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“Relax,” Gage said, holding up his hands in a peaceful gesture. “We’re all on the same team, remember?”
Pierce’s hands clenched into fists at his sides, his eyes locked on Gage as if he was calculating just how long it would take to wipe that smirk off his face. Rhiannon’s grip on his arm tightened. She couldn’t afford for him to lose his temper now.
“Why are you here?”Pierce signed, his movements sharp.
Gage didn’t need Rhiannon to translate. He understood perfectly. “Same reason you are,” he said, leaning against thebanister with a lazy grin. “We’re all trying to stay alive. And for now, that means playing nice.”
“You’re with them?”Pierce signed, and Rhiannon translated without prompting.
Pierce’s eyes flicked to Ethan, who was watching the exchange with interest, his posture relaxed but ready to intervene if necessary. Trent hovered nearby, his expression unreadable, but his hand rested lightly near the gun at his belt.
“No,” Gage said. “But they offered to help keep me off Halston’s radar, and I couldn’t see a reason to turn them down.”
“We’re on your side,” Ethan insisted, stepping forward. “Whether you believe that or not, it’s the truth. Our goal is the same: taking down Halston before they can use Tectra-X. Gage has insider knowledge of Halston’s workings.”
Pierce’s expression didn’t soften. Tension radiated off him like heat waves, but for now, he kept quiet. Rhiannon knew he didn’t trust any of these men—especially not Gage. Yes, they’d formed a tentative truce against Alan while trapped, but now that they were all free? His lies felt more dangerous.
“I’ll show you to your rooms,” Trent said, breaking the silence. He scooped up a duffle bag from the floor—the same one he’d had in the hospital—and motioned for them to follow him upstairs.
“Room,”Pierce corrected.“We’re together.”
When she didn’t translate, he turned to stare at her with a hot possessiveness that made her breath stalled in her throat.
She swallowed hard, and heat rose to her cheeks. She translated, “We’ll share a room.”
Trent raised an eyebrow but shrugged. “Suit yourselves. This way.”
As they followed him up the stairs, her heart threatened to flutter right out of her chest.
The idea of sharing a room with Pierce sent a thrill through her. She all too vividly remembered how close they’d come to tearing each other’s clothes off in his hospital room before they were so rudely interrupted. She could feel the heat radiating from him as he walked close behind her, his presence both comforting and electrifying.
Trent led them to a bedroom at the end of the hallway. A queen-sized bed dominated the space, flanked by two nightstands. A dresser stood against the far wall, and heavy curtains covered the window.
“Here you go. Bathroom’s across the hall. Fresh clothes for both of you in here.” He passed Pierce the duffle bag. “Clean up and get some rest. We’ll debrief in the morning.“
As soon as Trent’s footsteps faded, Pierce shut and locked the door behind them. He dropped the duffle bag and turned to Rhiannon, his eyes dark with a mix of anger and desire.
“We can’t trust them,”he signed.“Any of them.”
She nodded and stepped closer to him. “I know,” she whispered. “But what choice do we have?”
They needed allies, even if those allies came with a lot of unanswered questions.
“Do you think we’re safe right now?”
He didn’t answer right away.“Yes. For tonight at least.”His shoulders suddenly sagged with exhaustion, the stoic facade crumbling. He ran both hands through his hair.
“Are you okay?” she asked softly, reaching out to touch his arm.
Pierce’s eyes softened as he looked at her, his hand coming up to cup her cheek. He nodded slowly, his thumb tracing her cheekbone. The tenderness of the gesture made all of her defenses crumble.
“Are you?” he signed, his brow furrowing with concern.
Rhiannon leaned into his touch, closing her eyes briefly. “I’m... I don’t know. Overwhelmed, I guess. Everything’s happening so fast.”
When she opened her eyes again, Pierce was watching her intently. His gaze dropped to her lips, and the air between them suddenly felt charged with electricity. Rhiannon’s heart raced as Pierce leaned in, pausing just inches from her face. His eyes searched hers, asking silent permission.
She answered by closing the distance herself, pressing her lips to his.
