,” she said and again he misunderstood her reaction. Gray took it as an admission of guilt and interrupted her before she could finish.

“What is there to misunderstand? You said
his
name in your sleep! In
our
bed, damn it!”

“Will you listen to me, Gray! It’s not what you think!” His pigheadedness was becoming too much for her.

“Oh yeah? What is it then? Just an accident? Is that supposed to be an excuse?”

“Will you listen to me for once you stubborn ass! Eddie’s—”

When he heard the hated name again, Gray pressed his lips together. His nostrils flared. “No. You listen to
me
! And very closely. You will never see this Eddie again.”

“But I haven’t—”

“I’m talking now, damn it! You will never see him again and I will never hear his name from you again.”

“But it really isn’t what you think, Gray! Eddie’s—”

“I told you I don’t want to hear his name again!”

Liz decided she would wait until he calmed down to tell him. He needed to let off steam.

“And since when are you interested in what I think anyway? I’ll make it easier for you in the future, so you know exactly what
I
want.
I
call the shots here! Let’s make that perfectly clear. I will hunt down anyone who even
thinks
about taking you away from me. You belong to me! That baby inside you is mine! And one thing is damn certain: I’ll defend and keep what’s mine!”

Suddenly Liz’s hands were free and Gray disappeared. A loud bang resounded through the room when the door slammed shut behind him.

Liz sank back in the pillows and rubbed her wrists lost in thought. A smile appeared on her face. She had never guessed Gray could be so jealous. Full of anticipation about his apology when he realized his mistake, she snuggled down deeper into the pillows and pulled the thin blanket over her body again. She chuckled at the thought of how contrite he would be the next morning when he found out the truth. Serves him right. He should have let her finish talking. Until then, she would let him stew without remorse. With a sigh, Liz closed her eyes and fell back asleep.

With a moan, Gray sat up on the couch. His head pounded as if he has been hit with a sledge hammer. Why the hell had he drowned his frustrations in alcohol? Not a good idea at all!

He sighed, closed his eyes and held his head in his hands. As if they didn’t already have enough problems! Did a man have to turn up now, at the worst time, to challenge him for his wife? Now Gray had to add another problem to his long list.

And yet, he thought, Liz loved him. How could she turn to another man? Especially now that she was pregnant! Gray didn’t understand the world anymore. How the hell had she even been able to meet another guy, and, when would she have had the time? Gray desperately needed some strong coffee, aspirin and a cold shower. And in exactly that order.

As if on cue, Jeff appeared with two cups in his hands, discovered the empty bottle and the glass on the table and gave Gray a sympathetic look. “Bad night, huh?”

“You can say that again. No. Not again. Otherwise my head will burst,” said Gray as he took the cup of hot coffee. Slowly he drank the strong brew and felt his spirits returning.

“How did you end up here anyway? And in this condition?” Jeff sat down in the leather chair and draped his legs over the armrest while sipping his coffee.

“It’s Liz’s fault.”

“She banned you from your bedroom?” Jeff asked chuckling.

“No,” said Gray and stared absently into his cup. “She let someone else in.”

Jeff swallowed, coughed and his eyes grew large. Then he sat up, leaned forward and asked, “Who? And when?”

“I don’t have any idea when it could have happened, but I know his first name. I’ll get the rest and then heaven help him, he won’t get any mercy from me,” he said and looked grimly at Jeff. Gray was pretty sure that Banks, the SEAL, was the Eddie she was talking about. But he wanted to be absolutely certain before he did anything.

Jeff took his word for it, the way Gray was scowling. He felt sorry for whoever had made a play for Liz. He thought it might be best to distract Gray from his thoughts of revenge. After all, Jeff had received good news from Chris. Even if he wasn’t happy with their approach, Jennifer and Liz had found a clue. “By the way, there’s news. Your wife and Jennifer apparently got a good clue from the guys we brought in. I’m assuming they had to push them around a bit, but what the hell.”

Gray’s curiosity was piqued. “What did they find out?” Gray was happy to have the distraction.

“They squeezed a name out of them: Eddie, Eddie T. I don’t exactly know what I should make of it, but maybe we really are a little further.” Suddenly Jeff noticed that Gray had turned even paler, if that was possible. “What’s wrong? Do you feel sick?”

“I definitely do now!” Gray said and kicked himself.

“What do you mean by that?” Jeff asked irritated.

“Apparently last night I really screwed things up.”

“How’s that?”

“This Eddie you spoke of. Liz said his name in her sleep.”

Gray looked at Jeff with raised eyebrows and after thinking about it for a minute, Jeff understood what Gray was trying to say. His eyes widened, his expression one of disbelief, and he opened and closed his mouth several times before bursting into boisterous laughter, and he didn’t calm down for quite a while. “No!” he said, still laughing. “Do you serious believe that Liz … No! I don’t believe it!”