Chapter Seventeen
Cash
“YOU WERE PERFECT TONIGHT.” I squeezed Sabrina’s hands as we walked back to her cottage in the dark of night, wishing I could make her feel better. I could tell the evening had rattled her, although the way she’d handled Izan was genius. She knew just the right things to ask and when to ask them. I’d seen seasoned agents do a worse job than Sabrina. I believed tonight Izan had bought the story that we were a couple and no threat to him. He’d easily laughed and played cutesy with Lexi all night long, feeding her s’mores and making sure we knew exactly how successful he was at his job. At least he had done a better job researching hedge fund managers than he had Norway.
“Yeah, it was great. My sister is going to hate me.”
“She doesn’t have to know the part you played in it. If all goes according to plan, she won’t even know I had anything to do with it.”
Sabrina gazed up at me, her green eyes brimming with hope. “Really?”
“That’s how this works. Our agency never takes credit for the apprehension of criminals. The FBI will take credit for it, assuming this all goes down in the States.”
Sabrina halted, a shudder going through her. “Promise me if you don’t find the diamonds before she marries him, you’ll follow my sister wherever she goes, even on her honeymoon. Swear to me you won’t let her out of your sight,” she begged.
After what I’d witnessed watching them here, the thought of surveilling them on their honeymoon made my stomach turn, but I would do anything for Sabrina. And ... that was a problem in my line of work. Damn emotions. “I promise. I won’t let anything happen to Lexi.”
“You have to swear to me you’ll do whatever it takes to save her.”
“Sabrina.” I took her gorgeous face in my hands and let my thumbs brush over her cold cheeks. “I swear on my life, she’ll be safe.”
“Thank you.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed me.
Surprised but pleased that she’d initiated the kiss, my lips didn’t hesitate to capture hers.
“Ugh.” She pushed me away before I could deepen the kiss. “Why did I do that?” She marched off.
I easily caught up and took her hand.
She tried to shake me off, but I wasn’t having it. “Why are you upset?”
“Are you kidding me? It’s one thing for you to kiss me, but I shouldn’t be kissing you.”
I chuckled. “What’s the difference in who kisses who?”
“Uh, isn’t it obvious? If I kiss you, it says I have zero respect for myself.”
“I don’t follow.”
“Of course you don’t, because this is what you do. You probably have a string of heartbroken women around the globe wondering what they did to make you disappear. I’m just a pawn in your little spy game. But for me, you’re the man who left me.”
“Sabrina, this isn’t a game for me. And you’re the only woman I’ve ever had a real relationship with. When I kiss you, I’m not playing.”
“Maybe not, but soon you’re going to ride off into the sunset and I’m never going to see you again, and I hate how much that thought hurts me,” she said wide eyed, as if surprised by her own admission.
Her words landed a one-two punch. Guilt like I’d never felt before overcame me. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her, but I also wanted to take advantage of every second we had together, knowing it might be our last. “I’m sorry, Sabrina. You can walk away now.” Those words nearly killed me.
“I can’t. I have to save my sister and ...,” she trailed off.
“And what?” Selfishly, I was hoping she would say that, like me, she wanted to enjoy what little time we had remaining.
“Nothing. Let’s just get the job done.”
Right, the job. Somehow, I kept forgetting this was an assignment.
“I bet he had the diamond cut and polished in New York. Do you think that’s where he’s hiding them?” Sabrina asked. Her intuition served her well.
I swung Sabrina’s hand between us, clinging to it as we walked toward the cottage. “I think you’re right about where he had the diamond cut, but I don’t think he’d hide the diamonds there. He clearly doesn’t trust whomever he’s working with. He would want to keep the diamonds as far away as possible from them. My guess is that he’s keeping them close, or perhaps on Emerald Isle.”
“You think they’re here?”
