Chapter 17 #2
Her eyes journeyed to his face as a hot beat of tension burned her lungs. “Let me come.” She’d attempted to use her authoritative courtroom tone, but the break in her voice failed her.
“I’d never forgive myself if something happened to you.” He cupped her cheek with his free hand, and as she leaned into his touch, her mouth brushed over his thumb.
She wrapped her hand over his wrist, keeping his hand in place. “So, you know how I’d feel if you leave and don’t come back,” she said, her tone soft. The touch of weakness, of worry, still there, even though she didn’t want it to be.
“This is who I am. And this is why—”
“You don’t settle down,” she finished so he wouldn’t have to.
He was quiet for a moment. Studying her as if contemplating the idea.
“Even if I can get the team to agree, I highly doubt we’ll get the OK from the president.” He lowered his arms to his sides and stepped back.
“So don’t tell the president.”
“Aren’t you supposed to make sure we stay on the right side of the law and out of legal trouble?” A flicker of a smile caught the edges of his lips.
“All the more reason I should go with you.” She might not have a job when this was all said and done, but as long as everyone made it out alive and safe, that was more than enough for her.
Emily stared at Liam, anticipation racing through her, as he talked to Jessica and Asher off to the side of the room ten minutes later. Judging by how they all kept swinging their gazes Emily’s way, she sensed the decision about her going to Chile hadn’t yet been made.
She kind of liked the fact a woman was in charge of a bunch of Navy SEALs. The guys not only didn’t seem to mind, they had an obvious respect and admiration for her. She knew Luke and Jessica co-led both teams, but based on what Emily had witnessed so far, Jessica was the glue.
And now they’d added another badass woman to the team.
Emily had met Harper in Vegas. And wow, that seemed so long ago, even though it’d only been last Sunday when Emily had woken up naked and married to Liam.
“You really have to leave so soon?” she’d asked Liam as he’d hurriedly dressed in her hotel room. Asher had blown up his phone a dozen times, and he’d finally given in and answered it. “Shouldn’t we talk about what happened first?”
“You said you don’t remember much of what happened.” He draped the blazer from his tux over his arm and approached her, needing to leave her room in the clothes he’d worn the night before. “So, what should we talk about?”
“I remember a little.” She’d tossed a hand in the air. “Like the getting-married part.”
“Shit. Okay. I was going to bring that up when I got back from—”
“Wherever you’re running off to? Which is where exactly?”
“Emily, are you sure you want to do this?” Both Jessica and Liam stood before her now, abruptly roping her back to the present.
“Yeah,” she answered, no doubt in her mind. “So, who can I be? What alias?”
Jessica and Liam exchanged a quick look. “Heidi and Decker Hoffman are the least used aliases,” she answered.
“Me? A Heidi?” She pulled on the strands of her dark hair. “I guess I’m going as a blonde, but, uh”—she glanced at her jeans—“I don’t exactly have legs for days.”
“You’re not going as Heidi Klum,” Jessica said with a laugh.
“And your legs are damn perfect to me.” Liam’s eyes trailed a path along the curves of her body.
Jessica cleared her throat. “But yeah, Heidi’s blonde, so I’ll get you a wig. We have everything you’ll need here. No worries.” She squeezed her shoulder.
“Are we flying commercial or private?” Maybe Liam could get some sleep on the flight to Chile.
“Since the Hoffmans always fly first-class commercial, we’ll stick to their usual routine,” Jessica answered.
“Jared’s heading to New York to the CIA black site where the couple’s being kept.
Since Patty still denies involvement, hopefully, he can get something out of them.
And Harper’s going to see what she can pull from their records.
Maybe we can find out how they learned about the bounty in the first place. ”
“Will Elaina be okay with us gone?” Emily asked.
“I’m not great with kids, but Harper has a few nieces—and she’s got a better singing voice than this guy.” Jessica jerked a thumb Liam’s way.
“So, Elaina told you how bad I am at Twinkle Twinkle?” He flashed his white teeth.
“She may have mentioned it.” Jessica returned his smile.
“Would I be able to talk to Sam before I go?” Since Liam had told Owen what was going on to protect Sam that morning, there was no point in keeping secrets from her best friend anymore.
“Yeah. I’ll get you a secure line.” Jessica left her alone with Liam.
“What are you going to tell her?” Liam asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe everything.” She leaned in closer to him, tipped up her chin and whispered, “What about the rest of your team? You planning on telling them the truth about us? That we’re already married?”
