Thomas’s expression turned severe. “We have to keep a tight lid on this.”

“Understood,” Sawyer and Val said.

They left Thomas and me alone in my office, and we stared at one another.

“You left out your key agents to protect me?” I asked.

“Marks knew.”

I tilted my head. “Marks isn’t even on this case.”

Thomas shrugged. “I can trust him.”

“You can trust Val, too.”

“Val talks too much.”

“We can still trust her.”

Thomas gritted his teeth. “I shouldn’t have to explain myself. It’s dangerous, Liis. These people we’re dealing with, if they get a hold of your name—”

“That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard,” I snapped.

Thomas blinked, surprised at my reaction.

“I can shoot a target at eighty-five yards with a twenty-two pistol, I can take down an assailant twice my size, and I deal with your arrogant ass at least twice a day. I can handle Benny, the Yakuza, and Grove. I’m not Camille. I am an agent of the FBI, same as you, and you will respect me as such. Do you understand me?”

Thomas swallowed, carefully thinking about his next answer. “I don’t think you’re weak, Liis.”

“Then, why?”

“Something happened to me when I met you.”

“We had great sex. You’re attracted to me. That doesn’t mean you shut out your best agents. That’s another reason it’s a bad idea for us to explore whatever this is,” I said, gesturing in the air between us.

“No, it’s more than that. From the very beginning…I knew.”

“You knew what?” I snapped.

“That I would have to be careful. I lost someone I loved before, and it changed me. I gave up someone I loved before, and it crushed me. I know that when you leave, Liis, however it goes down…it will end me.”

I closed my open mouth and stuttered out the next words, “What makes you think I’m going anywhere?”

“Isn’t that what you do? Run? Isn’t that your whole goal in life? To move on?”

“That’s not fair.”

“I’m not just talking about promotions, Liis. We are poking not one but two deadly mafia rings. They don’t know we’re onto Grove. If Grove finds out that you speak the language and can out him, they will see you as a problem. You know how these people are. They’re really good at erasing problems.”

“But Grove doesn’t know, and Val or Sawyer wouldn’t have told him.”

“I wasn’t going to chance it,” he said, sitting in the chair Val had previously occupied.

“So, now, we have two problems. He’s going to notice when your brother starts working for the FBI. If you want this to work with Travis, we have to get rid of Grove.”