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Checking my email, I find a message from Mary that came in at 2:00 a.m.Call me as soon as you wake up. I have exciting news!

"About time," I grumble to myself. Getting back to work is important. With the success of this movie, I should be beating back the offers. I email Mary a quick response—I'm awake. Call me when you are—then climb out of bed to make some coffee. Archie is still passed out so I let him sleep, making my way into the kitchen, stretching my arms over my head as I go.

I want to hit the gym today. The doctor said that I could start working out again. My shoulder doesn't even really hurt anymore.

I get the coffee maker going and grab half and half out of the fridge, my one indulgence. I'll be having egg whites and spinach for breakfast, but I can't live without my half and half. A girl has to get her fat somewhere.

My phone pings, and I settle at my kitchen table, listening to the coffee machine gurgle as I open the message from Mary. "Come into the office today."

"Okay, let's do it earlier though. I've got plans this afternoon."Practicing with my new gun.ForThe TempestI had a lot of training—hand to hand and weapons. But the class I'm taking today is all about live combat. We went over that in my previous training, but action movies are not actually high stress—I knew what each person was going to do, didn't have to improvise at all.

Not like with Red.

The coffee machine beeps that it's done, and I pour myself a cup, adding my half and half…just a splash. Then a sprinkle of cinnamon. Since shooting and training ended, I've worked to stay in shape while on the road, but it's hard without my trainer, Synthia, on my case every freaking day.

I sink into my couch, coffee cup in hand, and shoot her a quick message to let her know I’m back and to set up a time to get together this week.

Flicking on the TV, I navigate to the local news.I love the chipper morning news team.There are fires outside of town raging out of control. Ugh. Again.

That's one of the problems with LA.

A knock at my door sends my blood pressure soaring. Who is showing up at my house at 6:00 a.m.?

I put my coffee mug on the table and flee into my bedroom, grabbing my gun off the side table. Just holding it makes me feel better. I step back into the living room to see the door opening. Retreating into the shadow of the hall, my heart in my throat, breath paused, gun clenched, I watch a large shoulder emerge.

Temperance's head pops in. "Angela," he calls softly as he moves into the room. His eyes catch on the coffee cup, and he closes the door behind himself. "Sorry to barge in." He waits by the door.

I let out my breath and lower the gun before stepping out of the hall. His eyes find mine, and he smiles as his gaze tracks down my body. I'm wearing a thin white T-shirt and a pair of panties. His Adam's apple bobs as he pulls his eyes back to mine.

I raise one brow and give him a smile. He likes what he sees. Most men do.

"Sorry," he says again, his voice a little scratchy.Oh, it feels good to affect Mr. Statue Man."May I come in?”

“You’re already in,” I point out. “Give me a minute to put something on, and I’ll get you a cup of coffee.”

He nods, stepping toward the couch. Back in my bedroom, I put the gun on my side table and slip on a pair of jeans and a bra before letting Archie, who is now awake, out of his cage. I carry him to the balcony door and open it up, stepping into the warm morning.

Smoke from the wildfires tinges the air, and my nose wrinkles at the acrid odor. Putting Archie down on the wee-wee pad, I wait for him to do his business before grabbing one of the treats I keep out here for him. "Good boy," I coo, crouching down to offer the treat and scoop him up again.

Shutting the door behind me, I head back to the living room.

Temperance is sitting on the couch. He's muted the TV and is at the edge of the seat--looking ready for anything. “Can I get you that coffee?” I ask. He shakes his head. I shrug and drop into the arm chair, reaching for my own cup. "So this isn't a social call," I tease.

He gives me a wry smile. "No. I have another assignment for you."

I swallow the sip of coffee in my mouth and purse my lips. "I'm still recovering from the last one," I say. "And I haven’t been able to find out what happened to Vladimir." He doesn't react, just stays very still. "I've asked Mary several times, and you know that woman can find out almost anything, but the status of Petrov is being kept pretty damn secret."

"You don't need to know."

Anger swells in my gut. "You don’t think I have a right to know what happened to him?” I lower my voice. "To know if I killed him?"

"You did well. What you were supposed to. That's all you need to know."

I huff out a breath and sit back into the seat, pulling my knees up in front of me. "I don’t agree." A small twitch in Temperance's jaw is the only sign that he heard me. "And," I continue, my anger flaring, "I don't like you showing up here and letting yourself into my apartment. You're lucky I didn't shoot you."

One brow goes up and he clasps his hands. "That's something else I wanted to talk to you about."

"What?"