Chapter 9
IRIS
Morning in the jungle doesn’t arrive quietly.
It crashes in all at once, sound first, then light, then heat.
Birds scream their opinions into the canopy.
Insects hum like live wires. Sunlight slants through the window we forgot to cover before we finally fell asleep.
I blink against the bright rays and roll onto my side to escape them, straight into Julian.
He’s sprawled on his back, sheet tangled low around his hips, one arm flung over his eyes like the sun offends him. There’s a faint crease between his brows, even in sleep, like his mind refuses to fully stand down.
I smile before I can stop myself. Last night.
My body is sore in places I didn’t even know had muscles. What we did was hot and dirty, and so good. I study the man lying next to me. The man who’s captured my heart, but can never know how deeply I feel for him.
The man I’ll never see again once I leave this island. I need to get back home safely, but a part of me wishes it will take a while. But the longer I stay, the harder it’s going to be to leave Julian.
I trace the line of his shoulder with my eyes. His chest rise and fall steadily. Even in sleep, his presence dominates the space he’s in. He’s here in my bed and I wish it could last forever.
I push the thought away and slip out of bed and into the bathroom, quietly closing the door behind me. After a quick shower, I tip-toe into the bedroom again. Julian is still asleep, but my stomach is growling so I put on some yoga pants and a thin long-sleeved t-shirt. Curtesy of Lucien, again.
When I reach the terrace off the main room, I find food already laid out. There’s fruit cut with surgical precision, strong coffee, fresh bread still warm. Of course, it is.
I’ve known him less than a day, but already I know Lucien doesn’t do anything halfway. Our host is absent, though, and I hesitate to eat without him. In the end, hunger wins, and I pile a plate high with food and sit down at the table.
Julian appears a few minutes later, freshly showered, hair still damp, expression locked back into controlled neutrality.
Nervously, I scrutinize his face. Is he regretting last night?
But then his eyes catch on me, softening just a fraction, and something tight in my chest eases. “Morning,” I say.
“Morning,” he replies, voice rougher than he probably intends. He grabs some food and sit down across from me.
We eat in companionable silence for a while as the jungle sounds grow around us. Somewhere, something large crashes through the undergrowth.
Julian speaks first. “We need to talk about getting you out.”
Inwardly I wince, wanting the real world to stay away just a little longer, but I know that’s not reasonable, so I nod. “I know.”
He doesn’t look at me when he continues. “Borders are tightening. Commercial flights are grounded. But there are… options.”
“Options,” I repeat. “You say that like you’re choosing a wine.”
His mouth twitches. “Force of habit.”
I tear off a piece of bread. “Occupational hazard?”
“Probably.”
The truth hangs between us, heavy and unspoken. When I leave San Isidro, we’re done.
No long-distance. No waiting. No promises. His work doesn’t allow for them, and mine...do I still have a job? Will this military coup derail my career before it had a chance to begin?
Julian clears his throat. “Right, options,” he says, interrupting my depressing thoughts. “I can’t involve the British military without blowing my cover. If possible, I’d like to avoid that.” His intense blue gaze pierces mine.
“Understood.”
“We could try to get you out on a boat, but I haven’t been in San Isidro long enough to establish reliable civilian contacts. I can’t guarantee your safety on a private vessel.” He studies me again.
I’m not sure what he expects, so I nod again. “Okay.”
“That leaves your country’s military. I have a contact or two we can reach out to. Lucien probably has some as well, if mine don’t work out.”
“You know people in the US military?”
He looks away. “Not exactly in the armed forces, but—”
“Other spies,” I interrupt.
He shrugs. “Colleagues.”
That’s one way to put it. I take a sip of coffee, buying myself a moment. “I have my own contacts.”
His gaze sharpens instantly. “Who?”
“My best friend,” I say. “Well, actually her husband, who’s also my former boss, runs a security company. They do extractions.”
Julian’s jaw clenches. “You worked for a security operation?”
A sharp bark of laughter escapes my lips. “No. My friend’s husband is co-owner of the security company, but it’s his brother who runs it. I worked at the bar that my friend’s husband owns.” I look up at Julian. “Did you think I was a fellow spy? And that I’ve played you this whole time?”
He shakes his head. “I’m a little disturb by how much pleasure you take in that possibility.”
