Page 25

CHAPTER 25

NICK

“You’re trapped in a den of vipers, mate.”

Nomad’s voice booms from the speaker. I check the rearview and my side.

“Have you got something for me? Are you risking a trace for the thrill of frisking my balls?”

“I’ve convened with some experts.”

“Members of the intelligence community?”

“You could say that.”

Leo? The CIA? An affiliated group? Doesn’t matter, I suppose.

“And?” I flick the blinker and pass an elderly driver sitting far too close to the wheel.

“We’ve got some questions.”

“You’ve got me for ten minutes, tops. Let’s hear it.”

“Any chance you can smooth things over?”

“Would I have bloody well called you if I could sort it myself?”

“Valid. Obviously, it’s a best-case scenario.”

“Next?”

“You splinter the alliance.”

“As you said, they’re vipers.”

“Any of them you trust?”

“The one I trusted most served as a messenger.” And I would’ve said Amir, but now he’s on a different list.

“Right. So I take it splintering isn’t an option because you don’t know who you can trust. What are you wanting from us? An escape plan?”

“Not for me. For someone else. And in exchange, I continue as your asset.”

Our conversation isn’t a long one. Nomad proves his usefulness once again by agreeing to hatch a plan for Scarlet and offering to reach out to some of his local law enforcement contacts about providing additional drive-bys for Lina’s rehabilitation center.

When I enter the country house, it’s quiet. But Scarlet’s here. I received confirmation as I drove through the gate.

She’ll leave the country by private jet or boat. Nomad will get back to me on specifics. Given the ease of removing a plane from the sky, I’m leaning toward boat. Although, that’s not a surefire winner, given it’s conceivable a shipping magnate owns swift boats that hunt with great efficiency. But a boat could get her up the coastline to an area with more options to disappear.

Once again, I wonder which whale the mafia investigation caught in its net. It’s someone with pull over a syndicate member. Or hell, maybe an investigation will uncover a lead to a syndicate member.

I find Scarlet in the guest room, sitting on the floor beside an unzipped suitcase.

“Need some help?”

She looks up, and the light glistens in her eyes. “You bought me too many clothes. Won’t close.” She wipes at her face, fighting emotion.

Fuck this day.

“How’s Lina?”

“Better than expected.”

I bend down to the floor and tug the zipper. She’s right. This suitcase will not close.

“How’d she take the news about the increased security?”

“Didn’t fight me on it. Won’t make much difference to her.” The green in her eyes is so dark, it might be the deepest shade I’ve seen yet. “Any thoughts on where you want to go?”

“I don’t like this.”

“I’m not keen on sending you off, but it’s the best plan.”

“Why?”

With one last look at the suitcase that shall not close, I scoot back on my hands, arse on the ground, until my back’s against a wall, and cross one leg over the other. Exhaustion weighs me down, and I need the back support.

“Come now, love. That’s pretty clear.”

“No, it’s not.”

“Your darling family has it on good authority you’ve sold them out, and they’d like nothing better than to riddle your body with bullets. As it turns out, I rather love that body of yours, and I’d like to ensure it remains unscathed.”

“It’s more than that.”

She’s not wrong, but?—

“You’re eliminating my so-called family. That’s not why you have a small army patrolling the grounds.”

“What makes you think I’m doing any eliminating?”

“I’m not the only one with sources.”

“What the hell—Orlando?”

She frowns. “You’re not going to kill him, are you?”

“Love, I’ve no plans to leave England.”

“We both know you don’t need to.”

“I’d like to know more about this source of yours.”

“You’re not the only one who identified my loyalty issues.”

“Your MI6 bloke?”

“Why does it matter?”

“Your mobile was checked. One contact. Are there others?”

“No.” She pushes up off the floor and leans against the railing of the bed.

“In Italy?”

“I told you. I didn’t trust her. And I don’t trust the Englishman. But I am in touch with him.”

We’re going in circles. I lack the energy for this.

“Scarlet, I need you to trust me. There can’t be secrets.”

She steps to me, one foot on each side of my thighs, and descends, straddling me. It hurts like blazes so I lift her with a grunt, straighten my legs, and let her settle back down.

Eye-level with me, she says in a tone that brokers no doubt, “You may be the only person in this world I trust.”

“What did I do to earn your trust?”

Her gaze lifts to the ceiling, contemplating my question, and she flattens a palm over my heart. “You were patient with me. You love your sister. And you care about my safety.”

I fumble with the button on her shirt. “Keeping you safe is rather important to me.”

Her shirt splays open, revealing a cream brassiere that’s frayed on one edge from repeated wear. I pull her forward until my face rests in the crook of her neck and shoulder, breathing in her light as she embraces me.

“Do you think you could ever trust me?” she asks.

“I’m only alive today because I don’t trust anyone.” I don’t even trust my sister. Oh, I don’t think she’d stab me in the back on purpose, but she’s an addict. In a moment of weakness, her demons might win.

Scarlet withdraws from our embrace and presses on my shoulders. Our foreheads touch, and she brushes her nose over mine. She’s so close I’m a tad cross-eyed taking her in.

“Trust me. I’m an excellent marksman. Skilled in on-the-ground combat moves. Multi-lingual. And I have nothing to lose.”

That hurts.

What am I? “If that’s true, you’ll have no issue leaving.”

She pulls back. “I’m not leaving.”

“Why?” Say it.

“You.” With a trick of light, her bright green irises transition and could be mistaken for sky blue.

“Precisely. You have something to lose. We both do.”

She places a finger lightly over my lips, and I trap it, kissing her finger, then her palm. My chest cavity floods with warmth and emotion clogs my throat. No need to get sappy, mate .

She should go. Every logical fiber in my being screams to force her to safety. But who better to keep her safe than me? Any bastard out there would have to kill me to get to this woman. And they bloody well might.

The smart play would be to let her go. Put an ocean between her and the vipers. But I've never claimed to be smart when it comes to her.

"Right, then," I say, the words coming out rough. "We'll work together, but there can't be any secrets between us. From here on out, we're a team."

Her eyes light up, relief flooding her features. "And I stay with you."

"God help me, yes." I pull her closer, breathing in her scent. "Though I might be signing both our death warrants."