“He has a right to know about the call,” Maisey added stubbornly.
“Provided he’s not the one who made the call.” Jinx’s voice was carefully expressionless. “Granted, I don’t know everything that went down in that closed-door meeting last night, but Odin did give me a few of the highlights this morning.” He sniffed. “Just because a man says he’s innocent, doesn’t mean he is. Just because a man pretends to be in love…doesn’t mean he is.” He inclined his head toward Odin. “Your girl is too trusting. It’s a good thing you’re not.”
No, Odin wasn’t the trusting sort. His thoughts had already dipped along the same path about Ramsey. “Maisey, it’s awfully convenient that call—basically a proof of life call—came right after we had our meeting with Ramsey.”
Her lower lip trembled. “You think she’s dead.”
“I think it’s convenient,” he repeated. “I also think things are about to get a whole lot more intense. From where I stand, Clay and Ramsey are our lead suspects. They know we’re hunting, and it’s time to step it up even more.” He wanted her to be ready for what would come. “If I had the option, I’d send you someplace safe with Jinx. I’d get you out of the way while I learned the—”
“Get me out of the way?” Her voice had risen. A lot.
Jinx whistled. “Wrong thing to say. Typical you.” He glanced at Maisey. “Let me translate. Odin is worried about you. If something happens to your sexy self, he will lose his shit. When that happens, when Odin goes off book, bad things happen.” A shrug. “So, judging by your expression, going to a safe house is off the table?”
“Off,” Maisey affirmed. “Way, way off.”
“Then you need to make sure that you follow orders to the letter. When things get intense, you do what Odin says. Hell, it’s what I do.” A roll of one shoulder. “And Odin has saved my hide more times than I can count.”
Her gaze darted back to Odin. “I won’t be put aside. I am in this with you.” An exhale. “But I can follow orders. It’s not like I want to get hurt. You’re the professional. I get it. I’ll follow your lead, but I won’t be cut out of the investigation.”
Jinx clapped his hands together. “Fabulous. We’re in agreement. So, I’ll go and snoop on Clay, and the two of you will tackle the college and we’ll catch the bad guy and everything will turn up roses.”
Yeah, Odin didn’t think things were gonna be that easy.
But Jinx walked out.
Maisey stayed there, staring up at Odin. “You saved his hide?” she finally asked.
“We saved each other. It’s what you do.” When you’re in war zones and the world is exploding around you.
“He was…Delta, with you?”
Jinx had been many things. “Classified.” That was the truth when it came to him. “I can’t tell you. I’m sorry.”
She peered toward the closed balcony door. “He doesn’t seem serious enough for classified work.”
“Jinx is hell on wheels in the field. Don’t let appearances fool you.”
Her attention shifted back to him. “I’m not too trusting.”
Uh, yes, she was.
“I trust you,” Maisey said after she did a little nibble on her lower lip. “And I’ll trust Jinx, if you vouch for him. But I know the world is dangerous. I know dangerous people are out there.” A long exhale. “I won’t take unnecessary risks, okay? But I need to be in this. I need to help. I get that you’re in charge, and I’ll follow orders.”
Would she? He wasn’t so sure. But before they left his place… “I think some instruction is in order.”
“Instruction?”
“Yes, you keep asking for some tricks, so I’ll show you a few.” He turned away. Headed inside. Heard her hurry to follow him. He waited just inside the door, and when Maisey came in—
Odin pounced. He grabbed her in an instant and shoved her back against the nearest wall. He held her easily. One of his legs was between hers so she couldn’t knee him in the groin, and with one hand, he’d chained both of her wrists over her head.
“What are you doing?” Maisey’s voice was breathless.
“Far too trusting,” he muttered. “Baby, you never know who will attack…”
“Odin?”
“I want you to hurt me.”
“Excuse me?” She jerked beneath his hold. He didn’t let her go.
“Or try to hurt me,” he amended. “We don’t have a lot of time, but we need to go over some quick and dirty techniques.”
“Quick and dirty? Now?”
“Right now.” His right hand moved to her throat. His fingers curled over her. “I’ve got you. Pretend I’m the bad guy. What would you do? How would you get away?”
“Odin, look, I don’t like this—”
“You want to waltz right into danger.” Anger hummed through him. A fear that he didn’t want to acknowledge. “You want to put yourself out there when we know the perp is focused on you. Then you damn well better show me what you’ve got. If he comes at you, if something happens and I’m not there…what the hell will you do?”
Chapter Thirteen
“I’m not helpless.” Is that what he thought?
“No?” Odin’s eyes glittered at her. “Compared to me, you sure seem that way. I had you against the wall in seconds.”
“That’s because I didn’t expect you to grab me!” She’d thought they were about to leave the condo.
“Not like the perp will announce his intentions, sweetheart.”
Her heartbeat doubled. “Do you mean that?”
“Hell, yes, I mean it. He won’t tell you he’s going to attack. You have to be ready. And, dammit, yes, I do think you’re too trusting. You don’t know the shit I’ve done. You don’t know the blood on my hands.” His gaze dropped to the hand around her throat. “If you did, you wouldn’t let me touch you.”
“I like it when you touch me,” she snapped back.
His gaze burned. “And I fucking like having my hands on you.”
He had to feel the frantic racing of her pulse beneath his fingers.
“But right now, I want to see what you’ve got. I want to know that if we get separated, you at least know one or two moves that will help you get that sweet ass of yours to safety.”
“First, thanks for calling it sweet. I appreciate that.”
He blinked.
“Second, you want to know what I’d do? Fine.” Maisey considered her options. “To try and get out of this hold, I’d slam my head into your nose. You’re leaning down toward me, you’re in my range, so I would hit you as hard as I could.”
He raised one brow.
“That’s how I’d attack. If it was someone else holding me this way. Not you. I-I don’t want to break your nose.” She rather liked his nose. His whole face. Him.
“You wouldn’t break it.”
He shouldn’t be so sure. “I’d hit you in the nose with my head. You’d stumble back, and I’d get away.” She’d seen that move in plenty of movies. There. Done. She wiggled her fingers. It was time for him to let her go.