Page 71 of The Blonde Who Came in from the Cold (The Blonde Identity #2)

Twenty-Four Hours Ago

Switzerland

Alex

Alex had thought the cabin would be larger? Or maybe smaller? Nicer? Or maybe more rustic? Honestly, Alex didn’t know what

to expect from the place she’d spent the last year trying to locate. She just knew that nothing was how it had been in her

mind—not the place or her reason for being there and certainly not the man beside her.

“Are you sure about this?” King was still holding her hand.

“I should go in first.”

“But—”

Alex smirked up at him. “What would you do if Jake Sawyer showed up on your drawbridge and said he needed me to go away with

him?”

“Good point.” King gave her a gentle nudge toward the door. “Go forth. Conquer. I’ll wait right...” He tugged her back

and placed a kiss on her lips like he still couldn’t quite believe he was allowed to do that. “Good luck.”

Then Alex sauntered toward the door.

Her sister was laughing when Alex slipped inside—that was the first thing she noticed. The voice still sounded like Zoe—but

freer. Lighter. Happier. She sounded like someone whose heart wasn’t broken anymore.

Sawyer, on the other hand, had the look of a man for whom everything had changed, so Alex tried to keep her movements slow, her voice even as she said, “Get off my little sister.”

Instantly, Sawyer pressed Zoe into the couch cushions and shielded her with his body while he pulled a gun from somewhere

and pointed it in Alex’s direction.

At first, it was like he was looking at a ghost. But then shock gave way to wariness, and he sounded like the operative she

used to know when he said, “Hey, stranger. Why don’t you put that gun down?”

Alex hadn’t even realized she was holding one, but she’d heard her sister cry out and... yeah. Old habits. Old dogs. Something

about new tricks or fresh leaves, but Alex couldn’t turn over anything. Not until this was finally finished.

So she just smirked and asked, “Why don’t you?” Sawyer cocked an eyebrow like he didn’t want to hurt her—and he really didn’t want to hurt her in front of Zoe—but if he had to...

Alex looked at her sister. “Hey, Zo.” She slipped the gun back into her pocket. “Had to make sure he wasn’t killing you.”

“Nope. Very much... uh... alive.” Zoe was looking back and forth between Alex and Sawyer like she didn’t know if she

should initiate a group hug or find shelter. But she was leaning toward hug?

“So...” Sawyer started slowly. “Where’ve you been?” So many places. “Who’ve you killed?” So many people.

Zoe tried to get off the sofa, but Sawyer pushed her back down, keeping his body in between them like Alex was a danger to

her sister. Alex wanted to snap that she would never, ever hurt Zoe—but the truth was simple: she already had.

“Alex?” She could hear her sister talking, sense her moving closer. Alex didn’t just feel the weight of all that had happened—she

felt the ache of all that she had missed. Her sister had grown up and fallen in love and gotten married. She’d built a life

on that mountain and with that man. Zoe was so, so happy, and Alex was so, so jealous. Sawyer used to say that people like

them don’t get happy endings, but he was living proof that he was wrong. And if it could happen for Sawyer and Zoe, then...

“Long story short, I’m in an enemies-to-lovers situation. And I think I’m gonna need your help.”

It seemed to take forever for Zoe to shout, “ I knew it! ”

“Enemies to...” Sawyer shook his head. “What?”

“ Enemies to lovers !” the sisters said in stereo.

“Sweet mercy, there really are two of them,” a voice said from the door, and Sawyer whirled, but King already had his hands

up. “Hi, Jake.”

“Kingsley.” Sawyer’s voice was even, but his finger was still on the trigger and it wasn’t going anywhere yet. “To what do

we owe the honor?” Which was “spy” for You have two minutes to tell me why you’re here before I blow your head off .

Zoe looked between Alex and King, eyes wide and practically mouthing the word lover . Then she turned her attention to Alex and grew serious. “What kind of situation are we talking about? Undercovering? Coverting?

Because, I don’t want to brag, but I am really good at coverting.”

But King was still standing there, slack-jawed, as he looked between Alex and Zoe. “I mean, I knew you had a twin. I knew

it, but seeing it...”

“I’m in!” Zoe was saying. “Whatever you need, I’m—”

“Hold on.” Sawyer was still holding Zoe back, but he kept his eyes locked on King because he was the biggest threat at the

moment, and Sawyer was no fool. “If you think I’m going to let you put my wife in danger—”

“Gasp.” Alex couldn’t hold the word back as she looked at her sister. “He called you his wife.”

Zoe gave a cocky grin. “Hot, right?”

“Can someone please tell me what kind of coverting the love of my life is going to be expected to do?” Sawyer shouted, but

all eyes turned to King.

“It’s a long story, but the short version is pretty simple: I can’t be in two places at one time...”

Alex couldn’t help but smile as she watched her sister get it. “But I can.”