Chapter 19 · Uninvited Guests

"Don't trust her." The girl's warning hit Reid inside the skull, sharp enough to make his knees buckle.

He caught himself against the wall before he dropped the blanket covering her. The girl lay on the narrow cot, skin gray, silver eyes locked on Mira. Her lips barely moved.

Mira's hand went to the pistol at her hip. "What happened?"

"You tell me." Reid kept one hand on the girl's shoulder and the other between Mira and the cot. "She looked at you and started screaming in my head."

"I didn't touch her."

"You don't need to touch people to ruin their night."

Mira's jaw tightened. "Careful. You're exhausted, bleeding, and standing in a safehouse my company owns. If I wanted you dead, you'd already be on the floor."

"That supposed to comfort me?"

"It's supposed to keep you from making a stupid move."

The girl's fingers clamped around Reid's sleeve. Her grip was weak, but panic shook through it.

Mira noticed. Her eyes dropped to the girl's hand, then came back to Reid's face. "Get away from her."

"No."

"Reid."

"Say it again and see if the answer improves."

Mira took one step forward.