Uncovering You: The Complete Series (Mega Box Set) (284 page)

“Rich, that’s not what I said!” I argue, exasperated. “Where are you going?”

“Out. You’ve given me a lot to think about.” His eyes flash at me. They’re dark again. “Stay here. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

“Rich, wait. I’m—”
sorry
, I was going to say. He slams the door before I get the chance.

Chapter Fifteen

I pace around the tiny room, unable to sit still. My movements feel like they should be short and angry. But I can’t manage that with my rib.

I’m furious at Rich for the way he left me.
Again
. His accusation that I claimed he was like his father stung. He should know me better than to think I would go for such a low blow.

I’m angry at myself, too, for letting the words spill out of me. I know Rich has a quick temper. That’s all the more reason for me to choose my words more carefully in the heat of the moment.

I sit on the bed. After I pause, I lie back and stare at the ceiling. Why were we fighting? That’s not the way things should be. Especially now.

Rich is clearly stressed from the events of yesterday and today. I am, too. We should be supporting each other, not arguing.

How can he go from sweet and caring to brash and angry at the flip of a switch? The way he talked about the things he wants to do together in the future was touching. I never knew he thought so far ahead.

In the aftermath of all that happened after last night’s dinner, I’d nearly forgotten about the offer he made. He wants me to move to New York with him. That’s a big step. It shows how committed he is to our relationship.

Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I shouldn’t have gotten angry. But the casual way he just brought up talking to Amanda blindsided me. That’s a
big
decision. Wasn’t it part of his promise to consult me on things like that first?

I know it was. That’s the reason it upset me so much: trust.

Rich claims he trusts me. I want to trust him, too. But after a lifetime of being burned again and again by the people I should have been able to rely on, trust is a big issue for me. You’d think it would go hand-in-hand with love. Not in my case.

Do I love Rich? Absolutely. Do I trust him completely? …That’s still up for debate.

I groan and roll over. Part of this is his fault, too. If he’d just eased me into the idea of his talking to Amanda more slowly, maybe I would have been more receptive. He didn’t have to spring it on me the way he did. ‘
Oh, hey, Penny, I’m going to go sit down and have a nice, normal heart-to-heart with my bat-shit-crazy ex who tried to kill us. No big deal.’

Should I apologize when he gets back? I don’t want this causing a rift between us. Especially not now. We have enough going on in our lives without the need to add
relationship struggles
to the mix.

I grind my teeth in frustration. Why do I always have to be the one to play peacemaker? I know the answer before I even pose the question: Because I’m not stubborn as a rock.

Dammit, I love Richard, but for all his good qualities he definitely has his share of flaws. I was hoping I could work on them by now. This new development with Amanda and Victor just threw a wrench into the gears.

I push myself up with a grimace and walk to the window. I look in the direction of the hospital, where Min still is. I wonder if she has woken up yet. I hope she hasn’t—not because I don’t want her to get better, but because I don’t want her frightened when she finds she’s alone.

Some—hell, a lot—of Rich’s actions don’t make a lick of sense. Why couldn’t we have had this discussion in the hospital, closer to Min, instead of in this hotel? He said she needs our support. And given what we’ve seen Amanda and Victor are capable of, is the extra
protection
he alluded to enough? Min is completely defenseless in there.

I look at the door. Rich didn’t say when he’d be back. Already, an hour has passed. How much longer will he take?

I can’t stand waiting here anymore. I hate feeling useless. I also hate feeling like I’m at the beck-and-call of another person. Being confined in this little room reminds me of waiting for Rich in the motel back in Oregon, the morning after we were chased out of his apartment.

I get up and put my jacket on. It’s part of the attire I wore to the restaurant last night. I wish I had something else. But, it’s not like the hospital offers a complementary wardrobe when they dismiss you. I write Rich a quick note, telling him where I’ll be. I’d much rather stay with Min, where I can be of some use, than stuck in this hole.

Rich is going to be pissed when he finds me gone
, I think as I lock the door behind me. Whatever. I can withstand his anger. If that’s what I have to endure to be there for Min when she wakes up, so be it.

I walk down the long, narrow hall, absorbed in my thoughts. I’m looking at my feet, so I have only the barest amount of time to react when I turn the corner and almost bump head-first into a tall man.

“Sorry,” I mumble, looking up. “I…”

The words die on my tongue. My heart freezes in my chest. I know this man. I know his cold, beady eyes. I know his clammy, pallid complexion. I know his terrifying, slithering voice.

Tam
.

I turn and run. But not before a hand darts out and grabs my elbow. I jerk free and stumble back. My feet tangle. I fall.

Tearing pain rips through my torso. I cry out. I try to scramble up, but I can’t gather the strength. My mind is screaming at me in alarm as I desperately scuttle backwards.
Shit, shit, shit!
I should have stayed in my room. I should have—

“Penny!” I open my eyes, shocked to hear Rich’s voice. He rushes to me and goes to his knees. “Are you all right?”

Did I just mistake him for Tam? What the hell is wrong with me? “Rich, I thought…”

I trail off. No, I did not mistake him at all. Tam is
also
here, standing behind Rich. Silently observing me with his haunted eyes.

I look back at Rich in alarm. Tam is one of the bad guys. He and Victor work together. Why is he here? Why is Rich so calm about it?

“Let me help you up.” Rich hoists me by my good arm, careful not to cause undue discomfort. I stand on my own feet, but I have to lean against Rich for support. I’m too shaken to manage by myself.

Tam still hasn’t said anything. I watch, horrified, as a slow, bloodless smile curls on his lips. For the first time, I think I see a tiny spark in his eyes. Is he…
amused
?

