Chapter Thirty-Three Reed
Chapter Thirty-Three
Reed
German–Switzerland border
We pulled off the autobahn in our convoy of blacked-out SUVs, following a winding road skirting vineyards and forests. The Rhine River was nearby, the Alps in view.
Hollis held my hand between our seats, and I quietly laced our fingers together as we passed a sign for Schaffhausen, making our way to the sliver of land between Switzerland and Germany—to the neutral territory where The Sapphire was located.
With the time difference, it was now Wednesday morning. It was quiet out here as we entered no-man’s-land.
The Sapphire’s concierge escort service was intense; they were more like guardian angels. We had two armed former military men in the front seat and a Reaper drone overhead capable of intercepting and neutralizing possible threats.
We were also boxed in with Ryder and Alex in the front vehicle and another two-man team of security personnel in the SUV behind us. We were about as safe as we could be as we approached the hotel.
“What’s the deal with this place? I know Carter and that League guy, Sebastian, own it, but why is it so safe? Why would my paranoid brother be willing to come here?” It was the first time Hollis had mentioned anything related to the operation since we’d left my house.
She also hadn’t brought up what she’d read and seen on my phone, which I appreciated. We’d need to talk about it eventually, and I could fill in a few details, but now didn’t feel like the right time.
Her thoughtful gesture to create a new photo folder had been what I never knew I needed. It also scared the hell out of me, if I was being honest, because there were no guarantees for our future. And if I ever had to open that folder and she was no longer in my life, so help me . . .
But I couldn’t let myself think like that. I had to stop with the pessimistic shit if this was going to work like I prayed it would.
It was also time to switch gears, given where we were.
The driver spoke since I’d yet to do so.
“During the Cold War, a billionaire acquired the land and turned it into a safe haven. Mostly for criminals to do business without fear of bloodshed due to their extreme security measures and no weapons on premises by guests. Our bosses bought the hotel when it went on sale, and now it’s used by people like us, not criminals. ”
“Ah, gotcha,” she whispered, and I squeezed her hand.
“Everything will be okay.” Sure as hell hope so, at least. “We have a lot of people on our side, and if your brother wants to meet us in person, my guess is, he learned something that might shed some light on what’s going on. He can’t risk discussing it over the phone.”
She twisted on her seat, facing me. “I just hope I can trust what he has to say. I can’t text Lyra and ask her to give me a heads-up, either, because we destroyed the phone my brother gave me. I don’t know her number.”
I’d forgotten about that. A lot had happened since yesterday, like making out with her in the shower and my hand winding up between her legs. Not to mention her learning about my past on the plane.
We stayed quiet until we made it through the rest of the checkpoints, the weight of reality hammering down on me.
The security team walked the four of us inside. The place had marble floors, hushed acoustics, and more than likely reinforced walls beneath the luxury. There was no staff to greet us, and we didn’t need to check in.
“You all have the sixth floor to yourself, as requested,” our driver said, offering two old-school room keys to Ryder while providing the room numbers. “You need the key and an access code to get into your rooms. Boss said you already gave Gwen your preferred four-digit one for the keypads.”
“I did,” Ryder confirmed.
“Those codes will also work for the elevators, the doors, and so on,” he continued before tipping his head as a goodbye and taking off.
“I guess Carter and the others will meet us upstairs.” Ryder started to hand me a key, only to retract it. “Are you two sharing a room? Or are you bunking with Alex and me?”
About that. I turned to face Hollis, unsure what the plan was.
We hadn’t discussed it. Gideon would be arriving and staying on the same floor as us.
While I trusted Carter and Sebastian and their safety protocols for the hotel, I wasn’t ready to trust Gideon.
The idea of sharing a bed with her, though . . . Shit.
“Maybe there are two bedrooms in the suites?” She lifted her brows, and I knew she wasn’t being modest in front of my teammates to hide what was happening between us.
She was trying to be respectful of me. She knew I wasn’t ready to cross the sex line with her; I’d already pushed the limits with what had happened in the shower as it was. She just didn’t know why.
“One way to find out,” I said with a tight nod, then ignored the curious looks from my teammates and picked up our suitcases where the guards had dropped them.
