“Good morning.” Goodness. Her whole body warmed at his lazy smile.
He pressed a kiss to her forehead and swung his legs off the side of the bed. “We need to be downstairs in thirty minutes. Do you want the bathroom first?”
She pulled the covers up under her chin. “You go ahead.”
When the bathroom door closed behind Zach, she closed her eyes and prayed. Then, she gave herself the pep talk of the century.
They were going to successfully navigate the day with Eric.
They were going to gather tons of information for the authorities.
They were going to make it home safely.
At least, those were her hopes.
Twenty-five minutes later, she held tight to Zach’s arm as they descended the stairs. The outfit she’d packed for today wasn’t quite as revealing as the one she’d worn last night, but it was still way out of her comfort zone with a plunging neckline that left little to the imagination. The small knife she’d been issued was tucked into the waistband of her skintight pants, and there were tracking devices in her belt and top. The microphone was tied to her bra strap and conveniently covered by her loose hair.
Eric and Zoe stood at the island in the grand kitchen at the bottom of the stairs. Lauren had a fewseconds to watch them interact. Eric was clearly comfortable around her. There wasn’t a tense bone in his body as he plucked a grape from a bowl and popped it into his mouth.
Zoe, on the other hand, moved a serving bowl from the counter to the island before turning back around in a rush to check something in the oven. She wore tight black pants, and a baggy beige sweater that hung off one shoulder.
Eric spotted them and wiped his hand on a dish towel before heading to meet them. “Good morning. How was your night?”
Zach reached out a hand as they stepped into the bright kitchen. “Wonderful. Thanks for letting us stay here.”
Eric met Zach with a hearty handshake and a smile. “You’re welcome here any time.”
Any timeseemed like a stretch, but Eric was showing a very friendly side of himself this morning. Maybe he was a different person in the light of day.
Eric turned and waved Zoe over. “Excuse me. Where are my manners? This is Zoe, my lovely girlfriend.”
Lauren swallowed the surprise that threatened to choke her. Zoe was clearly half his age.
Zach hid his reaction well as he slid an arm behind Lauren, pulling her to his side. “It’s nice to meet you, Zoe. This is Nina.”
Cheese and crackers. She’d almost forgotten abouther new name. Thankfully, Zach was cool, calm, and collected enough for the both of them. She offered a hand to Eric. “It’s nice to meet you. I met Zoe last night at the party.”
Eric’s large hand wrapped around hers, pressing just enough to let her know he could crush every bone if he wished. “I heard. She also mentioned a run-in you had with another man.”
Zach shook Zoe’s hand. “Thanks for letting me know about Nick.”
Zoe gave a slight nod and kept her chin down. “You’re welcome.”
Eric cleared his throat and picked up a tall glass of what looked like orange juice. “Nick isn’t known for his tact. I knew that quick temper would get him into trouble.”
That’s what Eric had to say about it? Nick had locked her in a bathroom and beat her, and this guy was acting like he’d cheated on a test. She glanced at Zach who wore the same stone-cold expression as he had at the party.
Zoe pulled a tray of quiches out of the oven and rested them on the counter. “Everything is ready. You can make yourself comfortable in the sunroom.”
Lauren stepped further into the kitchen, trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible. “I’ll help.”
Zach gave her a quick glance before following Eric through the house. They wouldn’t be separated for long, and Lauren had a feeling Eric wanted the women out of the way.
Zoe grabbed two pitchers, and Lauren picked up a bowl of biscuits. She followed her hostess to a large, sunlit room on the eastern side of the house. Tall windows showcased beautiful rolling hills and about a dozen cattle roaming the grassy areas. It was truly beautiful, but how could the man enjoy it knowing he’d made his money illegally?
Once Lauren and Zoe had moved the food and drinks into the sunroom, Eric gestured to the spread of food that could have fed a high school football team. “Enjoy.”
Zach and Lauren had each choked down a protein bar before coming downstairs, and she wasn’t too eager to eat Eric’s food. She made a show of putting a quiche and some bacon onto her plate, but she wouldn’t be eating it. Same went for the drinks. Cocktails for breakfast? She didn’t trust Zoe or Eric to make food without slipping something into it.
