26. Chapter 26
twenty-six
“ Y ou made decent eggs, Mr. Bisset.” Lina bit into her fried egg-topped toast. The warm yolk oozed out, and she tried to catch every bit.
Curtis watched her with an indecent glint in his eyes. “How do you make me hot while eating eggs?”
“You just have a dirty mind,” she retorted.
“That I do.” He shrugged and started on his own breakfast.
Lina couldn’t help but steal a glance at Curtis every few seconds. Last night had been a wonder to her. She felt a newfound lightness, as if a heavy load had been lifted from her weary shoulders. Who knew someone like Curtis would get her?
She’d told no one about her disastrous last field mission except for Marcus. But even with her mentor, she could never let her feelings out the way she had last night with Curtis. Having him just hold her while she’d cried her heart out was something she hadn’t realized she needed.
Lina watched Curtis throw a grape up into the air and catch it with his mouth. She shook her head with a chuckle. Underneath that silliness lay a sensitive man no one saw. He’d called himself immature and selfish before, but that kind of person wouldn’t worry about his family and friends, or let her disgustingly wet his chest with tears and snot. A selfish man also wouldn’t make sure he pleasured her first thrice before he got to his.
The back door opened and slammed shut. Lina jumped out of her seat and warned Curtis to stay put with a look. The man knew when to follow orders.
“Just me!” Raul called from the back of the house.
Lina relaxed and sat down. Raul strolled in casually a few seconds later.
“ Buenos días, mis amigos ,” he greeted with a toothy smile.
“Morning,” Lina said. “Want some breakfast?”
“No. Just coffee.” The big man sat. “How are you, Curtis? Did you get some rest?”
Curtis just grinned and glanced at Lina. And Raul burst into a laugh.
Lina frowned at the odd exchange. Did I miss something? Is there an international bro code I don ’ t understand?
She placed a mug in front of Raul with a little too much force, and he stopped short and cleared his throat. “ Gracias .”
“Did you get it done?” she asked.
“Did I get it done? Of course I got it done. Who do you take me for, Lina? I’m not an amateur.” Raul pulled a large brown envelope from his pack and pushed it across the table to her.
“What is it?”
“IDs and cash,” Lina said. “How about transport?”
“I got you set with our old amiga , Carmen. She’s got you covered to Dubai, but has contacts to get you wherever you want to go from there. It’s not gonna be a comfortable trip, though,” Raul said.
“We can deal with that,” Lina said.
“Wait. What’s happening?” Curtis asked.
Ignoring his question, Raul eyed Curtis. “You’ll have to change his looks in case you’re caught in surveillance. If the bad guys are still searching him through any database, they still can find him.”
Then Raul turned to her. “You probably have to do the same if they’ve seen you with him.”
Lina knew that.
Curtis glared at her, then Raul. “Will somebody explain to me what’s happening?”
Raul slapped Curtis on the shoulder with his big hand. “What do you want to be? A blond or a ginger?”
“What the fuck?” Curtis turned to Lina. “Where are we going?”
“Out of Europe to Dubai. We’ll figure out our next destination on the way. It’s safer to keep things compartmentalized.”
“Are you serious?” Curtis looked unhappy. “Why can’t we stay here? Nobody knows we’re here.”
“They might’ve known Lina contacted me,” Raul said. “Those guys who showed up the other night were after me from another mission I had last year. Sorry, amigo . You’re not safe here, either. Not in the long run, at least. I have to go after those assholes from the other night myself and get that loose end tied up.”
“When do we leave?” Lina asked.
“Tonight. Twenty-three-hundred hours,” Raul said.
“We’ll be ready.”
“I picked up some supplies I thought you might need.” He handed Lina a brown bag.
There were some hair dyes, wigs, and a box of condoms. She glared at Raul.
He winked at her. “I got a vibe.”
Lina ground her teeth.
“I’m gonna get some sleep. Been up all night, getting things done.” Raul got up. “See you on the flip side.”
“Raul.” Lina stopped him before he walked away. “Thank you. You did me a solid.”
He nodded. “I may need a favor someday.”
“You got it.”
When Raul left the room, Lina turned to the quiet Curtis. His earlier playfulness was gone now that the reality of the situation had returned.
“We’re running again?” he asked flatly.
“See it more like putting more distance between you and the Stilettos.”
“What about my family? Are they still safe in France?”
“We’re drawing the danger away from Europe. We’re leaving just enough trail without actually letting them know where we’re heading,” Lina explained.
Curtis sighed. “How long can we keep running?”
Lina swallowed any typical reassuring speech for a client and honestly said, “I don’t know, Curtis. Once I can get hold of B&Y safely again, we’ll figure out what’s happening.”
Marcus technically couldn’t do much about the Stilettos. B&Y was not a law-enforcement organization. Their job was to keep Curtis safe. But he was right. They couldn’t run for the rest of their lives.
Curtis handed Lina her duffel bag, then hauled his own bag and guitar from the Jeep. They’d driven to a smaller, older airport. He didn’t even catch the name. Obviously, Raul had his connections because he’d driven them right through a barricaded gate with no issue and straight to a small jet.
He followed Raul while Lina walked at his flank toward a tall woman wearing a brown leather jacket, tan pants, and a fedora. She looked like a female Indiana Jones without the whip, though he imagined she could handle one easily.