No one spoke until we made it to floor six and inside our first designated suite.
I set our luggage aside and took in the sight of the sprawling corner suite.
It was a mix of old-world Alpine and modern precision.
Warm woods, one stone wall, and heavy rugs.
But in sharp contrast to the old was the new with all the smart technology.
What a metaphor for what we were going through now.
Old versions of ourselves colliding with the new.
Mine by choice, hers because she had none.
Hollis walked around, checking if there were two bedrooms. Thankfully, there were, separated by a living room and small kitchen area.
“You think Gideon will have a coronary if he discovers you two are staying here together?” Alex asked, resting his back to the door, propping his booted foot up to it.
He partially tucked his hands in his pockets as he stared at me, and I could read his mind.
He was probably torn between being happy and worried about what was obviously happening between Hollis and me.
Yeah, well, you and me both.
“I definitely don’t care what Gideon thinks. Didn’t when I asked to stay with Jason in Charleston.” She went to the French doors and opened them, taking in the view of the Rhine with the backdrop of the distant Alps. “Don’t care here, either.”
“Jason, huh?” Ryder picked up on that before Alex did. “We supposed to call you that now, too?”
I shot him down fast. “Nope.”
Hollis stayed out on the balcony, mindlessly fidgeting with the potted plant at her side, smoothing her fingers over a large glossy leaf.
I opened my mouth, prepared to ask the guys to bail so Hollis and I could have a moment alone, when there was a knock.
Alex checked the peephole, then opened up. Gwen was alongside a pilot who’d flown one of the helos for Carter on our op in February. We’d never had a chance to formally meet.
Hollis closed the balcony doors and came over, and Gwen gave her an awkward smile and introduced herself. “My first time meeting you in person.”
Hollis blinked, then straightened, polite but reserved. “Right. Thank you for helping Audrey before, and thanks for helping me now.”
“Of course.” Gwen tipped her head toward the pilot quietly lingering at her side. “You were with them in New Zealand, yeah?” When he remained oddly quiet, she went on, “This is Easton. My brooding, overprotective shadow, assigned by my father to babysit me like I’m five.”
Easton rolled his eyes. “I’m slightly more than a manny. Thanks for the kind intro, though.” His focus shifted to Hollis. “My brother-in-law is Constantine Costa,” he tossed out as if he’d rather claim allegiance to the Italians than to the Brit.
I almost forgot about that relationship. While I crossed paths with a lot of people, I wasn’t one to draw family trees in my head.
“So that means your nephew is the one who helped with the rave tip?” Hollis asked him.
Easton smirked, obvious pride in his eyes.
“That’s right.” He unwrapped a stick of spearmint gum.
“And I know you from before New Zealand as well. We operated together a few times back in the day before Falcon Falls formed, when Carter—” He faltered, jaw tight, then shoved the stick of gum in his mouth.
“—was searching for his late wife’s killers,” Gwen finished for him.
“My condolences to him,” Hollis said softly. She stepped closer, sliding between Alex and me. “How’d I help him?”
Easton rubbed his jaw with his knuckles, gaze lowering to the carpet. “We needed intel on smugglers. Traffickers of antiquities and shit like that. You gave us leads.”
“Why are you being so weird?” Gwen asked him, and apparently, we were on the same concerned page even though I barely knew the guy.
“I’m not.” Easton dropped his hand, chewing harder, eyes darting anywhere but to any of ours. “Just trying to be careful with what I say. It’s gotta be rough, learning about yourself from people who feel like strangers.”
“Tell me about it,” Hollis muttered. Her fingers skimmed my arm like she needed an anchor.
Easton noticed and edged a step back.
Not suspect at all.
“What’s really going on?” I asked, unable to stop myself.
“Nothing.” He shoved another piece of gum into his mouth.
“Two sticks to shut yourself up? Now I’m really worried.” Gwen folded her arms, leveling him with a glare.
“What aren’t you telling me?” Hollis pressed, arms crossing.
“Nothing you’d want to learn from me.” Easton shifted toward the door, but Gwen caught his arm.
