13. Paybacks are Hell
PAYBACKS ARE HELL
HALSTON
Halston hugged her brother, pulled him into the suite. He glanced around, went to the bar.
“Drink?” he asked.
“I’m good,” she replied.
“You must be loving this setup,” Wolf said.
“It’s great.”
Wolf raised the glass, tossed back the whiskey. “How are you doing?”
“Good.” She pulled on a glove, removed the drinking glass from the plastic bag. “My prints are on them.”
“No problem.” Wolf slid on latex gloves, placed the item in a padded bag to protect it from breaking. “I’ll lift his print, then make you the rubber finger.”
She laughed. “That sounds kinky.”
He shot her a smile. “If you got me a full print, the rubber finger will give you access to Bulgrov’s laptop.” He pulled a thumb drive from his backpack. “Collect what you need on this.”
“Why can’t I use a regular thumb drive?”
“You can’t use one from the embassy,” he said, “and you can’t buy one. Stores are filled with security cams. Where’s your laptop?”
She pulled it from her bag. He inserted the thumb drive. “Create a password. Something easy to remember that no one else can figure out.”
She did, then pulled out the thumb drive. “Thanks for this.”
“Have you heard from Mom and Dad?” he asked as he got comfortable on the sofa.
“I thought they were in Europe,” she said. “Come into the bathroom. I have to finish my makeup.”
He made a face. “I’m not six. You can’t boss me around.”
“I’m going out and I’m not ready.”
“I’m not staying,” he said. “I got a text from Mom. She said they’ll be home soon.”
Excitement flitted through her. “I would love to see them.”
“I’ll make it happen.” He pushed off the sofa. “Who’re you going out with?”
“How do you know I’m going out?”
He furrowed his brows. “You just told me.”
She stared at him, then blinked. “Yeah, right, I did.”
“You sleep deprived? You sound like an idiot.”
She laughed. “Only you could say that to me and not end up dead.”
He pulled back his jacket revealing two pistols. “I think I’d win.”
She cracked her knuckles. “I’m on a list.”
“You’re speaking in riddles. What list?”
“I’m considered a lethal weapon with my bare hands.”
“Your Girl Scout leader would be so proud.”
Again, she laughed. “God, I’ve missed you. Maybe we can have dinner together.”
“When I return with your kinky rubber finger.”
Knock-knock.
Halston glanced at the time. “He’s early and I’m not ready.”
“Check and see. If it’s him, I’ll pull a dad and question him to death.”
“It’s not a date or anything.”
“Yes, it is. Your cheeks are wild pink and your eyes are jet black. Your pulse is probably racing.”
Halston glanced through the peephole. “I’ll be a few minutes. Be nice to him.”
“What alias are you using?”
If she told Wolf Gabriel knew her real identity, he’d give her a ration of shit that would turn into a screaming match, then devolve from there. She was nervous enough about going on a date… why make things worse?
“Barbi,” she said before vanishing into the bathroom.
GAbrIEL
The door opened, the stranger stood there stone faced. “Come in.”
Gabriel shoved down the anger, stepped into the room, shut the door behind him.
“Barbi’s getting ready.”
“Who are you?” Gabriel asked.
“Who are you?” the stranger replied.
“A friend.”
“Same,” Wolf said.
Gabriel couldn’t read the guy. He didn’t smile, wasn’t frowning either. He just stood there eyeing Gabriel.
“Gabriel.”
“Wolf.”
“How do you know Barbi?” Gabriel asked.
“I just do. You?”
“We met through friends.”
“Where are you taking her?”
“Why do you care?”
“Because she’s important to me and I want to make sure she’s safe.”
“She’ll be with me,” Gabriel said. “I’ll keep her safe.”
Neither was giving an inch.
“Who do you work for?” Wolf asked as his phone buzzed in his pocket.
“Myself. You?”
“Same.”
Gabriel had run out of patience. He had no idea who he was, but he was definitely protective of Halston.
“Where’s Barbi?” Gabriel asked.
“Like I said, getting ready.”
Gabriel made his way toward the back, but Wolf blocked him. Gabriel shoved the man out of the way, continued down the hallway.
“Barbi,” Gabriel called out as Wolf grabbed him by the arm, yanked him around.
“I said she’s getting ready,” Wolf said. “Just fucking wait.”
“What is your problem?” Gabriel asked. “If she agreed to go out with me, then what business is it of yours?”
Halston hurried out of the bathroom. “What is all the noise about?” She glanced from one man to the other, then pointed at Wolf. “Don’t be a dick.”
Then, she marched up to them. Even with her in heels, they both towered over her. “This is my idiot brother, Wolf Devereux. This is a friend of mine, Gabriel Santini, who is—at the moment—also an idiot. Be polite.” She shoved her finger in her brother’s face. “I like this one, so cool it.”
Glaring at both of them, she returned to the bathroom and closed the door.
