“Is that what we are now? Allies?” She couldn’t keep the bitter edge from her voice.
He tilted his head, regarding her curiously. “What would you call us?”
Impossible. Wrong. A travesty. A nightmare.“Messy,” she said instead.
A smile ghosted across his lips. “An understatement if ever I heard one.”
He moved to his desk, spreading out several papers—more maps and floor plans, she realized. “Come. Help me plan our approach to Braen. The sooner we deal with him, the sooner we can move against our true enemies.”
True enemies. True enemies she was debating siding with.
She crossed to stand beside him, glancing over the documents. Despite everything, despite the turmoil in her heart and the offers weighing on her mind, she found herself drawn into the tactical discussion.
This, at least, was familiar territory. Planning. Strategy. The clinical approach to ending a life.
Far easier than confronting what she truly felt for the man standing beside her.
And the real question was…would one life be ending tonight?
Or two?
TWELVE
Dawn came too quickly. Nadi was getting really sick of the late nights and early mornings.
But with the sunlight, came another phone call. Forher.
Raziel was out with Ivan, getting things ready for the hit that night on Braen. She knew that was precisely why the caller felt safe to ring the private line in the bedroom.
This time it wasn’t Lana. It was Mael.
“Good morning, Monica. I hope I didn’t wake you.” His voice was warm—she could hear the smile in it.
“You’re taking a risk. The line could be bugged. Or recorded.” She rubbed her hand over her face.
“It’s neither.” Mael paused, clearly trying to decide how much to tell her. How much to trust her. “I have people within his people.”
And she was certain that Raziel had people working among Mael’s staff, as well.
This was precisely why Nadi always worked alone. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she leaned her shoulder against the headboard and pined desperately for a cup of coffee. “Well, to what do I owe the pleasure this morning?”
“I want to know if you’ve considered my offer.”
She paused. “I have.”
“And?”
She kept her voice natural, nonchalant. “I’m considering offers from multiple brokers.”
Mael laughed.Hard.“Oh, you truly are a natural at this. Lana told me you two spoke.”
Ah. Well, that answered that question. The brother and the sister were working together, at least to some degree.Damn.She was hoping she could play them against each other. “And what did she tell you?”
“About tonight. About what she offered you, should…things go slightly awry.” Silence stretched between them for what could have been thirty seconds. Nadi wasn’t going to give up anything. This was Mael’s call, it was up to him to provide more. This washismove. Finally, he relented. “I…would obviously support you, if this…tragic incident were to take place.”
“That’s lovely to know.”
More silence. “But I feel like I must warn you.”
