CHAPTER 40: TRUST...

Chapter 40: Trust...

After the explosion, it was better for Danielle to go to their safe-house that was specifically prepared for such situations.

Even though she didn’t want to...technicall, there was no other choice.

When she was sitting on the couch, her knees pulled close to her chest, pretending to read a file, Danielle couldn’t stop thinking of Jackson.

’What led him to this action?’ She bit her lower lip, not being able to come up with the right answers.

Across the room, Felix was talking to one of the agents through his earpiece, even when his voice was light to Theo-he sounded like a fly, buzzing and annoying his ears.

He didn’t like the way he allowed himself to get exposed in front of Danielle, but the main question was...why did Theo feel this way?

Standing near the window, looking out at the street below. His jaw was nothing but a strong hammer, locked to the ground.

Every time Felix laughed, Theo’s eyes had a glance toward them. Again, he did not like how easily Felix could make Danielle smile.

When Felix hung up, he walked over and dropped beside Danielle on the couch. "You did well today, Miss Geiger. You kept your head when things went bad."

Danielle smiled really carefully. "I only did what Theo told me to do."

Felix grinned like a fox. "Still, not everyone listens that well under fire."

A short chuckle escaped her mouth, but Theo interrupted them from across the room. "Some people talk too much under fire."

Felix raised an eyebrow, amused by the statement. "You mean me, Captain?"

Theo didn’t answer and just turned his head back to the window, watching his own reflection. Danielle’s smile faded. She felt the chill in his voice.

However, Felix stood up and stretched. "Well, I’m off to check the perimeter. Don’t miss me too much."

When he left, the silence he left behind was worse than when he was there with them... Danielle looked up at Theo. "Why do you keep acting like that?"

He didn’t turn around. "Like what?"

"Like you hate him. Like you hate everyone who talks to me."

"I don’t hate him," Theo frowned after replying. "I don’t trust him."

Danielle furrowed her brows. "You don’t trust anyone, Theo."

He turned to look at Danielle who was clearly uncomfortable with Theo’s tone. "That is how people stay alive, Danielle."

"Maybe," she said in a flat voice. "But that’s not how people live."

Theo walked toward her slowly. "You think this is about living? You think you can just smile through what is coming?"

She stood up, her heartbeat quickened. "You keep saying that like I’m too weak to understand. But maybe you just don’t want to admit that you care. You get angry every time Felix makes me laugh. Why?"

Theo’s gaze locked on hers. "You are imagining things."

"No," she whispered, stepping closer until only a few inches separated them. "Then tell me, why do you look at me like that every time I talk to him?"

Theo’s hand rose slowly, catching her wrist before she could touch him. "Because I don’t trust him," he let out a shaky sigh. "And I don’t trust myself around you."

Her breath got stuck in her throat. His...his words sank deep, heavily drowning her thinking and probably brain. His fingers lingered on her skin for a second before he let go and stepped back.

Danielle felt a long inhale in her chest. She wanted to say something, anything, but he turned away again. "You should get some sleep. We leave early tomorrow."

She stared at his back for a long moment before whispering, "You can keep pretending, Theo, but you’re not as cold as you think."

He didn’t answer.

That night, Danielle could not sleep. The thought of Jackson, the explosion, and Theo’s weird words, and Felix’s easy smile all mixed in her head.

When she heard someone moving downstairs, she followed the sound.

Theo was in the training room, wearing a sleeveless black shirt, and had his arms wrapped in tape. He was punching a sandbag again and again, the rhythm was so loud and angry. Sweat rolled down his neck.

"You train even when you should be sleeping?" Danielle asked.

He didn’t look up. "I do not sleep well."

She walked closer, looking at his neck...and that clear six-pack. "Teach me, then."

Theo stopped, he was breathing hard that even Danielle could hear it.

"Teach you?"

Danielle nodded and folded her arms. "Yes. If I learn to defend myself more, maybe you’ll stop worrying so much."

Theo gave a small breath of disbelief. "You think I worry?"

"I know you do..."

He hesitated for a long second, then turned back to the sandbag. "Fine. Come here."

Danielle stepped closer...The smell of sweat and leather filled the air. Theo raised his hands. "Show me how you’d hit."

She tried to copy his stance, but her elbow was bent wrong, and her punch barely touched the bag. Theo shook his head. "No. Like this."

He moved behind her, placing one hand on her wrist, the other on her shoulder.

His body was close enough for her to feel the heat of him. "Keep your arm straight. Your feet shoulder-width apart. Breathe before you strike."

Danielle swallowed, trying to focus, but every nerve in her body reacted to how close he was. "Like this?" she whispered.

"Almost." He adjusted her hips with a gentle push of his hand, his breath brushed her ear. "Now try again."

She hit the bag, harder this time.

"That’s better," he said quietly. "Again."

She hit it again, then again, her strikes growing faster. Theo’s hands remained near her waist, steadying her when her balance slipped.

Her heart pounded faster, but not from the training, but from the feeling of his skin against hers.

When she finally stopped, she turned around, her face started to flush. "Was that good enough, Captain?"

Theo’s eyes locked with hers, and looked darker than before. "It will do," he said, though his tone sounded rougher than usual.

"You’re a terrible liar."

He almost smiled back, but stopped himself. "You should go rest, Danielle."

"What if I wanna spend the night with you?"