Liam’s eyes were a bit bloodshot, and his lids were heavy, no doubt from exhaustion. The man was a machine, but he also needed to rest at some point. “Do you want me to tell them?”
Her mouth was dry and cottony like she hadn’t eaten in days. And if it weren’t for Liam reminding her to eat since they’d been underground, she probably would’ve forgotten to.
“Here you go.” Jessica came back with a phone in hand, saving Emily from stumbling through an answer to his question.
“Thanks.” She tapped it against her palm.
“I’d keep it short. You two need to gear up and leave soon.” Jessica looked to Liam. “I couldn’t scrounge up anyone in Santiago to provide you with weapons, especially since you’re going undercover, so you’ll need to get something on the black market when you’re there.”
“Shouldn’t be too hard to do.”
“I’ll be right back.” Emily went to her temporary bedroom.
She dialed Sam’s number and bit her thumb as she waited for the line to connect. She’d lied to her best friend about Liam, and now . . . how would she drop the truth bomb to her over a cell phone in an underground nuclear fallout bunker?
“This better be you,” Sam said upon answering.
“Hey,” she nearly whispered and sat on the bed. A tingling sensation moved through her limbs. The nerves and guilt strangling her words.
“Emily? Can you hear me?” Her voice pitched higher. “Hello?”
It was now or never. “I know what you’re going to say, but I promise, I know what I’m doing.”
“Was there ever going to be a trip to Australia?” Sam asked, and Emily could picture her brows snapping together, her lips pinching tight as she worked at putting the pieces together.
She closed her eyes. “There’s something I have to tell you, but I’m afraid you’ll be angry.” Hell, she knew Sam would be pissed. But probably at Liam and not her.
“You’re scaring me, Em. What’s going on?”
I’m married. I’m married. She chanted the phrase in her head for what felt like a solid minute, hoping eventually the words would slip out.
Silence.
Crickets.
Nada.
“Emily, please.”
“I’m sorry,” she forced out. “It was supposed to be your day, Sam.” Guilt at what she’d done had her stomach tucking in, hollowing her out.
“What are you trying to say?” Sam’s voice had lowered to a soft, nervous tone.
“The, um, reason Liam happened to be at my apartment when that guy busted in to, uh, kill me . . . well, he was there to sign annulment papers.”
Silence and then, “I don’t understand.”
Oh, God. She was going to make her spell it out for her. “We got drunk and married the night of your wedding,” she blurted.
“I’m going to kill him,” Sam gritted out, using the tone she reserved for only the people who pissed her off on a nuclear level—often politicians.
“It’s not his fault,” Emily quickly came to his defense.
She was back on her feet and began pacing the small space in front of the bed as she waited for Sam to say something. Hell, anything. She’d even take anger over the death-trap of silence.
“Did you sign the papers already?” Sam finally spoke. “Are you no longer married?”
“We got sidetracked by the—”
“Assassin. Shit. I’m so sorry.” A hard sigh crackled through the line causing static. “Are you okay?”
“You don’t need to worry about me. I’m just sorry about what I did and for keeping what happened a secret from you.”
“Don’t be. I’m not mad at you,” she said, almost a hushed tone. “I’m just glad you’re alive.”
“I’m so sorry if my work has put you in danger.”
“Well, I did get you mixed up in the craziness of my life last year.”
“That wasn’t your fault.”
Sam grew quiet for a moment. “Just stay safe. I know you’re with the team, so I’m confident you’ll be okay . . . but . . .”
“What is it?” she asked, her voice rising a touch. “What are you afraid to say?”
“Liam.” His name snapped through the line like she hadn’t wanted to say it. “He’ll hurt you. You’ve stuck to casual dating since Mr. British broke off the engagement two years ago, but Liam—well, I don’t think you should—”
“I know you care about me, but I just can’t talk about this right now. And I promise, everything will be okay.” She hoped she knew what she was doing, at least. “Try not to worry about me.”
“Not possible,” she said, and Emily could hear the cut of emotion—the brink of tears about to hit Sam’s cheeks. And damn if it had her eyes watering now, too. “Call me with updates when you can. I love you, Em.”
She cleared her throat. “I love you, too.”
She ended the call and took a few minutes to gather herself—to put her head back on straight before she faced the team. Before she set eyes on the man who did have the power to cut a sharp line through her heart, splitting it into two.