Page 44 of Untamed Sinner

I've been compromised since the moment she walked into my life.

“Don’t worry.” Luke points his fork at me. “Mason erased all the footage of you guys that we collected, and he made sure it was deleted from Turner’s cams as well, in case they’re being monitored.”

I nod. “Thank you.”

"See? You know we’re good teammates, and we're offering help," Luke says, his tone serious now. "No charge. No strings. Blackthorn takes care of its own, and Mandy's Lily's sister. That makes her family."

Mandy's expression flickers—surprise and then vulnerability before she masks it with her usual snark. "Family, huh? You guys need to up your standards.”

“Too late. You’re already in.” Luke winks at her. “But we’ll think twice about Archie.”

I roll my eyes.

Luke finishes off the mound of food like he walked here from Blackthorn. Taking his plate to the sink, he rinses it off and sets it to dry. "If you change your mind about backup, you know where to find us." He pushes off the counter, heading for the door. "And Hendricks?"

"Yeah?"

“For a guy who’s impossible to read, you’re broadcasting like a fucking radio station right now.”

Before I can answer, he’s out the door. I hear the front door close behind him, and I'm left in the kitchen with Mandy, who's looking entirely too pleased with herself.

I raise my brow. "Archibald?"

She chortles. "It suits you."

"No, it doesn’t."

Looking smug, she leans back in the chair, stretching her arms over her head, which makes the shirt ride up and reveal her sleek thighs. "Watching you get all tense and growly when I call you something is just plain fun."

The playfulness drains out of me like someone pulled a plug. "If Mason tracked us, we're exposed."

The shift in tone lands. I watch her register it—the way her smile fades, the way her arms lower. She's still stretched out in my shirt, bare legs crossed at the ankle, but the smugness is gone.

I move to the window, checking the sightlines out of habit. I rotate my shoulders, but the tightness doesn’t ease. I'm furious—not at Luke or Mason. At myself. I got distracted and let my fixation on her compromise operational security. I didn't sweep for surveillance after Turner's house, didn't check for tails. I didn't run counter-surveillance protocols because I was too busy white-knuckling my way through the drive home while she asked me about her fucking panties.

Amateur hour.

Now we're sitting in a safe house that isn't safe anymore.

"Hendricks."

I don't turn around. "What?"

"Maybe it's a good thing."

That gets my attention. I look at her over my shoulder.

She's sitting up now, elbows on the table, eyes sharp. "If Mason found us," she says slowly, "then maybe Ashford's people can too. Maybe whoever ransacked Turner's house is already looking. Maybe instead of chasing answers, we let them come to us."

I turn fully, crossing my arms. "You want to use yourself as bait."

"I want to use us as bait." She tilts her head. "You're the one Ashford hired. I'm the one he wants. If someone's watching, they'll make a move eventually. When they do, we'll be ready."

It's not a bad plan. It's actually tactical. But it also means staying here, in this house, with her wearing my shirt and sleeping down the hall while we wait for someone to try to kill us.

"You're assuming they'll come," I say.

"They will." Her voice is certain.