Page 31 of The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold (The Blonde Identity #2)

Present Day

The Island

King

“You could stay here,” King tried, but Alex glared at him because glaring was apparently her favorite form of cardio.

If there was one clear advantage to Fertility Week, it was that the group bonding and therapy sessions were set aside for

private reflection and romantic couple time, leaving this couple plenty of time for what they had to do.

“Just an offer.” King threw open his suitcase and started digging for the latch to the hidden compartment. “Last time, it

was easy enough once we got to the other side.”

“Last time, significantly fewer people wanted us dead.”

He gave a shrug because that was easier than saying Suit yourself . The compartment clicked open to reveal an array of weapons and tools, and King started pulling out his favorites.

“What’s that?” Alex actually sounded offended.

“What? This?” He picked up a gun and inserted a clip. “I know it’s been a while, Sterling, but these are called weapons.”

“Sarcasm doesn’t become you, Kingsley.”

He couldn’t help himself. He laughed. But there was something in the set of Alex’s shoulders.

“I thought you were out of the life.” Her voice was softer than he liked it. Almost fragile.

“I was out.” He dug another clip out of the bag. “But I wasn’t dead. You didn’t honestly expect us to go in there unarmed, did you?”

She gave him a give me some credit look, then she went to the wall of the bungalow and unscrewed the air vent and pulled out a duffel bag. “Not exactly.” He

gave her a look. “What? Like you’ve never left a go bag before.”

He smiled but didn’t say a word because there are some things a smart man should never say to Alexandra Sterling. Especially

if she is holding a weapon.

***

The walk was longer than King remembered. Or maybe just heavier.

Eight years before, the jungle had been silent and the moon had been full and the woman beside him had felt like an ally—or

at least not a stranger—as they’d inched along the narrow path around the pool that led to the edge of the falls.

“Watch your step,” he warned.

“I know.”

This time, it felt like maybe she was going to hold his head underwater until the falls beat some sense into him. He felt

like maybe he was going to let her.

“Toss me that—”

She threw a bag, and it hit his chest a little too hard, but he didn’t say a word; he just slipped through the little gap

between the stone and the falling water and then let his eyes adjust to the darkness of the cave.

A moment later, a flashlight flickered to life, and he stood silently, watching as Alex swept the light over the cave floor

and the cave walls and then—

“Oh no.” The light froze and so did she. “Where’s the tunnel?” It took a lot for Alex Sterling to panic. King still wasn’t

sure he’d ever heard it, but in that moment, she was close. “There was a tunnel?” Her voice ticked higher than usual, the

words a little faster. “There used to be a tunnel, right? There was a tunnel right there!”

She pointed to the place where dozens—maybe hundreds—of stones were cascading out of the cave wall and piling on the floor, and King bit back a curse. “Looks like there was a cave-in.”

“Ya think?” she shouted.

“Hey, this isn’t my fault,” he shot back.

“Yeah, well... it should be.”

“That doesn’t even make sense!”

But Alex was already going to the stones and trying to pick them up and toss them aside.

“Alex.”

“Maybe I can shift them...”

“It’s blocked.”

Alex spun. “ That’s why I’m trying to shift them! ”

He should stop her, King thought.

He should help her.

He should toss her over his shoulder and take her back to the bungalow and not let her leave until they forgot about the last

year and about Scotland and about... everything. But King couldn’t forget—it was a biological impossibility—so he just

leaned against the grotto wall and crossed his arms and tried not to sound smug when he told her, “Well, don’t forget to lift

with your legs.”

It was ten years later, but she was still the girl who didn’t know when to stop fighting. Which was probably why it hurt so

much that she had eventually stopped fighting for him. So King just stood there, watching her sweat and curse and then finally

step back and pronounce, “I think the tunnel is blocked.”

“You know, I think you’re right.” He wasn’t mocking her. He didn’t dare. “Come on.” He pushed off from the wall. “We’re not

getting through tonight, and the mountain will still be here in the morning.”

Alex didn’t speak. She didn’t move. For a moment, there was nothing but the sound of falling water and the sight of the most beautiful woman he’d ever known still staring at that pile of stones as if she might grind them into dust with her bare hands.

She’d do it too. Just to show the rocks who was boss.

So clearly King wasn’t think ing right—too much oxygen and jungle air, too many late nights and near misses—and that’s why he held out his hand, and, instantly, felt like a fool.

He had a picture-perfect memory, but it was like he’d forgotten the last six years had even happened.

He should have known Alex wouldn’t make that same mistake.

“Never mind. I’ll—” He was already turning back to the gap between the wall and the water when a hand slid into his.

“You’re right. Let’s regroup in the morning.”

Two minutes later, they were on the other side of the falls when, suddenly, Alex stopped moving. Moonlight glistened off the

pool, and it felt like a spotlight after the darkness of the cave. The air was sweeter, and the sky was brighter, and it felt

like maybe things were changing when she reached for him and whispered, “Take off your clothes.”

She was tearing at his shirt and at hers. It was a frantic, crazy thing, and King wanted to ask a hundred questions, but he

also didn’t want to say a word or break the spell because, a split second later, Alex was diving into the water and King had

no choice but to follow.

