“So, who was that guy again?” Agent Talbot inquired, pulling the headphone off of his ear.

“A pharmaceutical rep. Not sure what he has to do with the senator, but they apparently know each other. The kid’s just confessed to a whole slew of crimes, some intentional and some inadvertent. And we found the drug connection – that’s huge, even though we need more to get a warrant for phone records.”

“And the senator confessed, too, but we need to get enough on the kid to ensure his cooperation. Less confession and more evidence.”

“Maybe not less confession, but definitely more evidence.” Allie laced her fingers together and rested her chin on them.

“Do we surveille his company?” Talbot wondered.

“I think not yet. Maybe research his background, find the connection between him and the senator. If I can figure this out without going to Peru, it would make me very happy.” She just had to make it six days justifying her continued investigation in Rhode Island, then she and Owen could meet her husband at the airport. What they made her do after that was irrelevant.

+++++++++++

Once Piper’s anxiety had settled, an idea sprang to her mind. Picking up her phone, she dialed in Molly’s number.

“Piper!” Molly squealed when she answered the phone. Apparently, a day with her mother had undone some of her trauma. “Are you okay? I’ve been so worried about you! Have you kissed Bash yet?”

Closing her eyes in frustration, Piper forced herself to calm. “Hi, Molly. I’m glad you’re feeling better.”

“Okay, yes, I am. But now I’m hating being out of the loop. Not that I want to be with you with bad guys chasing you and stuff, which, by the way, have you seen any more? Has Bash played ninja again?”

“Molly,” Piper interrupted. “I wanted to ask you a couple of questions. Well, really, more like a couple of favors.”

“Yay! I totally want to help now that I’m stuck with my mom.”

“So, have you talked to Declan lately?”

“How did you know?” Molly giggled. “He’s been calling and texting me a lot since I left you.”

“That’s great! Well,” Piper qualified. “That’s great for you because you like him, but it’s also great for me because I wanted to ask Mitch something – indirectly through Declan, because I don’t have any desire to reconnect with Mitch. But the thing is, the Prados work at Mitch’s company. I thought maybe Mitch could tell me something about what they were working on, where exactly they were working, and all that stuff. Through company records.” When Molly didn’t answer immediately, Piper prompted, “Molls? Are you there?”

“Give me a minute. Go kiss Bash or something.”

“Oh my gosh! Stop, Molly!” Piper could hear Molly’s chuckle through the phone.

After a couple of minutes of silence, Molly spoke up again. “So, this is what Declan says: Mitch doesn’t know anything about the Prados. He looked them up and saw that they were working out of Peru – which I thought you knew already. Also, Declan says that Mitch called him the other day, drunk, and spent twenty minutes crying to Declan because some scientists had died in the Amazon. Didn’t the Prados say that some of their friends were killed in the Amazon?”

Despite the somber subject, excitement fluttered in Piper’s chest. Mitch knew something about what had happened to the Prados, though Piper couldn’t imagine how.

“That is just extremely helpful,” Piper breathed. “Not sure what I’m going to do with that information, but it’s something I didn’t have before. Can you give me Mitch’s phone number?”

“Piper, I swear!”

“What?” Piper queried, indignant.

“If you’re seeking out Mitch to avoid Bash, I am going to slap you silly when I see you.”

“It’s not that!” Piper defended herself. “I want to contact Mitch about something else. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to engage with Bash anyway. I have other reasons to avoid him.”

“Come on, Piper! Don’t tell me you still don’t trust him!”

Irritated, Piper didn’t answer right away. When she did, she finally let herself express what had set her so firmly against Sebastian Rivera. “You’re right. I did like him, and I trusted him way too easily. Then when he pulled that stunt at the B and B? It was just so disrespectful!”

“What stunt?” Molly pressed.

“What stunt?” Piper repeated, incensed. “He basically held me down against my will! He pinned me on his lap, wouldn’t let me go! I mean, if a stranger had done it, it would have been assault. If he had done it in other circumstances, it would have been assault!”

For several seconds, the words hung in the air, and then the infallibly pleasant Molly Weaver spoke in a highly irritated tone. “Piper Hayes, you are a huge hypocrite!”

