Chapter Forty Audrey
Chapter Forty
Audrey
Ryder dumped my plan on Alejandro in one breath, casually tossing in the Hollis revelation like it was an afterthought.
He barely paused between bullet-point beats.
Then came the rapid-fire back-and-forth between the three of them.
Everything from theories to power plays and the logistics of going from A to B to C were discussed while I sat there silently, as if I weren’t at the center of it all.
I was on the verge of losing it as their words blurred in my mind. I also knew if I started rocking like I was having a nervous breakdown, there’d be no way Ryder would agree to let me go to New Zealand, so I needed to pull myself together.
A few words from Alejandro pushed through the noise in my head: auction and absolutely no fake wedding.
“No wedding, just the honeymoon,” I corrected, though it was doubtful anyone had heard me.
Alejandro dropped whatever he’d been saying, speaking with his hands like my Italian father who’d raised me. He turned his gaze sharp on me as if I had two heads.
At this point, maybe I did?
“Mitch will never believe we got married.” He hit the side of his hand into his open palm like a blade dicing an onion.
I was already peeling apart, so you know . . .
Makes sense.
“It’s too risky—how can you not see that?” Alejandro asked, eyes on my brother.
“The plan falls apart without her and you know it,” Ryder responded in a steady tone. “Bravo and Echo may be at risk, given what we now know. It’s no longer just about protecting government secrets or former operatives.”
“And we will protect them.” Alejandro pointed at me. “Just not with your sister in the middle.”
“How about a tiebreaker decision?” I was going to keep riding this train of crazy all the way to New Zealand if I had to. I found my backbone again, chucked aside both the pillow and my anxiety, and stood. “Reed. What do you think? You’ve been as quiet as I have.”
Reed glared at me as if unhappy I’d dragged him between two men ready to go to war over how to best protect me.
“If Audrey stays in Colorado, you don’t think Mitch will find a way to get to her here? And how are we supposed to open the vault without her?” Reed slowly pivoted toward Alejandro. “A magic trick?”
“Not funny,” Alejandro hissed.
“I wasn’t trying to be,” Reed shot back.
Alejandro’s dark eyes slanted over to me before drifting back to my brother like a target he’d dialed in on but didn’t want to take the kill shot.
“For the record, I hate this plan—you do know that, yeah?” My brother spoke before Alejandro could present his next argument.
“But this is our only plan for now.” He pointed at him.
“Don’t like the plan? Come up with a new one.
Until then, I’m calling Chandler and getting approval.
” He left no room for arguing, because he took off.
“I’m going to check in with Natasha and Gwen,” Reed muttered, bailing on us as well.
Maybe that was my cue to leave. To let Alejandro calm down so he’d realize Ryder was right. There was no other way forward that didn’t involve us being together.
It was a slow journey to my face before his dark eyes challenged my lighter ones in a duel. Who’d blink or turn away first?
“I should probably give you some space to think,” I said, surrendering first.
“To calm down, you mean?” His eyes burned through me, peeling back more of my layers in a much different way right now.
I fidgeted with the sleeve of my shirt, tugging it down to cover part of my hand. “Peligroso,” I whispered. “This is dangerous, I know.”
“Muy peligroso,” he said, emphasizing each word slowly. “?Lo entiendes?” He closed the space between us. “Me estás volviendo loco.”
Loco. Crazy. I knew that one. “I make you crazy?” My breathy question redirected his focus to my mouth.
“Muy loco.” He hit me back with a gritty answer, only to close his eyes. “Go before I do something crazy.”
“And if I want you to do it?” Because I felt just as loco, if not more, than he did.
“Please,” he begged, desperation in his voice. “Por favor.”
I relented and backed up. “Just so you know, the danger out there might be real,” I said while turning, preparing to leave, “but this thing between us is, too.” I took off after that and went to my bedroom.
Once the door was both shut and locked, I checked my phone, ensuring Chase’s little blinking dot was where it was supposed to be. Then Eden’s. I didn’t have a chance to toss my phone and hide under the covers, because a message popped up.
Unknown: I’m sorry.
Unknown: This is Alejandro btw. I don’t think you have my number in that new phone.
