“I remember the guy I met my first night here, the one without the pressure of running a field office or making the tough decision to protect his brother. No matter what you tell yourself, you’re a good person, Thomas.”

He looked over at me and pulled his hand away from mine, indignant. “I’m no fucking saint. If I told you the story about Camille, you wouldn’t be looking at me like that.”

“You mentioned that she’s Trent’s girlfriend. I can guess.”

He shook his head. “It’s worse than you think.”

“I’d say helping Travis avoid a prison sentence is atonement.”

“Not even close.” He stood.

I reached for him but missed. I didn’t want him to leave. I had an entire day and nothing to unpack. Now that Thomas was in my living room, he seemed to fill up the empty space. I was afraid it would feel lonely when he left.

“We can do this, you know,” I said. “Travis will be free. He can stay home with his new wife, and he’ll have a good job. It’ll all work out.”

“It’d better. God owes me one, more than one.”

He wasn’t in my living room. He was miles away from me.

“We just have to stay focused,” I said. “This has to be the best damn thing either of us has ever pulled off.”

He nodded, considering my words.

“And what about Camille?” I asked. “Do you have that handled?”

Thomas walked toward the door, putting his hand on the knob. “Another time. I think we’ve had enough truth for one day.”

When the door slammed, my shoulders flew up to my ears, and I closed my eyes. After the few decorations Sawyer had nailed to the walls the night before stopped rattling, I sat back against the couch cushions in a huff. Thomas was supposed to make it easier to hate him, and after what he’d shared with me, it was impossible.

I wondered who at the Bureau knew about his personal conflicts—with his brother and the Vegas case, and keeping his career from his family—maybe Marks, likely the S.A.C., and definitely the director.

Thomas had made me his partner on this. For whatever reason, he trusted me, and just as inexplicably, that made me want to work that much harder to wrap up this case.

Val had said before that Thomas had a loyal circle and to be careful what I said. Now, I was part of that circle, and I was curious if it was because he needed to use my talents like he did Sawyer’s or if it was just that he needed me.

I covered my face, thinking about his lips on my skin, and I knew that I was hoping for both.

Chapter Eight

“ABSOLUTELY NOT,” I said to Agent Davies.

She gritted her teeth, sitting stiffly in my office.