Piper’s shock robbed her of a response for a few seconds before the reply burst out. “What is that supposed to mean?” The words had hurt. If Molly had intended to tease her, Piper could have laughed them off, but Molly had meant them, and anger had painted her words with consequence.

“Less than twelve hours after he did that to you, you did the exact same thing to me.”

Though she wanted to deny it, Piper had to see the truth. Maybe not the exact same thing, but certainly similar. “But I didn’t hold you down. I didn’t force you to leave with me even though I wanted to.”

“That is only,” Molly asserted, “because you weren’t strong enough. If you could have wrapped me up in your arms and shoved me in that car, you would have done it. Don’t deny it! You’re my best friend. I know you. The only difference between what you did and what he did was physical strength.”

“Not the only thing,” Piper realized. “I did what I did because I was terrified. I didn’t want to give anyone the opportunity to hurt you. Because I care about you.”

“Exactly,” Molly agreed. “Which is why I forgave you.”

“But Sebastian -”

“I am thoroughly convinced that Bash did what he did because he was scared. He didn’t want anyone to hurt you. As much as he can with your short acquaintance, he cares what happens to you.”

Piper chewed her lip. The idea had merit. “I’ll consider what you’re saying.”

“Well, if you won’t give him a break, let me know. I don’t mind stepping in to comfort him Remember, I let you have first dibs because you met him first.”

Despite herself, Piper laughed. “I appreciate that, Molly. And I’m sorry again for that morning. I didn’t think-”

“Oh my gosh! Stop! Don’t get hung up on the least important point I made – I forgave you as soon as I pinned you against the car. Which was an epic move, I might add. You love me, and that is why I trust that even that morning was a misguided show of love.”

“Thanks, Molly. I’ll update you when I figure something else out.”

“Love you, girl.”

“You, too.”

Piper had argued with her friend, she had verbally disagreed, but the reality struck hard when it hit. For the past couple of days, she had treated Sebastian horribly. He had moped around, obviously affected, but to his credit, he had also stuck around. Piper needed to find him and apologize.

Stepping from her room, she sucked in a breath when she saw him, at just that moment, clear the top step. He had worn a pleasant expression until he saw her, but then his face fell. She hadn’t let herself look at him too intently for quite a while. How badly had she hurt him by her rudeness and ingratitude?

He pressed himself against the opposite wall, making room for her as he passed, but her hand gently arrested him, gripping his arm before he could step beyond her.

“Bash?” she probed gently.

As she had suspected he would, he responded immediately to her, turning wary eyes to assess her.

“I’m…sorry,” she declared.

“For what?” he paused and turned toward her, the narrow hallway bringing him within a foot of her. Her breath sped, suddenly aware that she was in a very intimate space about to explain a very personal sentiment.

Chewing her lip, she tried not to look up into his eyes. Now that she had dropped a barrier, she was terrified of her vulnerability. Of how much she wanted to be vulnerable. “I have been really unfair to you,” she offered, pacing up and down the narrow hallway. “You have given me no real reason to mistrust you, and I held on to my made-up reason because I didn’t trust this situation. I didn’t trust myself.”

He reached his hand to stop her pacing, but he paused before he made contact. “You had a reason. It was good that you didn’t trust me. I didn’t like it, but I understood it.”

“But that’s just it,” she countered, pausing her motion to emphasize her point. “I did trust you on a deep level. Too deep.” She began to pace again. “I didn’t want to trust you because I was afraid thta I might let myself relax; I was afraid you would get to me too easily.”

“Get to you?” He followed her a step, his own frustration moving him in tandem. “I’m not sure what that means.”

“This isn’t how this was supposed to happen.” Piper turned back, not adjusting when she stepped close to him. She seemed thoroughly distracted by her anxiety. “I was supposed to meet someone, naturally, in a social group. And we were supposed to be friends for years – three or four at least. And then we were suddenly supposed to realize we really cared about each other, and we would decide in a nice, gentle way that we wanted to be partners. Committed and stable – safe because we knew each other so well, and we had made this completely rational decision.”