“Ster—” King started, but Alex was launching herself at him. It was a blur of cold water and hot skin as Alex smothered his

mouth with her lips and the words—

“Shut up and kiss me.”

King knew what was happening. Someone was coming —they had to be. Because this wasn’t a kiss—it was a cover —a pretense. A ruse.

But the feeling of Alex’s wet skin against his was real—the feel of her legs around his waist. They were almost weightless

in the water, and King gave in to the feelings he was too tired to deny anymore. King had been lying his whole life, but the

lies he told in that moment were to himself.

She was back.

She was there.

She was his.

Her lips parted under his. Tongues seeking, hearts pounding, chests rising and falling and—

“Of course, this is my personal favorite. I tell all our lovers that— Oh my.” Flora’s flashlight froze as it swept across the pond. King didn’t have any doubt what they were seeing.

Alex’s arms around his neck, wet hair and flushed skin and two people so tangled up in each other they might drown—they could

drown and never even notice because, in a way, they had already gone under.

“Ooh!” Alex turned, pressing her (very naked) chest into King’s (very naked) chest. She looked so modest and demure and...

caught. She looked caught and oh so guilty. It was all he could do not to grin because no one did that better. No one did

anything better, and part of King hated that he’d never told her.

Alex glanced back over her shoulder at Flora and the two maintenance guys who seemed to have the good sense to look shocked.

King brought a hand to the back of Alex’s head and pressed her tighter against him. These jerks didn’t deserve to look at

her—leer at her. They didn’t—

“Well.” Flora let out an awkward giggle. “It seems the falls are... occupied.”

“Well, you said we should make ourselves at home,” King reminded the woman, and he felt Alex sink against him. Like she was

suddenly trusting and soft and sweet. Like she felt... safe. “Now if you’ll excuse us.” The look he shot at the maintenance

guys was a little harder than it needed to be, but he didn’t care. Alex was naked in his arms and no one was going to leer

at her. Not even King himself.

“I’ll let you two...” Flora trailed off as if she couldn’t find the words. “I’ll see you later.”

King listened to their footsteps fade into the chorus of birds and animals and the whistle of the wind in the trees until

the only sound was Alex’s heart pounding against his.

“I think...” he started, but he didn’t want to say that it was over, they were safe, she should slip out of his arms and

out of the water and away from that moment that felt suspended somewhere out of time.

“I think it’s over,” she said instead.

And King just stood there, trying to forget that it was true.

***

They were both silent as they crept back to the bungalow, clothes slightly askew because nothing ever fits right on wet skin.

They both needed hot showers and sleep and some kind of Plan B, but at least they weren’t talking when they saw Flora sitting

on a big, flat rock near the edge of the path, waiting.

“Are we in trouble?” King asked, but she pursed her lips and pushed the words away.

“Don’t be silly. I’m not waiting for you.” (She was totally waiting for them.) “I’m just an old woman.” (She wasn’t old.)

“Who likes to sit out under the stars sometimes. And think. And remember.”

“I’m going to go...” Alex gestured to the bungalow and the shower and anywhere away from him. With any luck, she’d be in

bed, pretending to sleep by the time he made it back.

“You know...” Flora’s voice was soft. “...when you crawled off that plane eight years ago, I thought I’d never seen

two people who needed to be locked in a room naked together more than the two of you. In fact”—she got a mischievous glint

in her eye—“I considered it...” Flora looked up at King, eyes twinkling in a way that hinted at some deeper understanding

that made him wonder if that place might have a little magic after all. “Now I get the feeling that you tried that.”

There were no warning bells, but King heard them all the same. Flashing lights and blaring sirens screaming DANGER, DANGER .

There are some things spies just don’t admit. Especially to themselves. But all King could do was look up at the stars and

whisper, “It wasn’t enough.”

***

Five minutes later, King was slipping into the outdoor shower and turning it fully cold.

He wanted to clean off, wake up. Snap himself back to the reality and the mission because King wanted his life back.

His rules and his protocols and his walls.

He didn’t need the CIA, and he sure as hell didn’t need her.

What King actually needed were answers. Someone was after King and Alex, and neither of them would be safe until he figured

out who. And why.

“Just answer me this...” When she appeared in the outdoor shower, she didn’t even glance at his body—not even a subtle

peek—and King tried not to feel so disappointed. “How are you not freaking out right now? Because, if you haven’t noticed,

we’re going to have to find a new way over that mountain.”

“We have a way over the mountain,” he stated simply.

“And there are a few tons of volcanic rock blocking that way, so...” Alex trailed off when he smiled. “What?” She sounded

almost scared. “What are you—”

“This isn’t the only place we’ve ever broken into, you know?”

At first, she looked confused. Then concerned. Then... intrigued. He knew the moment she remembered—

“Michael Kingsley, are you suggesting that we do it like Amalfi?”

“No.” King didn’t even hesitate, he just inched closer. He was staring right into her eyes when he said, “I’m saying we do

it exactly like Amalfi.”