“Oh my God, E. Did you two sleep together?” Gwen asked in a low voice as if we couldn’t hear her whisper.
“What?” Easton winced. “No!”
Gwen let go of his arm and cringed toward Hollis. “Sorry, no bloody filter. Meant that to remain in my head.”
Too late now. My pulse spiked, and every emotion crossed Hollis’s face, warring for control. She settled on disturbed.
Easton pierced Gwen with a hard look, like she’d just set the room on fire.
I forced my pulse to chill out, telling myself not to be a hypocrite. That didn’t stop me from imagining ten different ways to kill him if he admitted they’d had sex.
There had to be a shovel on the property.
A tomato garden somewhere already full of dead bodies. What was one more?
Also . . . was this jealousy? I didn’t actually want to murder Easton or the guy she may have been with in Rome last week, but damn.
“I’d rather not share this.” Easton chewed on his gum like his life depended on it.
“Rip off the Band-Aid,” Hollis requested, reaching for my hand.
Easton clocked the movement, then caught my eyes. His regret was plain. That wasn’t helping. Wouldn’t save him from me, either.
Hypocrite. That was me. The dark part of my mind countered, And I don’t give a flying—
“We’ll take our stuff to the suite next door,” Ryder cut in, breaking through my thoughts and the tension. “Where’s Carter? Sebastian?”
“On a call,” Gwen answered. “They’ll meet us at the bar upstairs in fifteen. It’s not open, so it’s reserved for us. Food is being prepped for brunch.”
“We’ll see you up there.” Ryder picked up the other bags and glanced at me before he and Alex disappeared from the suite.
The door clicked shut, leaving the four of us and an elephant in the room.
“We went on a few dates back in 2021,” Easton shared quickly.
“And?” Hollis prompted.
“You sure you don’t want to just remember on your own? Your memories are bound to come back soon.”
“At this rate, I’m beginning to wonder.” Her voice broke. “Just tell me.”
I squeezed her hand, letting her know I wasn’t moving. But it was a coin toss if someone was about to get strangled to death. Hypocrite. I lightly shook my head. I know, I know.
“This is my fault. I’m sorry.” Gwen waved her hands in the air like a ref calling out a foul. “Maybe Easton is right.”
“Too late now.” Hollis stood her ground.
“Fine.” Easton pinched the bridge of his nose.
“We made it to a fourth date, and then you broke it off.” He squinted, and I had to look away from him so I stopped visualizing his murder.
“You said you weren’t the relationship type.
You said you preferred dating jerks. They always disappointed you and cut out before anything got serious, saving you the trouble of ending things.
You said I wasn’t an asshole, so that made me dangerous to your mission of staying single. ”
“Annnnd that’s our cue to go.” Gwen hooked Easton’s arm and dragged him toward the door. “We’ll see you upstairs when you’re ready.”
I peeled my focus their way, and Easton shot me an apologetic look, clearly recognizing I had feelings for Hollis, and not only because we were holding hands.
The door thudded shut, and Hollis twisted around to face me.
“This doesn’t change anything,” she said firmly, knowing exactly where my head was about to go.
“The past won’t dictate the now. I didn’t want a relationship then, but I do now, and I choose you.
” Tears built up in her eyes. “And those three kids I want to have one of these days.”
I stared at her, trying to process what she was saying, clinging to the hope her feelings wouldn’t vanish when her memories returned. All I’d have left was that RTBH folder; I’d have to rename it, too.
“I’m not your mom, you hear me?” she went on when I refused to speak. “I won’t . . . I won’t hurt you.” Her voice trembled as she dug her heels in. “I need you to trust me. To believe I feel the same as you. It’s not fake.”
She was going to break me.
Get me to shed a tear if she kept up with this and brought up my messed-up childhood that no one else knew about outside my parents, a police officer, and two CPS social workers (story for another day, or never).
She was peeling back my layers one by one, but with a machete.
Too hard. Too fast. Too real. That was the part I couldn’t deny. It was real. It had to be.
“I believe you,” I forced out, my voice raw. I leaned in, brushing my lips across hers, my mind made up. “I’ll be sure to order that fifth chair we’ll be needing for the kitchen table, then.”