“Sorry,” Wolf said. “She’s right. I’m super protective of her, which is crazy since she’s just a Kindergarten teacher. I mean, educators are super important—”
“She’s an international travel writer,” Gabriel said matter-of-factly.
The two men shook hands. “That’s a new one.”
“Where do you work?” Gabriel asked.
“I was with a federal agency, but I left,” Wolf said. “Now, I do my own thing. How ‘bout you?”
“I run Santini International Euro and a few other businesses in Italy.”
Halston returned. Gabriel shifted toward her and her beauty stole his breath. Even as Barbi with a long blonde wig and tinted contact lenses, she did it for him. Beauty, confidence, and courage all wrapped into one hot package.
Maybe he did mean something with the rings. Maybe he was testing the water.
“I didn’t hear you two going at it, so I’m guessing you calmed down,” she said.
“I’m out,” Wolf said. “I’ll text you in a coupla days.”
She shifted toward Gabriel. “He’s making me a rubber finger.”
Gabriel raised his eyebrows. “You two really are close.”
She laughed.
“Ew,” Wolf said before he grabbed a padded bag, threw his backpack over his shoulder. “Love you, sis.”
“Love you. Thanks for helping me.”
Wolf extended his hand to Gabriel. As the two men shook, Wolf said, “One wrong move with her and you’re a dead man.”
“Do. Not. Threaten. Me,” Gabriel said. “You won’t live to regret it.”
“Enough,” Halston scolded.
Wolf strode out, shut the door behind him.
Alone with his woman.
The air crackled with electricity. The pull to go to her had him wrapping her in his arms, dropping a soft kiss on her lipstick lips.
“You look beautiful. Elegant and sexy.”
“Evangeline left me some clothes. I thought this would be good, but I’m not sure where we’re going.”
Halston had worn a halter dress with a high neck and bare shoulders.
“That’s a Santini Original,” he said. “Our Little Black Halter dress.” He kissed her soft shoulder, letting his lips linger on her warm skin.
She modeled it slowly so he could check her out. His junk started to swell, but he tamped down on the desire.
“Bellisima.” Very beautiful.
“I’m glad you like.” She paused to check him out. “You clean up well.”
He’d worn a Santini Original black suit, black dress shirt, no tie.
“Come sit.” He clasped her hand, brought her to the sofa. After they got comfortable, he said, “I have gifts for you.” Her eyes lit up, the joy on her face calmed his angry, vengeful heart.
“This sounds fun.”
He set the small bag on her silky, toned thigh. “I wanted to buy you jewelry, and something you don’t have.”
“Okay.” She reached inside, extracted the small package wrapped in white tissue paper.
He kissed her again. “I’ll explain after you open.”
She unfolded the tissue paper, stared at the shimmering diamond rings and the gold lipstick case for a few seconds before peering into his eyes.
“These are stunning. I definitely don’t have rings like this. Is that a man’s ring?”
“His and hers. They’re different because they work with an app—”
“Are they those health rings?”
“No, they were created by gadget master Crocket Wilde. They have location chips embedded in them, so we’ll know where the other is.”
“Like Find Me on my phone?”
“Yes, but better because we might not have our phones.”
“Hmm.”
“You asked me to be honest, not to step out on you. I told you I wouldn’t, but if you ever doubted me, you could see—”
“Gabriel, the rings are beautiful, but if I have to check on you because I think you’re cheating, then I don’t trust you. I don’t want a relationship like that.”
“If you were taken, how would anyone find you?”
“Evangeline put a chip in my neck.”
He laughed. “Yeah, right.”
She lifted her long, blonde wig and pointed. “It’s there, under the skin.”
He held out the eternity band. “If you like the ring, but not the tracker, I’ll buy you something else.”
Then, he realized what was missing.
Tell her.
“Halston, the ring is a symbol of how I feel. I’m falling in love with you,” he murmured, his words sounding serious… and life changing. “I wanted to buy you something special. I’m sorry if this insults you. I’m happy to buy you—”
She threw her arms around him and kissed the hell out of him. “You are?”
He smiled. How could he not? The sheer joy on her face made him feel like he could fly.
“Yes, I am.”
She smiled, held out her right hand. He slid the jewelry onto her ring finger.
“Italians wear their wedding rings on their right hand,” he said. “Americans on their left.”
“I’m not reading anything into this other than you did a loving thing.”
“Wait until you see my next gift.” He lifted the man’s ring, held it out to her. She tried it on his right hand, but it was too snug.
With a wink he said, “I have to wear mine on the left.”
After she slid it on, he kissed her. “For as long as we’re together, I will treat you like my queen.”
“Mygod, Gabriel, you’re going to make me cry.” She kissed him.
He handed her the lipstick. “You might like this better.”
She opened the cap, rolled up the plastic lipstick. “A joke?”
He took it from her, removed the decoy pink stick to reveal a tiny pistol. Next, he opened the other side, showed her the micro bullets.
“This is the best gift!”
He laughed. “This, over diamonds?”