“And I am not safe…” He reached his hands to grip her arms. “I am not rational.” Fascinated, he searched her face, trying to divine her intent.

Finally, his proximity drew her eyes to his, and butterflies danced in her gut when she saw the hope that lit his expression. In the dim light of the hallway, his ebony eyes glittering with latent intensity. Heat charged the diminishing space between her and restless man who stood before her, and she suddenly licked her lips. Though she had pushed him away for days, now that she stood staring up at him, she couldn’t remember exactly why. He was so…close, and warm, and beautiful.

Without letting herself think, she rose on her toes, reaching one hand behind his neck as her mouth sought the silk of his lips. If she hadn’t held him to her, he would have sprung back in shock. Instead, his eyes popped open for a moment until his body reacted to the fervor of her kiss. With his heart racing, he leaned down to her, wrapping one arm behind her back as he turned her where he could brace his free hand against the wall behind her. When she froze, he forced himself to release the arm behind her and release the kiss. “That was not very safe of you,” he chastised, his voice husky.

Piper took a moment to find her voice, and when she did it matched his tone, low and breathy. Though he had broken off the contact, he had not moved away, and he moved his other hand to rest on the wall, so that his arms still surrounded her even though he didn’t touch her. He seemed…pained. “Not very safe,” Piper agreed, dropping her arms to her side. “And not very rational.” Utterly shocked at herself, she slid out from under his arms, leaving him leaning against the wall with both hands and facing empty air. “I…I didn’t mean to,” she stuttered. “… that was not what I meant.”

“An accident, eh?” he challenged. He hadn’t yet opened his eyes, but he still managed a smile that was entirely too Chesire for comfort. “I will just have to be cautious for both of us, then.” He collapsed his arms, smoothly turning until he leaned against the wall with one shoulder and opening his eyes languidly to take in the sight of her. “I can understand your struggle,” he teased.

Incensed, Piper swatted at his chest. Lightning fast, Sebastian gripped her hand before it could finish its course. He smirked at her as he used the hand to pull her toward him. Threading his fingers into her hair, he pulled mouth to his. Though he restrained her, the sensation differed so greatly from his affrontery at the bed and breakfast that it effectively pressed the memory from her mind, associating Sebastian’s arms with the most ecstatic of experiences. By the time Sebastian released her, Piper fell back against the wall, using it to hold herself up. As if equally overwhelmed, Sebastian froze for several seconds, just breathing as he peered down at her – pained again. He seemed to fight himself to turn away, and when he did, heading down the stairs without a word, Piper finally stumbled drunkenly into her room.

Dear God, what have I done? she worried, seriously concerned about her sanity. She had a lot of work to do, and Sebastian Rivera threatened to be a very significant distraction.

Throwing herself on the bed, Piper simmered at the validity of Sebastian’s words – resisting him was a serious struggle. In fact, she thought she would need a good amount of time before she could face her sister without confessing everything, if not with words, at least by countenance. Maybe she didn’t want to explain to her sister, but Piper smiled as she picked up her phone. She did want to tell Molly.

I did it, she typed into the phone.

What did you do?! came the quick response.

I kissed him.

You kissed…he kissed…you kissed?

Well, both, Piper admitted. First me, then him.

In the past five minutes? HA! Yes! Molly exclaimed. I am the matchmaker.

You are obnoxious!

I am amazing. And a little disappointed. You have always been a big chicken about boys.

That’s because they were boys. Sebastian is not. He is a grown man.

Drama queen, Molly teased. Well, make sure you keep me in the loop about that, too!

I don’t kiss and tell…

You big liar! Molly accused. You just did.

Piper giggled, stomping her feet for a few seconds before she realized that everyone downstairs would think she had gone crazy. Well, I won’t again. But I’ve gotta go now. Lunch is waiting for me.

Real quick, Molly arrested the egress. Apparently, Declan told Mitch I was asking about his company, and he contacted me directly. I know you weren’t his biggest fan, but can I give him your number? He says he may know something about the Prados and what they are doing.

Piper hated the idea, but she desperately needed to find the Prados and get their daughter back to her. Give me his number. That way, I can call him if I decide to.