Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
Julia re-applied her red come-get-me lipstick, then fiddled with the few contents of her clutch, trying to appear busy while she waited for Kaira to exit one of the two stalls.
Her goal was to engage Kaira in a bit of casual small talk, but Julia also needed to step away from Finn for a few moments or else she’d burst into flames.
There was definite chemistry between them.
So much so that she kept losing sight of why she was in Dubai.
It was incredibly distracting, as was the haunted look that appeared in his eyes every so often, which made her heart hurt.
She wished he would have opened up to her and shared whatever it was he was hiding about himself or his past.
At the sound of a flush, Julia put away her lipstick and began to blot her cheeks. Barely any makeup there, but it was hot enough that the natural oil in her skin had begun to appear.
In the mirror’s reflection, she watched Kaira walk up toward the sinks, her nude heels a good four inches high.
The woman was gorgeous. Oliver would have surely noticed her beauty, but he wouldn’t go so far as to fall in love with a married woman and then kill her husband. That wasn’t a possibility.
Kaira sent her a friendly smile in the mirror and began to wash her hands.
If the information Finn and his team had obtained was correct, this woman had helped set up Oliver, but there was something so sad in her eyes that Julia almost felt bad for her for some reason. She looked lost and a little scared. And Julia knew that feeling all too well.
Realizing she was probably staring, Julia tossed the paper towel into the bin.
“You’re American?” Kaira startled her with the unexpected conversation starter.
“I am. From Florida.” According to her research, Kaira had spent time there. A “connection” she’d hoped would get Kaira to open up if they had a chance to talk.
“I lived in Miami for about nine months while my husband worked on a project there before moving to Dubai.” The heel of her hand went to her forehead as though a headache stirred.
“You okay? I have Advil if you need it.”
Kaira lowered her hand. “You’re sweet, but no, I . . .” Her slender neck went tight as if combatting stress or trying to keep herself from talking. “My husband died in January.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.” Okay, this is progress, right? Now, if only she could cut to the chase and ask Kaira what her brother was really up to and why he framed Oliver for Ario’s death. Assuming that’s what happened, she reminded herself. And is Ario really dead?
“We weren’t married for long, but I fell in love with him. I didn’t expect that to happen.”
Julia resisted letting another “oh” fall from her lips like a broken record.
“Arranged.” Kaira shrugged. “Not by my parents, though.”
Tariq?
“I have said too much.” Kaira pushed away from the counter and brushed past Julia, then turned back before exiting. “There’s something about you that makes strangers open up, yes?” Was that a question or an observation?
Before Julia had a chance to say anything, she was gone.
Was Finn’s secret-spilling vibe rubbing off on her?
Julia pulled herself together and rejoined Finn at the table just as dinner arrived.
“How’d it go?” he asked, his gaze shifting to the table where Kaira was sitting alongside her brother again. The Americans were eating as well.
“Kaira sort of struck up a conversation with me,” she said in an excited whisper, leaning forward to keep from being overheard. “And it sounds like Kaira was forced to marry Ario. You think it was about his money even though her family is already uber-wealthy?”
Finn focused back on Julia and shook his head. “I guess we’ll find out soon.”
After dinner ended, a meal Julia noticed Finn merely picked at, they headed back to their villa since that’s what their targets appeared to be doing as well.
Once they were back, Harper announced, “We have news. But before we share, how’d it go? Make any headway?”
“We got their attention. Hopefully, we’ll have a chance to chat with them on the safari,” Finn spoke up, popping the top two buttons of his shirt as if he were suffocating.
He looked so handsome and dashing in that white linen shirt, which, incidentally, was similar to what Rick O’Connell wore in The Mummy.
His dark hair was a little disheveled now from all of the times he’d run his fingers through it between dinner and their golf-cart escort back to the villa.
She scolded herself for wishing it’d been her fingers instead of his when she was supposed to be focusing on Kaira and the others.
