Page 24

“Tell me about Alaska, honey,” Therese says, twirling pasta artfully through a cream sauce and spearing a shrimp.

“I have a friend who has a friend out near Fort Richardson—although now it’s a joint base, Elmendorf-Richardson. I hear a lot of soldiers go there for cold-weather training, but I have been in Poland when there was snow three feet thick, in Oslo during blizzards.”

Therese’s fingertip traces over my knuckles as her eyes stare into mine. Just the touch of bare skin on skin reminds me of our wild sexual sprint. What if I got her pregnant?

It only takes once, isn’t that what they say in sex ed? Not that I was ever in that class, but I know they say that.

I’m messing up everything.

Therese doesn’t seem to think so. Playing the part of a woman who likes her second husband much better than the first, she flutters her lashes at me. “My ex used to seem so adventurous to me. Your travels are much more impressive.”

“A lot more painful, perhaps.” I don’t want to think about the things I have done and seen, the people I have saved, the people I have gladly ended while reveling in the fact that I had no soul to corrupt, so that blood can be on my hands and there will be less of it on the hands of desperate women and children, less on good men like Artie. My eyes stay on my plate.

I have a soul now.

Was the absence of one a help or hindrance during a war?

Her fingers etch along the lines in my skin, invisible to the naked eye, and yet she seems to know just how to touch each and every one, waking up the magic in me just like she snatched a soul from the ether and gave it to me... Or maybe she gave me half of her own?

I lift her hand to my lips and kiss the pale knuckles.

I would still gladly kill to protect this woman. Stain my hands with gore if she could remain untouched and safe.

“Whatcha thinkin’?” Therese sips coke through a straw in a way that makes my cock twitch.

“You spellbind me,” I whisper, enchanted just by looking at her, by feeling her touch on my sigils as her hand runs farther up my arm.

She coughs softly, eyes widening.

Right. We’re not in Pine Ridge, we’re miles out of town up by the mall.

No magic here, and her touch has mine going haywire.

I have to pull my Mr. Normal Guy Act back together.

“Uh, I’m thinking... That I’m so glad I’m settled down, baby.

Even if our careers move us around a lot, we’ll always be together.

To me, that’s all that really matters. Home is where the heart is. ” I finally have one that works.

“Oh, Reggie. Stop.” She runs a knuckle under each eye, catching the tears that form. “That’s so sweet.”

“Aren’t I supposed to be sweet to you? Love, honor, respect, and cherish. I heard him say it during the ceremony,” I wink, catching her hand in mine before she can wake up any other powers I was unaware of. Right now, I feel drunk—and tingly all over.

“Funny how I believe you when you say it. My ex was—oop. What’s that?” Therese looks to the side of the booth and grabs her purse. “The phone is ringing.” She holds up the small black one from Agent Powell as it buzzes softly.

“Well, tell whoever it is that we’re enjoying our wonderful honeymoon lunch and we’ll call them back.” I look around, then whisper, “If it’s urgent, take it in the ladies’ room.”

Therese nods and rises. I follow her, slipping into the alcove where the restrooms are located, standing guard.

“HELLO, MRS. GRAY. HOW are you?”

“Fine. Out to lunch with Reggie.”

“Wonderful, wonderful. Where are you at? Any special beverage you're drinking?”

“A tall, icy cola. I’m in the ladies’ room and it’s empty.” I lock the door behind me, hoping no one will have an emergency in the next five minutes.

Powell sighs. “Well, it’s been a busy morning. Delgado’s lawyer talked to him immediately after viewing the financial documents from his hard drive. We didn’t say where we obtained them, but he’ll eventually ask.”

“Why didn’t he ask already?”

“When it’s that bad, you don’t take the time to ask, you just call your client. Which he did. He suggested Delgado take a deal, according to our prosecutor. Delgado refused.”

I guess I’m not surprised. I wouldn’t want to piss off someone like Estrada.

“But give us time to talk to him. We’re going to speak to him tomorrow morning and see what information Mr. Delgado might offer in exchange for a lighter sentence—or even a chance to start over. He’s a bright young man, isn’t he?”

I blink. I used to brag about my Ivy League hubby with his Stanford degree, but the pleasant tone Powell uses is just too much for me. It’s almost admiring. I wish Reggie could hear this call to tell me if there’s something rotten in Powell’s inflection.

