WATCHING (25 page)

Chapter
32

****

The first thing Georgia did back at the Carterville police station
after they
’
d searched the motel parking lot with no results
was take a few minutes in the locker room to shower and change into some fresh clothing. Her arm ached, and without the supporting sling, she knew it was only going to get worse. The donated hospital scrubs were ruined, forever doomed to smell like smoke. She tossed them in the trash, but kept her pair of borrowed tennis shoes.

“
Ok, Dennis, start talking
.
”
Ana used her body to block Georgia
’
s exit from the locker room. Jules sat with arms crossed over her chest, a determined glint in her hazel eyes. She also wore a pair of borrowed coveralls
—
as did Ana
, whose room had been destroyed, as well
. They all had to roll the sleeves to free their hands and roll the legs to avoid tripping, but at least they were clean and dry
—
dressed in coveralls proclaiming they were part of crime scene clean up in garish yellow lettering across their backs.

“
About what
?
”
Georgia avoided looking at them.

“
Don
’
t play dumb, you don
’
t do it that well
,
”
Jules said as she twisted her now washed hair into a knot and secured it with her ever present pencils.

“
About what? You know about what
.
”
Ana smacked the back of Georgia
’
s head.
“
From the first moment you two met, you and Hellbrook have shot off enough flames and sparks to light a fire bigger than the one that burned tonight. Don
’
t forget
—
I was
there
when you met him
. Yet a few hours ago, I see you locked into probably one of the hottest kisses I
’
ve ever seen with none other than the
‘
cold, arrogant, son-of-a-bitch bastard
’
who has made your life a living hell for the last six months. So what gives
?
”

“
I honestly haven
’
t got a clue. He
’
s everywhere. Hard and hot, consuming. Touching me. Making me want to touch him. It
’
s weird, it
’
s different. It
’
s disconcerting
.
”
Georgia lay her head down on the wooden bench, then stared at the fluorescent lighting above her.
“
It
’
s hot
.
”

“
Exhilarating, exciting, erotic
.
”
Ana snickered.
“
Come on, we
’
ve all seen this day coming
.
”

“
What? How
?
”

“
From the moment he
first saw you
—
and I was there,
remember
—
Hellbrook has felt very
passionately
about you. In one way or another
.
”

“
Yeah. Passionate disgust, passionate resentment
.
”

“
Maybe at first,
”
Ana said.
“
But after that first week on the task force, I think that changed. He
’
d watch you
.
”

“
He still watches her
.
”
Jules widened her eyes dramatically, then batted them.
“
With those eyes
.
”

“
Yeah, making sure I didn
’
t screw up,
”
Georgia said.

“
His eyes would be drawn in your direction, and not
just
when you were talking. He
’
d say something, then glance at you to judge your reaction. And he
’
d tense when you
’
d enter a room, go on high alert. Hyper aware. Fin first pointed it out, so I started watching him. Hellbrook
’
s wanted you
—
for a long
, long
time
.
”
Ana nodded then gave Georgia a pointed look.

“
He told me he wants me now
.
”

“
Wow. Big surprise. Come on, George, you study human behavior for a living
—
what have his actions told you in the last six months
?
”
Jules stood then looked down at Georgia from one side of the bench. Ana moved to the other, leaving Georgia staring up at her two closest friends.

“
I don
’
t know
,
”
Georgia said.
“
I don
’
t think I
’
ve let myself look at him too closely, honestly
.
”

“
Why is that
?
”
Ana asked.

“
Because I was afraid. He
’
s big, overwhelming, makes me feel small and defenseless. I
hate
that. I
’
m not defenseless, haven
’
t let myself be in nearly sixteen years. And I don
’
t like that he makes me feel that way. I
’
m not sure why he makes me feel like that, or why a part of me may actually
like
it. Bryan never made me feel like that
.
”

“
So you fight Hellbrook. In some way or form, you fight against him,
”
Ana said.