Unknown: And I think you misunderstood me down there.
Unknown: I hope you know the Only reason I don’t want to pretend to be your husband is because I care about your safety.
Unknown: I’d never survive anything happening to you.
I wasn’t used to a man being so open with me like this. It was as refreshing as it was terrifying. Because the more honest he was, the more I had no choice but to be as well. To face the truth sitting in front of me.
I’d been so afraid of risking my heart getting broken again, I’d forgotten that risk can also come with reward. And hearts could be healed if the right person held it in their hands.
Unknown: I’m also sorry about your best friend. Can’t be easy to find out she lied to you like that. That was news to me. I would’ve told you had I known. I knew Reed looked into her, but he didn’t tell me anything.
Unknown: Beth asked me to forgive her. I’m sure it’s a trick. A Trojan horse thing. It has to be. But IDK. It threw me off. But maybe prison changed her.
Unknown: I should probably stop talking to myself.
Unknown: Anyway . . .
I pulled back the covers and slipped beneath them, needing to sit before I responded.
Me: Hi.
I programmed his name into the phone.
Alejandro: Hi.
Alejandro: So, I’m not talking to myself?
Me: Not anymore, no.
Me: You don’t need to apologize.
Me: As for Beth? I suppose miracles do happen. I do know hanging on to hate will hurt you more than it does her, though.
Me: And yeah, the Hollis news sucked. Still processing. Starting to feel like almost everyone in my life has lied to me. Has anything in my life been real?
Bubbles bounced.
Disappeared.
Came back again.
After a few minutes passed and no text came through, I messaged him.
Me: Are you okay?
Alejandro: No. Are you?
Me: No.
Me: We’re a pair.
Alejandro: Well, since we’re about to go undercover as ourselves but married . . . I guess it’s a good thing we’re on the same dangerous page?
Me: Does that mean what I think it means?
Alejandro: No one else I’d rather be dangerous with . . .
Alejandro: So, what do you say? Marry me?
I laughed, my glossy eyes fighting back shockingly happy tears in spite of everything.
Me: Talk about the proposal of all proposals.
Alejandro: I could come up there and get on my knees for you if you’d like?
Me: Something tells me that if you did, we might wind up getting in trouble.
Alejandro: Affirmative.
Alejandro: So, is that a yes? Feel like being Mrs. Rodriguez for a few days?
Alejandro: Just a warning, the last one tried to kill me . . . You don’t plan on doing that, right?
Me: You’re hilarious, you know that, right?
Alejandro: I’m the team’s comic relief. It’s in my job description.
Me: To use humor to try and hide your feelings?
Alejandro: Is it working?
Me: Not even a little bit. Because it’s too late. You’ve already been too honest with me and shown me the real you. Can’t hide from me. I won’t let you.
Me: So, what is it that you really want to say? You know, if you could say anything without worrying about being considered loco?
Those bubbles began dancing again.
Alejandro: A few days being married to you doesn’t sound so great. That’s what I’d say. Not nearly long enough. Eternity sounds better.
Eternity? What a beautiful word.
Alejandro: And Audrey?
“Yeah?” I said out loud as if he could hear me.
Alejandro: This really is dangerous. This thing between us. For me, at least.
Me: I don’t get it. Help me out? Why?
Alejandro: Trevor.
Alejandro: It looks like Mitch sabotaged your marriage. Maybe you two belong together. Deserve a second chance to at least see. And I would never want to stand in the way of you two trying again.
“Ryder was right about you,” I whispered to myself. “You do have the biggest heart.”
Alejandro: Don’t respond to that now.
Alejandro: I want to hang on to the illusion for a little longer that one day you could be mine. And that this isn’t crazy or dangerous. That it’s meant to be.
My back hit the headboard, and I tugged the covers up tight to my chest.
I started to type, prepared to tell him I was not getting back with Trevor. To let him know I felt the exact same way as he did. Crazy or not, I didn’t care.
Alejandro: Don’t. Please.
Alejandro: After, okay?
After the mission. After this is over. Yeah, I can do after, I suppose. After’s a fair request.
Alejandro: But just so you know, if there’s a chance at a future with you . . . I’ll wait on that chance forever.