“Why not? Was he all awkward about it, rambling and such?” Then nodding, he answers his question. “He was, wasn’t he? Listen, I don’t think you should let that throw you. He’s one of the best people I know. Loyal, caring, honest. They don’t make men like him anymore.”
Of course he’d say that about his brother. He loves him. He also has no clue I’ve been waiting for days to hear from Theo, who very likely has abandoned me in my time of need. Looking for the quickest way out of this conversation, I say, “I’m sure he and Carolina will be very happy together.”
“Carolina? He has no interest in her.”
“Then why did I see her leaving his room in her bathrobe last week?”
“She went there to seduce him, but he turned her down and sent her away.”
My stomach flutters a little.
“I heard the whole thing from my room,” he says, wincing at the memory. “Trust me, Carolina and my brother will never be a couple. But if you have feelings for him, that would have a totally different outcome. I know Theo better than anyone, and the only person I’ve seen him come even remotely close to wanting to be with is you.”
I swallow hard. “That’s nice to hear.”
Markos offers me a half-grin. “Yes, it is nice when someone loves you, especially someone like Theo. He would make an exceptional husband, because he always takes care of the people he loves.”
Well, maybe you, buddy, but I haven’t heard from him in days, so…
“Thanks, Markos, but there’s no way we can make things work. It’s just not in the cards for us.”
“That’s too bad, because from the moment I saw you, I thought you’d be perfect together.” He taps his knuckles on my desk. “I should let you get back to work. Take care, Nora Cooper.”
“You too, Markos,” I answer, feeling dizzy as he strolls to the exit.
Oh God, could I have been wrong about Theo? Is it even remotely possible he was serious about a future with me, and I turned him down instead oflockinghim down before this stupid sex tape scandal popped up to ruin everything? I’m going to spend the rest of my life knowing I blew it, and that isnotgoing to make for a warm and fuzzy future.
30
Badass Raids and Heart-wrenching Realizations
Theo
It tookJorge three days to track Paz down, which means he’s gotten better at hiding since he pulled this crap the first time. He’s still a lazy ass though, so instead of disappearing to some foreign country, he’s literally a ten-minute drive from my office.
Jorge, Renee (my best IT guy), and I pull up to his grandfather’s house to confront Paz. His home is in a nice neighbourhood of wide streets lined with well-cared-for yards. I know his grandfather, and I’m already sorry for the embarrassment he’s about to suffer when he finds out what his only grandson has done. The thought makes me sick, and I hope he’s not here.
Jorge parks a couple of houses down, cuts the engine, and turns to Renee and me. “I’m going around back. You two give me one minute, then go to the front door.”
Renee’s eyes bounce back and forth between us. “What if he has a gun? Do you have a gun? Should you be giving me one?”
Jorge says, “No guns. Paz won’t be armed. He’s a leech, not a gangster.”
He gets out and shuts the door, leaving me alone with my nervous partner. Renee sighs. “I don’t know about this. This seems like a bad idea.”
“We’re not going to hurt him. We’re retrieving the files and leaving. That’s it.”
“Really?” He gives me a skeptical look.
“I’m probably going to threaten him a little.” I pause. “Okay, a lot, but that’s it.”
I open the door and get out, and Renee does the same on his side.
“This is actually kind of exciting, no?” he asks.
It’s totally exciting.“It’s a job. We get in and get out as quickly as possible, then you get paid handsomely.”
I jog up the sidewalk to the house, take the front steps two at a time, and knock loudly on the door. When the door swings open, Paz is standing there in boxer shorts and a T-shirt, a chicken leg in his hand. His eyes widen in surprise when he sees me, and I can almost smell his brain working as he tries to come up with an exit strategy.