“
Yes. Even if it
’
s by keeping a wall between us. I haven
’
t confronted him about leaving me behind; I haven
’
t looked, prodded, our relationship closely for some reason
.
”

“
Because you
’
re scared of what you
’
ll find. Scared of what he makes you feel,
”
Ana said. Jules just listened.
“
Because deep down, I think you have been physically attracted to him for a long time. I
’
ve watched you too, you know. You admire what he
’
s accomplished, you enjoy his conversation
—
even with others. And what woman wouldn
’
t want to touch a man like Hellbrook
? One that
’
s alive, anyway. And George—you
’
re definitely alive!
”

“
Why didn
’
t you say something
?
”
Georgia asked.
“
If it was that obvious
?
”

“
I didn
’
t think you were ready to hear it. I think you needed to hide behind that wall you erected between the two of you, because you are afraid of Hellbrook. Afraid of what potentially could happen between the two of you. And you won
’
t admit it, but you do tend to hide when things scare you. At least emotionally
.
”
Ana offered her a hand and Georgia took it. She sat up.

“
No,
”
Georgia said, though she felt her face heat at the lie.

“
George..
.
”
Jules nodded.
“
You do
.
”

“
Yes,
”
Ana said.
“
Question is
—
what are you going to do about it, now that you know
?
”

Georgia didn
’
t have a clue.

***

Hell had just finished showering and changing into ill-fitting borrowed clothing when Dan and Brockman cornered him in the locker room. Both men had serious expressions on their faces. Hell chose forthrightness.
“
You
’
re angry
.
”

“
Damned straight
.
”
Dan shifted his weight from foot to foot. He did that whenever truly angry. It was his inherent desire to fight battles. Dan was one hell of an old warrior. A protective warrior who fought for those he cared about.

“
Kissing Edward Dennis
’
s daughter in the midst of a crowd of agents was not the smartest thing you could have done, my friend
.
”
Brockman was much more temperate, though Hell could see a mix of resignation and humor on the other man
’
s face.

“
I don
’
t want to see my girl hurt,
”
Dan said.
“
Georgia-
”

“
What
’
s between us is our business
.
”
Hell wouldn
’
t take advice about the situation between him and Georgia, even from men he considered his friends.

“
Not entirely. We care about her,
”
Brockman said.
“
Georgia has struggled, probably more than she will ever admit, with forming her own identity within the Bureau and in our division. What would it do to her to forever be linked with you? What would the ramifications of a relationship be? I can guarantee that is something she will have to consider. More her than you
—
we
all
know that
’
s the way it works
.
”

Hell thought before replying, knowing the man had something of a point.
“
I know. I should have waited. God, do you think I planned on this
?
”

“
I don
’
t know what you think. I do know how you hurt her these past few months. I know she
’
s been planning on leaving
.
”
Dan hesitated as he said this and Hell
’
s attention sharpened. Did the other man know more about Georgia
’
s plans then Hell did?

“
I don
’
t want her to leave. I know she
’
s planning on it
.
”
Hell looked across the bullpen as the woman in question walked in with her friends. All three women looked ridiculously small in their borrowed jumpsuits. Vulnerable and defenseless, though he knew they weren
’
t. Ana Sorin was an expert martial artist, for one thing.
As was Georgia.
And both Georgia and Dr. Bellows were federally trained agents. Neither was defenseless. But to look at them was not to know that. Georgia watched him
, her dark eyes going immediately to him when she entered the room
, and he paused for a moment, watching her in return.
“
I don
’
t want that
.
”

“
And what in the
hell
were you thinking a few minutes ago
—
kissing her in the middle of local LEOs and other agents. Did you not think about either of your careers? Especially hers, she
’
s younger, less seniority
.
”
Dan kicked up again, his words echoing those Hell had already replayed for himself.
“
If it got around how she was acting with her supervisor
—
especially while on a case? Do you know what kind of flack she would face
—
especially if you
’
re not serious about this
?
”

“
I don
’
t care what anyone else thinks,
”
Hell said. But that wasn
’
t true. He cared what
she
thought. That thought had him tensing. Since when had her opinion become paramount?

“
But it
’
s not just you
to consider
, now is it
?
”
Brockman asked, before the three women arrived at their small circle.