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Every thought, every belief I’d had about him was dead-on. Barring any of the good ones. What an idiot I’d been to think we were forming a connection. Tentative friends even. I shook my head.
First, Zeppelin had insinuated I had a relationship with Z. That alone had been enough to make me want to slap him. The former MI6 chief was missing. The man who’d mentored me, encouraged me, told me I was good enough for Unit 23. He was like a father to me.
Then, after going into the lavatory to simmer down and have a good cry—not over Zeppelin—I came out to find Schön and him about to kiss.
I glanced over at the claw-foot tub. Given it was big enough for two, I wondered if I could sleep in it. With enough towels, I could fashion a pillow and blanket. If Zeppelin or his paramour needed to use the facilities, they could bloody well go outside.
If only I’d brought my laptop in with me. At least then I could get work done while Zeppelin and Schön did whatever they wereabout to do. The other thing I wanted to do was remove this bloody bra. The makeup and wig too.
I could hear voices. It sounded as though a man had arrived, but the voice wasn’t familiar. “Right, dinner,” I muttered, checking the time. A few minutes ago, I couldn’t have imagined eating. Now, whatever had been delivered smelled so divine my stomach grumbled.
“Verity. Come out. Dinner is here.”
“The two of you can eat without me,” I spat back.
“Schön is gone.”
Neither of us said anything for several seconds. Me, because I couldn’t think of a single thing that wouldn’t make me sound like a shrew. Him, because he was probably already enjoying his meal.
I nearly jumped when the door handle jiggled. Thank goodness I’d remembered to lock it. “Come on, Ver. What you saw, err, wasn’t what it looked like.”
“Right,” I said under my breath.
“This is childish.”
“Sod off.”
“It isn’t like we’re really married, for God’s sake.”
That was it. I grabbed the door and yanked it open. “Are you fucking kidding me? I can’t believe you.” I was about to launch into a litany of things I couldn’t stand about him, but stopped myself. “Nemesis is wrong. We cannot do this. I refuse to do this.”
I walked over to my laptop, which was moved by someone since the table where it had been now held our dinner. Our very romantic and tasty-looking dinner.
Zeppelin approached, and before I realized his intention, he removed my laptop from my hands.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I shrieked.
“We’re going to have dinner. Then we’re going to talk.”
I shook my head. “I just said I cannot do this. I’m returning to England as soon as I can make the arrangements.”
“No, you’re not.”
“You’re out of your bloody mind. You don’t have the power to stop me.”
He set my laptop down but out of my reach. “You’re better than this, Verity. I cannot believe you’d let jealousy over something you misread interfere with a mission.”
When I raised my hand to slap him, he grabbed my wrist.
“Let me go, dammit.”
“No. Not until you and I talk this out.”
I tried to jerk out of his grasp, but he held on too tight. “Let go of me,” I demanded for the second time. “I’m not talking to you about anything.”
“No? All right, then.”
For a split second, I expected him to release me. Instead, he put his free hand on the back of my neck at the same time he brought his mouth to mine and kissed me.