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case.”
    Clayton made a sound of displeasure. “And as a dupe, my own people assigned me to two women that I was told needed protection.”
    “Obviously, we did need it, because one of us was murdered,” she reminded him, then paused. “I’m sorry I had to lie to you.”
    “Not as sorry as I am. I hate being lied to, especially by people that I’m supposed to trust.” However, he immediately added a sound of dismissal. “Old baggage rearing its head. But it still comes into play here.”
    She knew a little about his old childhood baggage, from the notorious Rocky Creek Children’s Facility, which was now closed. Had been for sixteen years. She also knew his mother had died giving birth to him and that his father, Melvin Larson, had literally abandoned him at the facility when he was eleven. All of that had come out when they’d talked in bed after their fast and furious bout of sex.
    Too bad her memories of that were crystal clear.
    She could remember every last detail of that night. The raw pain from losing a friend and fellow agent. The comfort she’d found in Clayton’s arms. The pleasure, too. Pleasure should have been the last thing on her mind that night, but she’d felt plenty of it anyway. Thanks to Clayton.
    “Lies like that are usually unnecessary,” he tossed out to her.
    “You lied to the minister to find me,” Lenora tossed right back at him.
    He gave her that riled look again, like the one he’d given her in the diner. “I didn’t lie to deceive. I lied to find you so I could help. Maybe now’s a good time to ask if you were planning on telling me any of this?”
    No, it wasn’t a good time to ask, but Lenora would answer it anyway. “I was waiting for you to heal and for the danger to die down.”
    He lifted his shoulder. “How the hell was the danger going to die down? You know who was responsible for putting that bullet in my head?”
    She couldn’t deny it fast enough. “No. I assumed that Riggs hired someone to do it, but I don’t have any proof.” Lenora stopped, met his gaze. “Do you?”
    Clayton didn’t answer her for several moments, but his stare continued to stab at her. At least it did until the baby kicked her and she winced a little. It wasn’t a hard kick, but she’d only been feeling movement for a few weeks and wasn’t used to it.
    “You okay?” Clayton asked.
    “Fine. The baby moved, that’s all.”
    His mouth tightened. Then relaxed. He mumbled some profanity. “I’m having a hard time dealing with this.”
    “Of course.” She didn’t dare repeat the offer she’d made to him at the diner, that she expected nothing from him. No, best not to say it aloud, but the truth was, she couldn’t expect anything from him. Because she needed him out of her life. Maybe just temporarily.
    Maybe forever.
    And that meant she needed to get on with her explanation. Besides, it was possible Clayton could actually help. She’d been hesitant to trust anyone, and maybe she was a fool for trusting him, but without this explanation, he clearly wasn’t leaving.
    “After your shooting, I wasn’t sure whom I could trust.” She slid her hand over her stomach.
    Clayton huffed. “Any of my five foster brothers would have been a good start. They’re all marshals and all capable of protecting you.”
    “But I didn’t know them, and I wasn’t sure I could trust anyone in law enforcement.”
    That eased Clayton’s glare, and he cocked his eyebrow. “Why?”
    “Because after you were shot, I tried to call my handler. My task-force leader,” Lenora corrected. She’d always hated the term handler. It made her feel like a circus animal that needed to be controlled. “His name is James Britt, and he didn’t return my call for two days.”
    Clayton stayed quiet a moment. “That’s unusual?”
    “Very, especially considering I left him a frantic message to call me immediately.” She pushed her hair from her face. “But the truth is, I was concerned about James prior