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“Never apologize for sharing your feelings with me.”
“It’s not easy.”
Levi nodded once and put the car in gear. “You need sleep, as do I. Tomorrow is a new day.”
He pulled out of the lot, took a couple of turns, then less than five minutes later, parked where the road ended.
“I know this place. It’s Sea-something.” I motioned to the inn across from where he’d stopped.
“Sea Spray. Tomorrow, maybe you’d like to walk on the beach,” he said after opening my door and helping me out.
“I’d like that very much.”
He grabbed our two bags from the back of the car, and we hurried up the steps of the inn. When Levi punched in a code, the door unlocked. After setting the bags on the floor, he walked over to the desk, grabbed two envelopes, and handed one to me.
“We’re on the second floor. Our rooms are next door to one another, and both have a view of the water,” he said, picking up the bags and motioning to the lift.
“This is very kind of you,” I said once we reached the first room. “And thoughtful.” I opened the door, Levi stepped inside, and set my bag on the bench at the end of the bed, but still held his.
“Eliza, there’s something I need to say.”
I sat on the edge of the bed when, with my fatigue, I wasn’t sure I could remain standing. “Go on.”
“While our souls may have been ready to make love in our dreams, you and I are not. I want more with you. Everything, if you’ll give me the chance to know you better, and for you to do the same with me.”
“There are times I’m certain I’m dreaming all of this and I’ll wake up to find you’re still my mystery man.”
He stepped closer, leaned down, and kissed my cheek. “Sweet dreams, Eliza.”
“Sweet dreams, Levi.”
14
TYPHON
Ihad a problem. More than one, actually, but the biggest of them was the message I’d received from the don of the Sicilian Syndicate. The kill order he sent was for a high-ranking member of the Italian government. These types of asks were particularly difficult because we had to set everything up to fake the assassination. It also meant the target would have to go completely dark for the rest of their lives. The majority balked, saying they didn’t fear whatever crime family wanted them dead.
If I accepted, I’d have to leave for Italy first thing in the morning, which meant abandoning Eliza. Something I was unwilling to do.
I’d turned down high-profile jobs like this one before, but the crime families knew me as a ruthless hired gun, which meant there were only so many I could decline.
Too much heat, lying low, I responded. Even the Sicilians wouldn’t want me to take someone down if I was getting too much attention. Since I was undercover as an independent contractor—and one of the best assassins in the world—saying no wouldn’t get me killed in the same way it would a made man.
Next up was a message I received from Oleander, asking when I’d be arriving.
Based on the briefs I’d gotten from Z, there was no progress in what they were now referring to as the AMPS investigation, since Mithras’ death two months ago. There was a lead on another suspect, Pharaoh, but apparently, the woman had gone dark, which was to be expected. It all added up to an antsy O, which was never a good thing.
She’d requested a temporary leave from the unit in order to take on the advisory role in the coalition, something she’d resisted for several weeks. Was the meeting to ask to be reinstated for missions? I hoped so, for her sake more than our team’s.
I walked over to the window and looked out at the moonlit water. It was close to zero two hundred, and I doubted sleep would come easily. Not with knowing Eliza was on the opposite side of the wall.
I lay down, closed my eyes anyway, and drifted off, picturing her beautiful smile.
When I woke, the sun was up and I could hear the faint sound of Eliza’s voice. No doubt, she was speaking with Saint and he was displeased she hadn’t gone to the cottage like he’d suggested.
She didn’t seem the type to kowtow to her cousin, or anyone, for that matter. She may have resisted confronting him, given the circumstances, but now that his wife was expected to make a full recovery, I wondered how much more she’d tolerate.
After taking a shower, I sent her a good-morning message. Eliza immediately responded that she’d gone downstairs in search of a cup of tea.