Way of the Shadows (Shadow Agents #8)(40)
Author: Cynthia Eden

“Thomas was at the hospital because he needed to see you. He even went in your room, but you didn’t recognize him. You didn’t know him at all.”

Those words had her breath catching.

“Maybe Thomas told you he’d watched you over the years, but I don’t think you realize…quite how much. When your mother died, he was at the funeral. When your father passed, he was at the nursing home. When you graduated from college, he was in the audience. When you went on your first case with the FBI, he was shadowing you.”

She could only shake her head. That made no sense to her. “Why?”

“Because fifteen years ago, Thomas Anthony met a girl in the woods. A girl he said was the bravest, strongest person he’d ever met. He told me the girl was hurt and scared, but she kept fighting to survive, no matter what.”

She looked away from Mercer. She didn’t want him reading the expression in her eyes.

“Because fifteen years ago…” Mercer said again. “I think a twenty-two-year-old agent fell in love with that girl. With her strength and her courage, and he couldn’t bear to imagine her alone in the world. He wanted to keep her safe. To watch over her. So he did, in his way, and with every year that passed, every day that he watched her prove again and again just how strong she was, I think he fell for her even more.”

No, no, that couldn’t be true. “He would’ve said something to me.”

Mercer laughed at that.

Her head whipped back around toward him. She could never remember hearing Mercer laugh.

“Thomas Anthony is a good agent. One of the best I’ve ever seen, but that man doesn’t connect easily with others. He keeps his emotions to himself.”

“Then how do you know—”

“Because you’re not the only one who is good at reading people. And if you weren’t so blinded by your own feelings, you’d see that Thomas Anthony would die in an instant, if it meant keeping you safe. He’d lie, he’d kill, he’d cheat. He’d do anything for you.”

Her heart was thundering in her chest. “Why are you telling me this?” Now?

“Because the mission ends in just a few hours. When we board the plane, that’s the end for your partnership with Thomas Anthony.”

Noelle shook her head. “But the EOD—”

“Oh, don’t worry about us. We’ll always be around.” He gave a little nod. “But your period as an EOD liaison from the FBI, that’s over.”

It was the last thing she’d expected. “You’re firing me?”

His lips twitched. “No. I brought you on because I thought being around Anthony would stir some memories, and if that didn’t work, I thought, well…” His words trailed away. But surely, Bruce Mercer wasn’t suggesting he’d tried to play matchmaker for her and Thomas? Mercer was a power player. Not some closet romantic who—

“You deserve some happiness. So does he.” Mercer rubbed his chin. “I’m not saying I won’t be using you again. You’re the best profiler I’ve ever come across, but in the future, you won’t be partnered with Anthony. So whatever you two decide, there’s nothing at the EOD that will stand between you.” His hand dropped as he gazed at her. “The only thing between the two of you is what you put there. Ghosts from your past. Fears about your future. It’s all what you see…or what you don’t.”

He pointed down the road. “Thomas went back to the cabin you two rented. He said he was tired. Maybe you should go there and try to get a little shut-eye, too.” Then he turned and made his way back inside the sheriff’s station.

Noelle sucked in a deep gulp of air. One. Two.

Then she found herself hurrying forward. She got the keys to the extra rental truck, and she was on her way back to the cabin before she gave herself a second to think.

She parked the truck and hurried inside the cabin. She opened her mouth to call out to Thomas, but stopped when she caught sight of him near the fireplace.

He wore only a pair of loose jogging pants. His back was to her. Strong, broad. He was moving fluidly, as his hands struck out above him and his feet lifted in a series of blurring kicks.

Martial arts. She didn’t recognize any of his moves but she’d read in his file he’d studied tae kwon do, jujitsu, krav maga and aikido.

She shut the door behind her then leaned back against the wall and just watched him.

Admired him.

His muscles stretched. Flexed. His skin gleamed golden in the firelight. He turned to the left. Then the right. His strikes were fast and powerful.

And she kept watching.

Noelle wasn’t sure how much time passed, but after a while, Thomas turned to slowly face her. His eyes seemed to reflect the fire.

“What was…?” She stopped, cleared her throat and tried again. “What was that?”

“Choong-Jang, a black belt form for tae kwon do.” He rolled back his shoulders and regarded her with a locked jaw.

“Does that…help you relax?”

“Sometimes.” He shook his head and took a step toward her. “Not this time.”

She tensed. Mercer’s words seemed to echo through her mind. She wanted to ask Thomas if the EOD director’s story was true. Had Thomas really been there, in the background for so much of her life?

She stopped less than a foot away from him. Helplessly, her gaze slid over his body. The man had a truly magnificent chest. So muscled. Strong.

“The scars will always be there.”

Her gaze jerked up to his face. “I wasn’t looking at your scars.” She’d been more focused on the muscles.

His laughter was rough. “They slide all across me. It’s hard to miss them.”

“I think I was distracted by other things,” she murmured, aware her cheeks were stinging.

One dark brow rose.

She tried to pull in a steadying breath. It didn’t work so much. Noelle didn’t feel steady at all. She was nervous. Tense. And…

“We go back to D.C. soon,” she blurted.

He nodded.

“Mercer told me that my job as an FBI liaison with the EOD is done. For now, anyway.”

That news had him frowning. “You’re leaving?”

I don’t want to leave him.

“How often have you watched me?” The question slipped from her.

His hand rose to stroke her cheek. “I don’t want to scare you. I never want to do that.”

She turned her head and kissed his palm. She felt the tension thicken around them. “You don’t.” The darkness that clung to him had never frightened her. The power he possessed just made her feel safe because Noelle knew he’d protect her.