“Raul,” the woman said with a big smile and open arms.
They embraced before turning to Curtis and Lina. The woman’s face lit up even more when she saw Lina. They hugged even longer.
“ Querida , how long has it been?” the woman asked.
“Five years, give or take?” Lina smiled. “I love the look, Carmen.”
Carmen made a pose with her outfit. “You like?”
“The perfect outfit for smuggling,” Raul said.
Curtis’ eyes widened. “Are we smuggling out? Is this illegal?”
Carmen laughed. “Don’t listen to him. Raul jokes, you know.” She eyed Curtis before returning her eyes to Lina. “This is your client, sí ?”
“This is Curtis,” Lina introduced. “Curtis, this is Carmen. She’s in transports.”
“You want to go somewhere? I take you,” Carmen said. “Or you need something specially delivered? I deliver.”
“Legally, right?” Curtis asked again.
Carmen glanced at Raul as if asking if this guy was for real. “Of course,” she said.
“Don’t worry,” Lina said. “Raul has taken care of the immigration matters, if that’s what you’re thinking about. We just need to keep you out of the public eye.”
Curtis would have to take Lina’s word for it. It wasn’t like he had any choice. But ever since he’d left his apartment a week ago, everything seemed so surreal—even his moments with Lina. He couldn’t believe this was his life.
He didn’t even look or feel like himself anymore. Lina had buzzed his hair close to his scalp. It was that or the hair dye. The beard had filled in pretty nicely and he didn’t recognize his own face in the mirror. He hated it.
“Come on board. We have a timetable to follow,” Carmen said. “We’ll have plenty of time to catch up when we reach cruising altitude.”
Lina turned to Raul and hugged him. “Thanks for your hospitality, Raul. You know how to contact me when I can return the favor.”
Raul nodded with a grin. “For sure, be safe out there.”
The big guy turned and offered his hand to Curtis. “You got a good one here. You watch her back for me, will you?”
“Of course.” Curtis nodded. “Thanks, Raul.”
“Hope you get these people off your back soon,” Raul added. “ Buena suerte .”
Yeah, I wish I knew how to do that.
A few minutes later, they were taxiing toward the lit-up runway. Unlike the first fancy jet they’d flown in from New York, this was a cargo jet with crates locked and strapped in the middle of the interior cabin. Instead of sitting in plush chairs, they were buckled in jump seats.
It didn’t take long to receive the okay for takeoff and be on their way. To Carmen’s credit, the process was smooth and less heart-racing than the last time Curtis was on a plane.
“You’re quiet tonight.” Lina covered his hand.
Curtis managed a small smile for her. “Sorry. I was just thinking about what a bizarre week we had.”
“It’s been nine days since we left New York,” she corrected.
“Has it? Jeezus. I don’t even know what fucking day it is.”
“It doesn’t matter. At least nobody’s shooting at us today.”
“I’m not sure I’m ready to joke about that,” he said, but smiled.
Even that response was weird to Curtis. The other night hadn’t been his first encounter with gunshots. Just a little over a year ago, a stray bullet had grazed his arm when he and Brandon had attempted to rescue Callie from her lunatic ex. He’d been so proud of the possibility of getting a scar from it, but it hadn’t even left much of a scratch.
Man, I was such a moron.
“I’m worried when you’re quiet. Talk to me,” Lina said.
Curtis lay his head back against the wall of the plane. “Can you feel like an entirely different person from the one you were a year ago?”
“Yes, absolutely,” she said in a solemn tone. “I’m not the same person I was five years ago.”
Curtis knew Lina would get it.
“How were you then?” he asked.
She gave a short, bitter laugh. “Ambitious. I had to be the at the top of my class, or breaking a record, or getting a mission done. My pride and ambition played a part in my friend’s death. And I can’t forgive that person.”
“Lina—” Curtis squeezed her hand.
“How do you feel different?” she interrupted and turned the question to him.
“Ah, I feel it’s time for me to grow up,” he admitted. “I’ve lived my life like Peter Pan, without a care in the world. If I ever to get to return to my life, I need to make some changes.”
“What changes?”
Curtis looked at her and knew at least one change he’d like to make permanent. But instead of telling her, he shook his head. “I don’t know yet.”
“You’re not thinking about giving up music, are you?” she sounded alarmed. “Because that’d be a loss.”
“No, music is my life. But it can’t be the only thing my life is about. I need more purpose, something meaningful.”
Lina smiled. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
“You made major changes in your life when you left the Army. Did that help?”
She looked across the way, contemplating her answer. “Somewhat. But I’ve accepted what and where I am.”
“Are you happy with what and where you are?”
Lina looked at him with a surprised, blank look. “Happy? I’m not unhappy.”
“That’s not the same as happy.”
She shrugged. “It’s where I am.”
They fell into silence, as Curtis didn’t know how to respond further.
“I know it’s not comfortable, but why don’t you try getting some rest?” Lina finally suggested. “I’m going to check in with Carmen.”
He nodded and watched Lina knock on the cockpit door before joining Carmen and her co-pilot in the cockpit.
Curtis realized how vastly different Lina’s life was from his. Though they’d shared major moments in this adventure, when this was all over, could she ever see him permanently in her life?