“Where’s Chris? Eyes still on the other villas? ”
“Yeah, I’ll rotate with him soon,” Asher responded.
“So, what do you know?” Jessica prompted a beat later.
“I lucked out and spoke with Kaira in the ladies’ room.
I’m fairly certain Tariq is the reason she married Ario three years ago.
She told me the union was arranged but not by her parents, and she hadn’t expected to fall in love with him.
She truly appeared to be in mourning,” Julia shared what Kaira had confessed.
“I can see that happening,” Jessica said thoughtfully.
And as Julia stood among Finn’s colleagues, who obviously meant more to him than just work friends, it felt almost as if she were also part of their mission. It was strange, yet at the same time normal somehow.
It was comforting to have an elite team working to save Oliver and stop whatever malicious plans Tariq might be devising. When Julia messaged Mya with an update, she was careful to be sparse on the details, but her friend was relieved the “professionals,” as Mya called them, had taken over.
“So, what news do you have to share?” Finn directed Julia to have a seat on the couch, where A.J. sat with his feet on the coffee table in front of him.
Jessica removed her black-framed glasses and folded her arms. From the looks of it, she was going to take point on the conversation, and Harper appeared relieved. She was a bit pale again. Morning sickness was more like any-time-of-day sickness from what it looked like.
“Your intuition was right about Joan and Jack. Harper and I found a match in Giorgio’s files.
The after-surgery photos led me to the before ones.
Strangely, there’s no connection between Joan and Jack when they were Stacey and Doug aside from a mutual love of art.
They didn’t live in the same city. Stacey was an art teacher in New York.
Doug, an art broker who traveled the world.
No criminal record for either. No red flags.
I’m stumped as to why they changed their identities. ”
“But?” Finn dragged out the word as if waiting for more details because Jessica seemed to love suspense-building.
He sat next to Julia, and why did she get the feeling he was working hard to keep his eyes off her legs that were more exposed with her seated on the couch?
Why did his attention thrill her so much?
Why did she want to raise her dress some more (when they were alone) and show him what else was beneath?
Too many whys. Focus, Julia.
Jessica looked to Harper, then back at Finn. Had Harper taken a pregnancy test? If it was yes, would she share the news?
“They lived as Joan and Jack in Miami at the same time Kaira and her husband were there,” Jessica said. “I assume that’s how they met, and for whatever reason, they most likely shared Giorgio’s name with Ario and Kaira.”
“But would a billionaire like Ario want to fake his death to begin with? That’s what we’re assuming happened or was supposed to happen, right?” Finn asked.
“Still working on those answers,” Jessica said.
“Since Kaira told me she didn’t expect to fall in love with her husband, maybe that wasn’t part of the plan.
What if Tariq forced her to marry Ario, but he had no intention of allowing him to live that long?
” Julia proposed, trying to unravel the mystery like she was in a real-life game of Clue but didn’t know who all the players were.
Finn pivoted to face her a bit more. “You think Kaira tried to save Ario by faking his death? She was on the calendar, too, though. And, well . . .”
She’s still alive. “Is it a stupid idea?”
“No, not stupid. Still possible,” Jessica was quick to say, which made Julia feel a bit better.
“We really do need to get close to Joan and Jack this weekend. The fundraiser they organized and are hosting was a last-minute event thrown together. Maybe Kaira contacted them because she needed their help, and the event was a good excuse for them to come to Dubai in hopes it wouldn’t draw Tariq’s notice. ”
“But then he unexpectedly showed up here after his quick kill-a-surgeon trip in Egypt,” A.J. joined the conversation, sitting upright from his slouched position.
“I have an idea as to how you might get invited to the party.” Harper pushed back from the desk, and Roman set both hands on her shoulders and gently squeezed, giving her a massage.
Julia was pretty tense, too. She could use a massage, but she wasn’t about to ask the sexy SEAL Finn to do it. She probably needed sleep more than anything.
