Page 42 of Vistaria Has Fallen

“Don’t be. I have the nine lives of a cat, don’t you know?”

“Señor?” The soldier had returned.

Nick barely glanced at him. “The helicopter is here for you,” he told her.

“I know.” She looked at the soldier. “Uno más momento, por favor.”

“Sí,”he agreed and moved away again.

Nick smiled. “You’ve been studying.”

“I’m a fast learner.” She sighed. “Economics seems veryremote right now.”

“You have one moment more,” he reminded her.

She gripped his shirt. “It’s not enough,” she confessed. “I’m confused, Nick. I thought I had it sorted out before all this happened, only now...I don’t know. You’re right to send me away. All I know is that I don’t want to leave you.”

His hand settled around her neck, curled around it as if he would draw her to him. She held herbreath, her heart leaping and her pulse fluttering. He gazed into her eyes.

“Nick,” she whispered. “Nicolás Escobedo.El leopardo rojo. I have seen you all ways. I want them all.”

He closed his eyes. She knew he battled temptation and his own better judgment. Right now she didn’t care about prudence and good sense. She only cared about the truth in her heart—and damn the price of speaking italoud.

“Señor!” came the imperative call.

Nick growled under his breath and opened his eyes. He pushed her toward the waiting soldier. “Go,” he told her.

She was hurried away, toward the military helicopter, with no answer, not even hope to cling to.