Page 22 of Steinbeck (The Minnesota Kingstons #5)

“Hear me out. I used to think my time was empty, a waste. Just a guy waiting to be king. But then I realized that standing in the shadows gave me a view that others didn’t have.

I saw the stress, the threats, even the sacrifices my father made.

And that gave me insight into how to protect him.

Help him. Like Aaron did for Moses. You might consider that you’re the only one she’d make room for. And perhaps that’s why you’re here.”

“Eating a pig’s knuckle?”

“Talking to a prince who understands that it’s not my title that matters but my everyday obedience and value to the King.” He got up. “And I’m not talking about my father. Good to see you, Shep. Dinner is on the house.”

He walked away, and only then did Steinbeck see a couple of security guards peel from the shadows. Huh.

“So,” Shep said, picking up his knuckle. “I’m going to ask you the same thing my future father-in-law asked me when I was where you are. Are you still on mission?”

Steinbeck stared at him. But deep inside, he knew the answer.

* * *

“There’s no use waiting up. Go back to the hotel; get some sleep.” Mystique stood outside the glass doors of the secure lab under the mountain in the Cybertex vault. She sipped coffee, having just made another pot for the geniuses inside working on the Axiom program.

“Nim would love this.” Emberly had lost all track of time while debriefing Mystique on the last month, and especially the haywire hack of the service robot, along with the snatch of Luis in Porto.

All the while, Coco, Declan, and Luis talked computer geek.

And Steinbeck’s strange wave as he left with Shep rattled around her brain. Like...

Was he leaving?

But maybe that was the only right answer. Let him go before...

Before her worst nightmare materialized before her eyes. She’d slept briefly on the plane, had woken with a start, the memory of Steinbeck fighting on the pier searing through her.

She worked better alone.

Really .

“You did well,” Mystique was saying. “Eight months. We would have never gotten here if you hadn’t stayed the course.”

“Yeah, well, mission failure on getting the program.”

“You’ll do better next time.” Mystique took a sip of coffee.

And the words simply swelled up, through her, and out. “What if there is no next time?”

Mystique froze, and Emberly did too because... Really? She swallowed.

Blue eyes considered her. “How long have you been thinking of leaving?”

“About thirty-two seconds.”

A half-hidden smile.

“I’m not sure I’m even considering it. It’s just...” She rubbed her arms. “I’ve been doing this for so long, I’ve forgotten what normal feels like.” She gave a wry sort of chuckle. “Maybe I don’t even know.”

“Emberly. This is your normal.”

She met Mystique’s eyes. “Maybe I want a different normal. A different life.”

Mystique nodded. “Okay. This is not one of the three-letter organizations. You can walk away, no looking over your shoulder.” She took another sip of her coffee. “But is that what you want?”

Emberly stared at the group of hackers through the glass. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m fooling myself. Maybe this is all I am.”

“It’s not all you are, Emberly. What you do is not who you are . Let’s get that straight.”

She shook her head. “Forget I said?—”

“Okay. Let’s just dial it back here. You need a vacation—there’s no doubt about that. Take some time off. Go see your sister. Spend some time with Mr. Minnesota. Listen to your heart and maybe... God.”

Emberly cocked her head. “I don’t think God is interested in me, or what I do.”

“I think He’s extremely interested in you and what you do. He made you, after all. Gave you your life experiences, your skills. It’s not for nothing.” She took a sip of coffee. “I know you believe in God, Emberly. You told me about what happened?—”

Emberly held up a hand. “That was a long time ago, and I was?—”

“Scared, desperate, and overwhelmed. Exactly where we all are when we finally realize we’re in over our heads. And that’s when God shows up in our life.”

“You have a painfully good memory.”

“I’m just saying. You’re very, very good at what you do. But God knows you better than you know yourself, and maybe you should ask Him what your next step is.”

Emberly sighed.

Mystique cocked her head, raised an eyebrow. “I tried to walk away more than a few times, and this life always pulled me back. And God was generous to give me a man who considers it his mission to walk this journey with me.”

She took another sip of her coffee, the dim light of the foyer casting over her. “But you are not me, Emberly. Life is a journey of choices. I believe everything happens for a reason, one step leading to the next. I think every step, whether good or bad, is meant to bring us closer to God.”

She finished her coffee, tossed the cup into a nearby trash can.

“God loves you. Every move you’ve ever made has been under His watchful eye.