“He killed a man. He helps people terrorize and kill people!” I whisper-yelp. He’s in league with literal demons—not that you’d understand that.

“Comparatively speaking, Mr. Delgado’s involvement is minimal to say... his godfather’s. As it stands, expect us tomorrow evening unless Delgado changes his mind and either plea bargains or counters it with his own offer.”

“What if he does?”

“Then we’ll pick you up on Friday. That’s the first opening we have at the WITSEC facility.

And we’ll deposit fifteen thousand into your account after a few papers are signed.

That’s the Anti- Terrorism Task Force’s reward for information leading to the arrest of certain members of the RACAF organization. ”

“Goody.”

“We’ll call tomorrow morning.”

“You said that you’d call yesterday.”

“Did I? I’m so sorry, Mrs. Gray, but sometimes personal contact isn’t necessary, especially if nothing has changed for you.

It can be busy, even during the weekend.

You can always phone us back if you have questions.

Now, don’t worry. Either way, you’re going to be completely taken care of.

Have a nice cold dessert with Mr. Gray.”

Powell hangs up, and I unlock the door. I couldn’t eat another bite right now if he paid me fifteen million dollars! Something about Powell’s smarmy voice leaves me cold, something he said tickles my subconscious, and his news leaves me unsettled.

“What is it?” Reggie puts his arm around me as soon as I exit.

“The lawyer advised Matteo to take a plea. He didn’t.”

“They won’t stop there. They need to sweeten it. Give them a few days.”

I look up at Reggie's face, seeing the lines deepen as he frowns.

“He said they might offer Matteo a chance to start over. Said he’s a ‘bright young man.’ It was strange. Almost like he admired him. He even said that Matteo’s crimes were small—comparatively speaking.”

Reggie shakes his head. “Wish I could have heard him. That’s an odd thing to say, but then again, Powell could be playing up the good cop role. You know, the one where he tries to convince Delgado that it’s not so bad, that he can start over and get away from all of the stuff in his past.

“But why say that to me ? Even if he was playing the good cop, that’s my ex-husband. I saw him murder someone. There is no universe where he gets to ‘start over’ like it never happened.”

“I have no idea.”

“Oh, and I called him out on not phoning when he said, and he brushed me off! He was like, ‘I’m busy, even on the weekends. Everyone can’t have personal attention.’”

Reggie's scowl threatens to crack his face in half. “That’s an odd way to put it. I wish I could have heard him.”

“I wished the same thing.”

“Hmm. Well, we’ll know more tomorrow. How’s your stomach?”

I rub my knotted midriff. “How did you know? Queasy.”

“Let’s pay and go walk around someplace air-conditioned. The humidity is coming back.”

“We could go home.” I lean into his strong, long torso and feel safe, really safe.

Reggie won’t let anything happen to me if he can help it.

Right now, I’m not so sure about Powell.

If Delgado takes a plea... will they even need me?

No. So what reason would they have to keep me safe? I don’t have to go to trial.

“I feel like something is off,” I say in an undertone as we gather our things.

Reggie runs a hand through his hair. “A lot of these guys seem off. They don’t share more than they have to, and they get a hard-on from holding all the cards. You know what we need? A hard lemonade.”

“Mm. We’re out, though.”

“There’s a Giant-Mart across from the mall. We’ll pick up another six-pack.” Reggie drops a few twenties on the table to pay for our meal and steers me out the door into the blindingly hot afternoon.

My skin immediately springs leaks, sweat popping from my pores. I must look horrible.

“We can get some spices, too. What do you want for dinner? Want to go out or stay in?”

Reggie's words give me such a sweet feeling of comfort. The way he smiles down at me reassuringly as we talk about the little things makes me feel grounded—but not trapped in stereotypes and expectations like I was growing up. I don’t feel like I’m trapped in some fake poor girl-turned-princess fantasy, either.

I hug him tighter to my side, sweat be damned.

“Let’s stay in. You never finished telling me about all the places you went.”

“I was in Helsinki. It was beautiful, treacherous, fun, friendly, and terrifying. And that was just at the airport.” He winks, and I laugh. “Stop that.” He kisses my head. “You shouldn’t be so beautiful in public. We’ll get arrested for public indecency.”

“Naughty.”

“You have no idea.”

