Page 94

She double checked the .38. Locked and loaded. Nic propped up on a pillow, facing the only door. “He must. He knows. It was the Gianori mob. Very few people know that, and he’s not on the short list. He sure as fuck shouldn’t be talking to them.”
“Grab your piece.”
“Done.”
“And don’t move ‘til I get there.” Cash’s voice vibrated through the phone.
“Istanbul? We’d be wheels up before you got here. Our plan isn’t changing. Not because of this.”
“Why would you get on the plane with him, knowing that he—”
“Because it’s the operation. The job. I’m not blowing my cover because of an added layer of danger. The fucker is a traitor, and we’re taking him down.”
“Nic—”
“We move forward as planned.”
He huffed. “Give me your tail numbers, your flight plan. I’ll have a jet escort you in. And I’ll be on the tarmac—”
“Cash.”
“Waiting for you, ready to—”
“Cash!”
“What?”
“Ready to protect me? That’s not the point of any of this. He’ll know that we know. I’m not your girl right now, I’m your partner.”
“Damn it, Nicola. You’re being so hardheaded right now, trying to go all Lone Ranger.” She waited, hoping something decent would come out of his trap that wouldn’t ruin their night. He sucked a breath. “No matter what you’re doing or where you are, nothing’s going to change my need to protect you. I’m that asshole, okay. It’s in my blood, in my brain. I’m fucking hardwired to step in front of you. To cover and protect you. So, Christ almighty, know that I’m trying.”
“Make me understand that you know the difference between partnership and possessiveness.”
Cash sounded clear and cutthroat. “You’re sitting with a flimsy-assed hotel door between you and someone who might hurt what’s mine. I’m an assassin. A contract killer. It might be for the good guys, but still, that’s me. Let’s not play and pretend that it hasn’t been ingrained into me to seek blood or to watch your ass. Trust me, Nic. Know that I’ve got your back. Few people in the world truly understand a phrase that gets tossed around as easy as that one does. Few people understand the responsibility that comes with that vow. I’ve got your back. I trust you to make the right move. But if something happens, I’m there, itchy trigger finger and all. You’re mine to protect and possess.”
“I’m yours?”
“Was there some confusion about that?”
“Well, no. It’s just we haven’t really talked about anything. We’ve just sort of… slept together.”
“God, Nic. This isn’t college. I don’t have time to write notes during English one-oh-one. Let me be clear. I don’t want you with anyone else. I’d think knocking your roomie out made that clear.”
“But see, you didn’t say, ‘I don’t want to be with anyone else.’ You’ve been king of the players for a long time. A month stuck with me, and you’ll be raring for something new and improved.”
“Hardly. And you’ve leapfrogged from us to the job to us. Like I said, I need you, sweet girl. I’ll be ready for you stateside. Don’t fall asleep. When you see him in the AM, be polite, be courteous, and have a plan to kill everyone in the room.”
“Advice like that makes all the girls swoon.”
“Only you, Nic. The only girl I want is you. Keep the safety off, and I’ll get eyes on you soon as I can. Put the phone on speaker. I’m with you all night long.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Only an hour had passed since they’d left Istanbul’s modern airport. The trip had been more than productive. Nicola now knew that she shared a private charter—complete with a culinary genius and a stewardess who must’ve gone to the Emily Post School of Etiquette—with a double-crossing traitor. Seeing David strung up by her brethren at the CIA would be so damn satisfying.
She knew some talented men who worked every day on their information-eliciting techniques. She hoped to God that David would hold out on his explanations so those men could have a go at him. That was if Cash didn’t kill him first. There was always that chance. David would be dead before he took a second step out of the jet and before anyone heard the gunshot. Cash’s .50 calibers were good like that. The bullet always beat the sound barrier.
Eyeing the bastard, Nic worked to act as normal as possible. It was a chore considering that he was involved with the Gianori clan, but she kept her casual disdain alive. Without that, David would sense a problem. She didn’t watch him too closely. She didn’t nose about his personal items. She was simply ready for whatever came her way.