“Since both Joan and Jack seem to be into the eighties given their name choice and party theme, and they appear to love art, what if you happen to mention tomorrow during the safari that you have a piece of art you’d like to auction for charity? Something that’d catch their attention.”
Julia closed her eyes for a second, rummaging through her head for what she might own that would do the trick. “I should have something. I can have my assistant head to my place and take some photos of the paintings I have. Or other collectibles that might pique their interest.”
“I wonder . . .” Roman’s voice trailed off as if an idea had popped into his mind.
“Anyone remember that art thief in the news a few years back? Interpol believed one person was responsible for some of the more notable stolen items, but no one had a clue as to his identity. Then one day, he just stopped. Dropped off the grid.”
“I don’t remember that,” Asher said in an exaggerated tone. “But of course you would.”
Harper turned in her chair to eye her fiancé. “You think Jack-Doug was that guy? And do you remember the year this famous art thief retired, by chance?”
Roman shook his head as if disappointed with himself.
“Maybe we’re dealing with a love story?” Jessica proposed, her eyes moving to the man she loved.
“Romancing the Stone,” Harper said softly. “Jack’s character in the movie was a thief.”
“And Joan’s character was a writer, I think. Not a teacher, but maybe Doug and Stacey fell in love, and he gave up stealing art for her. And if they have a shared love of the eighties . . .”
Julia continued Harper’s line of thought as she drew to mind the few memories of that childhood movie she’d loved.
It made for a good romance, that was for sure. The guy giving up his wicked ways for the woman he loved. What about a good guy? Would he give up his passions for a woman?
No, don’t think that. Don’t even consider Finn giving up his work for you. You can’t let him do that. And wait, love? That’s nuts. Sure, she and Finn had spent nearly every moment together for the last two-plus weeks, but she wasn’t falling in love with him.
Julia did her best to ignore the strange, nagging feeling in her gut and refocused on the main issue at hand. The Americans.
“It’s possible,” Jessica said.
“I think more like probable,” A.J. added his two cents and joined Asher on his feet. “But why don’t you two get some rest since you’ve been going nonstop?”
“Agree.” Jessica directed her head toward the stairs leading to the suite Julia and Finn would be sharing.
“There are more than enough of us in Dubai working leads. Rest,” Harper added.
“Since it’s earlier in New York, I’ll shoot a message to my assistant to head to my place for a look-see at what I might donate, so I’m prepared for the safari tomorrow.” Julia rose, and Finn did the same.
“There sure as hell better not be any camel riding.” A.J. grimaced. “I’m still sore in places I’d rather not discuss from the other night.”
“You and me both, brother,” Finn said in a light, easy voice. “Wake me if you learn something. Or need me.” She noticed him glancing at Jessica and Asher, then moved his gaze around the room.
“Goodnight.” Jessica exaggerated the word as if to say Sleep, damn it. Let me handle the rest.
“Thank you again for everything.” Julia smiled, and Jessica tipped her head but remained quiet.
Once inside the bedroom upstairs, Finn shut the door behind them and slid out of the leather loafers Harper had bought him at the mall to go with his outfit.
Julia removed her engagement and wedding rings, a reminder this was all an act. But earlier on that dance floor, when he’d been holding her, it’d felt far too real.
“You sure you want to share the bed? We’re not really Evie and Rick.”
Julia took off her heels, trying to buy herself some time. How would she answer? Sleeping next to a man she was more than just attracted to would be a challenge, but there was no other place she’d rather be than alongside him.
Julia pulled her gaze up his long legs and to his fingers deftly moving over the buttons of his shirt. Those veined hands made short work of the buttons with quick precision, and his shirt parted to reveal his golden six-pack. And the purple bruises on his chest.
“It’s a big bed,” she said, her voice a little hoarse at the sight of his body. “And I don’t bite.”
Finn’s grin reached his eyes the way she loved, and, God help her, she wanted those lips to cover every inch of her body. But it was the husky depth of his voice when he said, “That makes one of us,” that had her wondering how long she’d last before she made the next move.