“But I’d like to.”

We end our mercifully short walk across the parking lot and step into the shadow of the huge superstore.

We both grab for a cart at the same time, ending our banter as our rings click.

He’s wearing my grandfather’s, and I’m wearing my old wedding ring.

It still fits, although it’s a little bit looser these days.

Stress doesn’t do good things for my appetite.

I think our steak dinner was the first decent meal I’ve had in weeks.

“Looks good on you,” I murmur, and I mean it.

Reggie stares at my hand as we push through the squeaking second set of automatic doors into a blast of frigid air. “I wouldn’t have gotten you anything that fancy. Maybe I’m too simple.” His eyes settle on the diamond-studded band.

“When we’re clear of all this, I’m hocking it. Selling it online. Tossing it in the ocean, I don’t care. This and my engagement ring. I’d rather have one from you.”

The cart jerks to a halt. I stumble and hit my ribs on the handle, giving Reggie a dirty look. “Need your brakes checked, pal?”

“You said we . When we’re clear.”

Shit. I did, didn’t I? I put on a falsely light voice. “Of course, silly. You're my hubby. Not getting out of it so easily!”

“Of course not.” Reggie gives me a tight smile, and I feel like I’ve kicked an entire box of kittens.

The pain in my stomach stabs me again. “Excuse me a minute?” I gesture to the restrooms near the front of the store.

“I’ll be a couple of minutes. Anxiety messes me up,” I add in an embarrassed mumble.

“I’ll be right nearby.”

“Okay. Ooh! But grab the lemonade. It looks like they’re almost out.” I point to the end cap a few rows away where summery drinks and mixers are running low.

“Be right back.”

I WAS RIGHT BACK. I never took my eyes off the door. Fortunately, these superstores carry everything, and they have it everywhere. There was a rack of earrings, necklaces, and rings in shiny blue velveteen boxes just waiting to lure me in directly across from the restrooms.

One ring caught my eye. It was forty dollars and studded with blue topaz chips. It was silver, not gold, but it was bright and shining, like a summer sky.

It reminded me of Therese.

Humidity would always remind me of Therese.

Steaks and shrimp would remind me of Therese.

Sex against walls and crammed in showers would remind me of Therese.

Drinking lemonade would always remind me of Therese. It was odd that her handler had chosen that to be her distress word. I guess he knew a little something about her habits.

I felt like I was learning something about her habits, too.

Even her bathroom habits.

I looked at my phone. Ten minutes had passed, but she hadn’t come out.

No one had gone in or out.

Should I worry? I waited for my usual warning senses to kick in and tell me if something was wrong. I’ve always known when something was wrong, just a quiet sense, a stubborn sensation in my gut.

There’s nothing, now.

Nothing at all.

Because... Because are you different now? Did you trade your abilities for her love? For your soul?

God, Reginald, what if that’s why golems are made without these cumbersome, beautiful, forbidden things like souls to mate and hearts to love? What if, because of her love, you’re broken now?

Panic sets in, hard and fast. Twelve minutes.

Maybe the shrimp was bad.

Maybe something else was bad.

Sluggishly, as if I were fighting something unseen cloaking me, muting me, my gut started singing the Fight or Flight song, and when it comes to Teri, I’ll always choose fight.

“Excuse me!” I hammered on the door of the ladies’ room.

No answer. I pounded again and pushed into the women’s restroom without waiting to hear a reply.

The first sight that greeted me was a door at the end of the narrow corridor separating the tiled wall from the row of stalls. It was cracked open, letting a sliver of sunlight battle the flickering fluorescent bulbs.

“No.” I choked on the word. An exit I hadn’t covered. Hadn’t known about. Maybe it was just a sunny room? Could she still be in the building? Gotten turned around and taken the wrong door?

Behind me, aggravated, high-pitched noises were squeaking and shouting, protesting the fact that a man had barged into an empty women’s room.

I didn’t care. I ran straight toward the door at the end of the hall. “Therese!”

Nothing. “Teri!”

“Listen, sir!” A voice behind me earned a shove backward, and then I burst through the door—into blinding sunlight.

It led to the outside, to the side parking lot.

The bodyguard’s worst nightmare—his charge missing, gone, because he failed to check the perimeter, he let her out of his sight.

“Holy fuck.”

Someone had taken Therese.