Marcello and Ethan seemed to love each other. They also seemed to annoy each other as much as they loved each other.
She crossed her arms and watched Ethan. It wasn’t just Ethan’s relationship with Marcello on the line here, but her future as well and that’s why she decided to trust Ethan. If Marcello did discover Ethan had revealed her as an agent, her mission days were over and that would devastate her. Ethan would keep her secret and she would help him as much as she could. “Are you sure you can trust me?”
He stepped just the tiniest bit closer; it was enough to block out everything in the room but him. “How many agents and spies do you think I’ve met in the course of my life? I’m a prince, and I’ve met a fair few. Not just the RPS agents who protect me and my family, but the ones who work for our country. I’ve met other female agents and I have good instincts. I’ll trust you. For now, anyway.”
“For now, then.” She held out her hand and he smiled as he glanced at it. He shook it, then lifted it to his lips for a kiss.
Her brows shot up. “Is that professional?”
“My coat’s off. I can kiss you.”
She suddenly very much wanted him to kiss her with his coat on. Withjusthis coat on and nothing else. “You said you find me attractive.”
“And intriguing.” His lips brushed the back of her hand again. “Don’t forget intriguing.”
“I think you find my job intriguing, not me.”
“It is intriguing, but so are you. I’d like to get closer to you while you’re on board.”
She could appreciate a man who was straightforward, but he was being incredibly naïve and trustful. “You should be more careful about who you invite into your bed, Captain. Besides, I bet you say that to all the female agents you meet.”
He laughed and didn’t seem offended. “Definitely not. As I said, I’ve known many in my life, and none of them flicked that switch until you. As for being careful…” He stepped closer to her, shifting her once more against the cabinet. “I’m very careful, inallthings, Miss Salamanca.”
Damn, the man had moves and she liked those moves, no denying it. “Let’s put the sex aside for now and focus on the mission.” Always the mission first. “What do you know?”
He smiled, then stepped back and let go of her hand. “I’ll tell you everything you want to know, but only if you trust me. I’m trusting you with this information, and trust is a two-way street.”
She decided to be honest. “I’m not so good when it comes to trust.”
“Neither am I. Let’s learn together.”
That was surprising. The royal family seemed like they cared for each other. Then again, Marcello had sent her on a mission to spy on his brother, so maybe they didn’t?
Unexpectedly, his hand rose towards her face, as if to push a lock of her hair back. Her hand lifted reflexively to block his wrist, then grabbed it, and she just caught herself from flipping him around and pinning him against the cabinet. He might be broader and a little taller than her, but she could absolutely kick his ass if she needed to.
He just looked amused, not terrified as he should have been. The sexy ass.
“Yes, it looks like we still need to work on your trust.”
“Not just mine. You said you trusted me ‘for now’, but you seem to have as many issues trusting as me. Why can’t you trust?”
He wiggled his wrist and she let it go. “That’s a personal question.”
“It is. It’s also a question someone would answer truthfully if they wanted trust from someone else.”
He kept silent for a few moments. “That’s fair. All right. The truth is that there are some people I trust, including most of my immediate family.”
She quirked a brow.
“Marcello is only half included in that list. I would trust him with my life, absolutely and without question, but not with my career. He has certain ideas about what his younger brother should and shouldn’t do, and I don’t agree with the limitations he sets on me.”
Pieces of the prince in front of her began clicking into place.
“Make no mistake, Miss Salamanca. I love Marcello. I would give my life without hesitation if it saved him or any member of my family, or if it helped my country.”
Long Live Valleria. The mantra echoed through her now as she stared into his fierce, determined eyes.
“What I will not do is have my life dictated to me. If I sacrifice myself for queen and country, then it will be on my terms, not anyone else’s.”
