Eli pinched his nose, massaging the tension between his eyes. “So your hunch was correct. It looks like Banner isn’t involved.”
A sound at the doorway drew his attention. Kay peered around the doorjamb.
“Tank, I have to go. Let me know as soon as you find something.”
“Wait, boss. Have you decided when we’re doing our test? You know, the bait and switch? Matt and I are both free starting tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow it is, then. In the morning.” He ended the call and put his phone back in his pocket. “Hey. You can come in.”
She didn’t come any closer. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to interrupt.”
“You’re not.”
“I just wanted to apologize again.”
Eli took a step closer, hoping she wouldn’t run away. “I’m the one who should apologize. I never meant for this to happen.”
“It was my fault. I’m the one who invaded your privacy. At least I know what she was talking about now.”
“Who?”
“Carly,” she whispered.
Eli held in a curse. Of course. She’d been different yesterday, edgy and irritable. Why hadn’t he thought that Carly would say something? It honestly hadn’t occurred to him she’d be so reckless. There was nothing to indicate that Kay was anything other than a client. Carly was usually very discreet, which was part of why she was such a great assistant.
But she was also a woman used to getting her way.
“Look, I don’t know what Carly said to you, but I’m sure it was meant to scare you off.”
“She said that you’d get tired of my good-girl routine and come back to her. She said that if you hadn’t let me into your room, then I didn’t really know you. That only she could give you what you really need.”
“She’s wrong,” Eli said. “The reason I’m not with Carly is because she couldn’t give me what I need. Because what I need is you.”
Her face fell. “I’m not what you need. Clearly.”
“Please don’t say that.”
“I just need some time. To think about things. This is a little overwhelming.”
“I know. Take all the time you need. First, though, I need to tell you something. It’s about Timothy Banner.”
Kay nodded shakily. “What about him?”
“We just found out he’s running for office as the first openly gay conservative. We thought it was possible he might be behind all this since he’s running on a family-values platform. However, he’s obviously not courting the usual conservative votes. Tank talked to him and he seems to have no ill will toward you.”
“What? Tim is running for office? And he’s gay?” Kay temporarily seemed to forget her fear of Eli because she moved to the couch and sank down.
“So, you didn’t know?”
“No, I had no idea. About any of it. I guess that explains a lot.” She looked down at her hands.
Eli sighed. She looked so lost that he hated what he was about to do. So many people had already lied to her and here he was about to do the same thing. But now that their best lead had evaporated, their next best bet was Sasha. He needed to know if she could be trusted.
“I know things are a little strange right now, but we’re going home tomorrow. I need to meet with someone in that area, so you’ll get a chance to visit with your family. Matt will stay with you while you’re there.”
“When are we going?”
“Tomorrow. First thing in the morning.”
She didn’t answer, so he left her there sitting alone. She wasn’t ready to talk to him, and he was willing to give her space. The only thing he could do for her now was figure out this mystery. Once she was free, she could decide what she wanted to do with an open heart.
KAY WAITED UNTIL she heard the bedroom door close, then got up and went back to her room. Her head was spinning from all the impossible things she’d seen and heard that morning. Her ex-boyfriend and the father of her child was gay? Eli, her sweet, gentle warrior, had some kind of scary torture chamber hidden in his closet?
Everything she thought she knew was a lie. Either that or she’d just been walking around with blinders on. Neither option was all that comforting.
Despite the fact that it was only seven o’clock in the morning, she dialed Sasha’s number. Since they’d been in hiding, Eli had asked her to limit her phone calls. But she decided this counted as an emergency. Finding out that the man she was in love with had a closet full of whips and chains was worth bucking the rules to call her best friend.
“It’s too early,” Sasha’s voice sounded like she was hungover. Her friend could be something of a party girl, so Kay figured it was a distinct possibility.
“Wake up, Sasha. I need your help.”
“Wait, what? What do you need?”
“I need an intervention. Or a rescue.”
Sasha sounded slightly more alert when she asked, “Aren’t you with Eli? You’re already being rescued.”
“Well, I need a rescue from my rescue,” Kay snapped. “I need something.”
“Okay, what has got you so worked up? The last time we talked, you were floating on a cloud of orgasmic bliss. What did he do?”
Kay sank down on the mattress and buried her face in her hands. “It wasn’t what he did. It was what I found. In his closet.”
“Oh boy. That’s the kind of sentence that never ends well. What did you find? Naked photos of his last girlfriend?”