“Richard,” I say very slowly, not taking my eyes off the other man while pressing my back into the wall to get as far away from him as possible, “Would you please tell me what
he
is doing here?”

“Penny, relax. He came with me.”

“With you?” I repeat, breathless.

“Yes. Tam has offered to help us find Victor.”

I blink, not understanding. “Why would he do that?”

“Because, dear, I am a professional,” Tam offers. His voice is just as I remember: Soft and slow. Dangerous. It sends a shiver down my spine.

“I went to RedArm,” Rich explains. “To see if Calloway could help us track down Amanda and Victor. He said he already has someone on it.” Rich looks over his shoulder to make it crystal clear who he means.

“You’re helping us now,” I say softly, looking at Tam. He watches me impassively. It’s scary how he can keep such perfect control over his emotions. “So you…
work
for RedArm? Or are you like a contractor?”

“It does not matter who I am or what I was,” Tam answers. “All there is to understand is that, now, I offer my services to you.”

“Huh.” I turn my head toward Rich. “And it’s not the least bit discomforting to you that last week, he had me tied up in a freezer?”

“To me, no,” Tam offers.

Rich takes my arm again. “Come here, Penny. I need to talk to you.” He leads me away from Tam, who calmly watches us go. We turn a corner.

“Are you insane?” I hiss at Rich as soon as we’re out of hearing. “You brought
him
here?”

“From what I understand, he’s one of the best,” Rich says.

“Rich, he tried to kidnap your sister! Not to mention everything he did to me!”

Rich’s eyes focus on me. “Everything he did to you? You weren’t supposed to be touched! Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“No, no! Not like that!” I backtrack. “I mean, the whole held-captive-in-a-chair thing.”

“Did he hurt you there??” Rich demands.

“No,” I say, “But—”

“But what?” Rich sounds like he’s getting irritated again. “Penny, if something happened to you that you didn’t tell me about…”

“It’s not that,” I say. I shiver, remembering my time in that terrifying, dark room. “Actually, Victor was the one who tried to hit me. Tam stopped him.”

Rich exhales in relief. “See? Tam’s a professional, like he said. He was doing what he was paid to do.”

“And that was?”

“Delivering Min to New York to give RedArm leverage over my father. Calloway said it himself: Nobody was supposed to be hurt. Until last night, nobody was.”

“So what?” I ask. “You’re best friends with the man who sent thugs after your sister?”

Rich lowers his voice as he looms over me. “Look, Penny. My hands are tied here. We don’t have many allies. Let’s not spit in the face of the ones we do have, hmm? Calloway has resources we can use. I
will
use them if it means keeping you and Min safe.”

“Safe?” I gesture sharply down the hall. “You call working with one of his thugs ‘safe’?”

“Victor’s the loose screw, not Tam,” Rich stresses. “And he’s not a thug. He’s ex-FBI.”

“Great,” I say. “We have a trained killer with us.”

Rich rolls his eyes. “Don’t be melodramatic. All I meant is that Tam is trained for the job. Would you rather have him with us, or against us?”

“I’d rather
not
have him at all!” I protest.

“And then what? Think, Penny! You want to try finding Victor and Amanda by ourselves? Just me and you? Oh, and I forgot! We also have to watch over Min at the same time! Come on.
Think
before you suggest these things!”

“That’s not what I meant—”

“That’s what it sounded like. We’re wasting time. Tam is here, whether you like it or not. He is going to help us, whether you like it or not. Now, you can either accept that and start being useful, or you can get out of the way.

I stiffen. “What did you just say?” I ask dangerously.

“You heard me, Penny. Are you with me, or not?”

“
With you
?” I scoff. “You promised we would be a team, Rich. So far, I haven’t seen it.”

“God, this is ridiculous,” Rich spits. “Do you know
why
I didn’t ask you, Penny? Because I knew you would bicker with me like this!”

“Then why the hell am I even here?” I snap. I start to walk away, angry at him. “Screw you, Rich. You obviously don’t need me.”

He grabs my arm and holds on tight. “Where do you think you’re going?” he growls.

“Somewhere where my presence matters. I’m going to Min.” I look at the hand holding me. “Now let go of my arm.”

“Penny, you are
not
walking out of this hotel on your own.” Rich tightens his grip. His fingers dig into me skin.”

“Rich, let
go
. You’re hurting me.”

“No,” he says, “I’m not.” He barks a crude laugh. “You have no fucking idea what it would feel like if I really wanted to hurt you.”

I can’t believe my ears. “Are you threatening me?”

“You’re being an obstinate brat, so yes, I am. I’m warning you. Don’t walk down that hallway.”

I glare at him, refusing to back down. Even though he’s so much bigger than I am, I know he’d never hurt me. Not
really
. “Who’s going to stop me?”

“Penny, why are you being so fucking difficult?”

“Why can’t
you
keep your promises?”

“I don’t believe this.” Rich shakes his head. “Are we really back to that topic again?”

“Yes!” I exclaim, ripping my arm free. The sudden movement makes my side feel like it’s being sliced in two with a hot knife. I don’t show it. “This might be a hard concept for you to grasp, Rich, but trust matters to me!”

He looks confused. “Are you saying you don’t trust me?”

“I’m saying
you
don’t trust
me
!” I shove a finger in his chest. “I’m on your side, Rich. But you never treat me as such. You never ask me what I think, or how I feel. You don’t consult with me. You just… act.”

Rich snickers. “I told you the night at the pub. It’s what you do to me.”

“So this is somehow
my
fault?”

“It’s nobody’s fault.” Rich takes both my hands and holds them together. He softens his voice. I can even see the beginning of a smile as he talks. “Why are we arguing? That’s not what I want to do.” He looks into my eyes. “Do you?”