He has a plan, and it’s a good one. So.

.. maybe take a minute or two and ask Him what he thinks.

And remember, His answer is good. Even if it’s confusing.

Faith is the only way out of the chaos of this world.

Get some sleep.” She pushed into the lab.

Emberly watched as she walked up and stood, arms akimbo, surveying Luis’s work, and his words back in Porto filtered back, softly, a nudge. “I knew it. Even then, I knew you two were partners.”

Maybe she had known it too.

She turned and headed down the hall. Please let Steinbeck not have left—he wouldn’t have, right?

Except, their mission was over.

And he’d... waved. Goodbye?

The vault led to a tunnel that ended at a gated entrance and an elevator. She hit the button and it opened.

She took it up a level, to another tunnel connecting the vault to a passageway that led through the mountain. Finally she stepped out onto a stone walkway, the night glittering above, a thousand tiny lights peering down from the sky.

“Faith is the only way out of the chaos of this world.”

She didn’t know why that lingered inside her more than any of Mystique’s other words, but she wanted to believe it—that God did care.

That maybe she hadn’t been alone after all.

And perhaps not anymore either. The thought caught her up as she entered the Guardhouse Hotel, keyed in the code to the penthouse apartment, and took the lift up.

The light from the foyer splashed into the hallway, and she stood at the door, took a breath.

Then she pushed in her door code. The door opened.

Darkness bathed the big living room, just starlight pushing in through the shades. Oh. She didn’t know what time it was, but certainly it wasn’t so late that he’d gone to bed?

“He’s not here.”

She turned, and Shep stood in the hallway. He was barefoot, wore a button-down shirt, and came out into the dimly lit room. “Steinbeck. He left about an hour ago.”

“He... what?”

Shep sighed. “We came back from dinner, and I was in the office when I heard the front door close. I saw him on the monitor taking the elevator down. He had his backpack.”

She stilled, her mouth opening. “I don’t... I thought...” She wrapped her arms around herself. “Okay.”

“I’m sorry, Emberly.”

“Phoenix. I know Mystique calls me Emberly, but...” Her eyes burned. “I’m Phoenix, really.”

Shep nodded, shoved his hands into his pockets. “How’s London?”

“She’s still at it. With the others.”

“I set up a room for you. Last one at the end of the hall.”

“Okay.”

She headed down the hallway, let herself into her room. Didn’t bother to turn on the light, but sank down on the bed.

So he’d left. He had waved goodbye. Her stupid words burned in her head. “Am I ever going to be rid of you?”

Swans didn’t cry. She’d chosen this life. He hadn’t. He’d been, at best, voluntold, roped into being her teammate.

Boyfriend.

Whatever.

She got up, went over to the window to pull the curtains, and caught her scream between her teeth.

Movement on her balcony. A man leaning against her railing, arms crossed, a stalwart figure in the darkness.

She wrenched open the doors, her heart hammering. “What are you doing out here?”

He’d dropped his backpack at his feet and now leaned up, took a step toward her. “I left. On a mission. And got locked out. I think Shep must have fallen asleep, so I climbed up the outside, and your room was the only balcony I could reach.”

She stared at him. “You... climbed up the outside? What kind of ridiculous person are you?”

“It’s not hard, which is something your team might want to consider. So much for a secure location?—”

“You’re nuts! That was three flights.”

“Actually, no. It was a walk up to the rooftop dining area of the restaurant and then a scramble up to the balcony.” He nodded to the jutting terrace just a story below.

She leaned over. Twinkle lights edged the eating area, a few patrons at tables, enjoying the balmy early September night.

“Besides, I wanted to bring you this.” He leaned down and picked up his bag, opened it. Pulled out?—

“A... a Snickers bar?”

He shrugged. “Felt like the right thing.”

“The right thing.”

“I thought you... I thought you left.” Oh, the wavering in her voice didn’t help at all.

He stepped toward her, frowned. “I was going to. And then I realized—” He took a breath. “The mission’s not over.”

“We got Axiom.”

He took a step closer, his blue eyes holding hers. “That’s not my mission, Emberly.”

Oh.

“I don’t know what’s next for me, but I do know I don’t want to leave you.” He swallowed. “I don’t know why, because you’re unpredictable, and dangerous?—”

“And trouble?” But she stepped up to him. From somewhere on the street, music rose, along with laughter, the night crowd eating.

“Maybe a little trouble,” he said softly.