I lean back. “It would have been a nice twist to our story.” I smile, but then I have to look away and blink away the tears gathering in my eyes as I remember that this is the end of Julian’s and my story.
Julian clears his throat. “Do you trust these two brothers?”
“With my life.”
“That’s a strong endorsement.”
I smile faintly. “You don’t know April.”
He exhales slowly. “I threw your phone away.”
“I noticed.”
“For your safety.”
“I know. But you still have yours. Can I borrow it?”
His jaw tightens. “It’s encrypted,” he says. “Tracked only if I allow it.”
“I wouldn’t—”
“I know,” he interrupts. His gaze softens. “But your friends might try to track the call and I don’t know what kind of technology they have. The call could be an enormous risk for me.”
I nod. “I get that.”
We sit there, the tension humming between us like the jungle itself.
Before either of us can say more, Lucien’s voice drifts in from behind us. “You should finish breakfast, quickly.”
We both turn to see Lucien standing at the edge of the terrace, immaculate as ever, hands loosely clasped behind his back, expression mild.
“Why?” Julian asks flatly.
Lucien’s smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “Because supplies will be… limited, soon.”
My stomach drops. “What do you mean?” I ask.
Lucien steps closer, lowering his voice as if the jungle itself might be listening. “The rebels have surrounded the villa.”
Julian is on his feet instantly. “How close?”
“Close enough to make a point,” Lucien replies. “Not close enough to cross the line.”
“What line?” I ask.
Lucien looks at me. “This land is protected. They won’t violate the historic agreement, not yet. It would cost them public goodwill.”
“But,” I swallow, “they can wait us out.”
“Yes,” Lucien says gently. “They can cut off supplies like food and other necessities.”
Julian’s fists clench. “How long?”
Lucien shrugs. “As long as it takes.”
The jungle hums, indifferent. I look between the two men and feel something cold settle in my chest.
Julian turns to Lucien. “You didn’t mention this possibility.”
Lucien arches a brow. “You didn’t ask.”
“How do they know we’re here?” Julian asks.
“They don’t know who’s here,” Lucien replies. “Just that a foreign woman’s visiting me and they want her to go with them.”
I inhale slowly. “So what happens now?”
Lucien’s gaze lingers on me thoughtfully. “I’m sorry, my dear. As lovely as it is to have you in my house, I fear you must leave for your own safety.”
Julian shoots him a glare. “Careful with the flirting.”
Lucien smiles. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were jealous.”
Julian grunts in reply, but my mind races too fast for me to pay proper attention to their word dueling.
I need to reach April, now, before Lucien and his staff are punished because of me.
But I also don’t want to risk blowing Julian’s cover.
I don’t think Jay and Nick would do so on purpose, but them cracking Julian’s encryption might make him vulnerable to other parties.
“Can I use Lucien’s phone?” I ask Julian.
He meets my gaze, something unreadable flickering there. Then he nods once.
Lucien watches our interaction. “Shouldn’t you ask me, my dear?”
Julian turns toward him. “Iris knows people who work with extractions. Private contractors.”
Our host studies me for a moment. “You become more interesting the longer I know you.” He claps his hands, and one of the young men who served us dinner last night appears.
Lucien says something in San Isidran, and the staff member disappears and then shortly returns with a satellite phone, which he hands to me.
I dial April’s number, and her voice is sharp when she answers. “I only answer unknown numbers right now because I’m worried about my best friend, so you better not be trying to sell me something because I will go off on your ass if you are.”
I laugh, but tears also trickle down my cheeks. “April, it’s Iris. I’m okay.” Her squeal is so loud I have to hold the phone away from my ear.
“What the fuck, Iris? Why haven’t you contacted us. We’ve been worried sick since we heard about the coup.”
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I got rid of my phone so I couldn’t be tracked by the rebels and it took me a while to find a safe way to get in touch.”
“Tell me everything,” my best friend, my only family, demands. But then there’s a muffled scuffle with words I can’t make out, and then Nick is on the line. “Iris,” he says. “Why the fuck are you calling from Lucien Moreau’s house?”
I look at our host and then at Julian, who’s also staring at him. “You know Lucien?” I ask Nick.
“Put that shady fucker on the phone right now,” Nick demands.
I hand the phone to Lucien, who sighs loudly but takes it from me.