Page 27 of Shadow

“It was informative.”

“Informative.”

“I liked watching how you handle pressure.”

Well, she certainly didn’t dance around. No excuses here. “And?”

Her gaze dropped to his bandaged forearm. “How many stitches?”

“Twelve.”

“Could have been worse.”

“Could have been better.”

Her mouth twitched. Almost a smile. The expression softened her features for half a second before the professional mask slid back into place. “Michael said you always play hero.”

“Michael talks too much.”

“He’s worried about you.”

“Everyone’s worried about me. I’m fine.”

Her eyebrow twitched.

“Look.” He leaned forward, elbows on the table. “I get that you might not trust me. Martha Lintz had federal protection and died anyway. You have questions. So do I.”

She didn’t respond. Just watched, as if trying to see through him.

“So here’s what I’m offering,” he continued. “I’ve spent the last eighteen months gathering intelligence on the Shadow Syndicate. I know their operations, their personnel, their methods. I know how they think and how they move. That intelligence can keep Roger and Destiny alive.”

“Or get them killed if you’re feeding it to Draven Frost.”

There it was.

The accusation he should have known was coming.

Asher didn’t flinch. “If I wanted them dead, I wouldn’t have tried to save Martha Lintz. Wouldn’t have risked blowing my—” He caught himself. “Wouldn’t have risked my career by interfering.”

“Maybe you interfered to look like a hero.”

His jaw tightened. “You think I got Martha’s blood on my hands for theater?”

“I think people do a lot of things when they’re desperate.”

“I’m not desperate.”

“No?” She tilted her head. The movement sent a strand of auburn hair sliding across her cheek. She tucked it back behind her ear without breaking eye contact. “You look desperate to me.”

The words were a punch.

Because she was right.

He was desperate.

Desperate to end this. Desperate to put the syndicate in the ground. Desperate to walk out of the shadows into light.

Desperate to have someone—anyone—look at him like he was worth trusting.