“It’s possible. I’m going to see if I can sneak into his room at your parents’ house. I’m also going to dispatch a team to check out his home on Emerald Isle. Your sister is going to be pleased to hear that her back-ordered furniture is getting delivered this week. But it won’t be an ordinary delivery crew.”
“You can do that?” Sabrina asked with awe, but the thought also repelled her.
“That and more,” I hated to tell her.
“Do you need help sneaking into his room?” Sabrina asked.
I hated asking her, but if she were involved, it would make it easier and less suspicious. “Would you mind helping?”
“I’ll do whatever it takes to save my sister.”
“Including kissing me?”
She nibbled on her pouty lip. “I guess it’s a sacrifice I have to make.”
“I appreciate your sacrifice.”
She offered me a small smile. “I bet you do.”
She had no idea.
We were at her cottage well before I wished. I didn’t want to say good night to her—not to say I wouldn’t be keeping an eye on her.
Sabrina stared apprehensively at the darkened cottage. “It looks like Mia is still out with Drew.”
“Would you like some company?”
“Um ... I don’t know. Maybe. It’s just that I hate being alone right now, knowing that a murderer,” she whispered, “is running around. And last night Mia didn’t come home. Well, she did, but not until like three this morning. I could hardly sleep. Anyway, I’m rambling.” She blushed. “I could go stay with my parents, but Soren is staying there, and people would think maybe we had a fight if I slept there. I don’t want to make anyone suspicious.”
“So, what you’re saying is you want company?” I tried not to smile.
“Yeah,” she breathed out.
“Are you asking me to stay the night?”
“Noooo,” she exaggerated. “I mean, maybe, but on the couch. And totally platonically. Like so, so platonically.”
“Platonically, huh?” That was disappointing, but understandable. “I can do that. But how about you stay in my cabin? I can better protect you there.”
“Then people will think we’re sleeping together.”
I laughed at her logic. “And they won’t if I stay in your cottage?”
“Well, that’s different.”
“How?” I questioned.
“I don’t know.” She giggled. “I guess I’m being ridiculous. But I’m still serious about you keeping your underwear on.”
“Duly noted.” I smirked, happy I didn’t have to spend the night in the bushes watching over her.
“And I’m going to sleep on your couch.”
“If that’s what you want.”
“It is,” she said halfheartedly.
“Okay. Do you want to get an overnight bag?”
“Um ... yeah,” she said nervously. “Wait here.” She dashed off.
I started to follow her in, but my phone buzzed. I knew it was Ivy checking in, so I answered it while carefully watching the cottage, which suddenly lit up as if Sabrina had flipped on every light. “Hello.”
“Hello, lover boy. How’s it going?”
I’d led Ivy to believe Sabrina and I were on the road to reconciling. She had no idea Sabrina knew who I was, and I planned to keep it that way. If not, the director would pull me off the case and probably fire me. Or worse, have me incarcerated.
“Very well. I need you to get Archie to investigate every lapidarist in New York City. I’m sure that’s where Izan had Lexi’s diamond cut. And I need you to keep me posted on what team two finds on Emerald Isle when they deliver that furniture.”
“So bossy tonight. I like it,” she purred. “I assume things are going well with your lady love.”
“Better than expected.” I kept out any details.
“I’m happy for you, darling. Just remember, the only happy ending you will get here is taking down Izan. You don’t get to keep the girl.”
I stared at Sabrina’s shadow in the cottage window. My entire life I’d felt like I was always looking from the outside in. I’d even convinced myself I wouldn’t want to go in, even if someone offered me the opportunity. But I started questioning—if Sabrina extended the invitation, would I think about accepting it? Could she teach me how to be the kind of man I’d never had in my life?
“You understand that, right?” Ivy interrupted my thoughts.
“Yes,” I said clearly, remembering Sabrina was only doing this to save her sister.
“Good. Now find me those diamonds so we can call it a day.”
That was a day I didn’t look forward to. I realized I had never said goodbye to anyone, and I wasn’t sure I knew how. Or perhaps this time, I didn’t want to.