“Oh.Well, you’ll have to get him to take you to the Paris location.I’m hearing it’s undergoing a massive renovation.At least, go when the reno is done.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
He flicks his wrist, checking the time.
Where is Adrien?
“I’m going to go find him,” I say.“I was joking, but he may really need my help.”
I push up from the chair and Macon stands.“Well, if you track him down, I’ll be here another thirty minutes.Then I need to make rounds before things start cooking.”
“I’ll be back,” I say, knowing he needs to tell Macon that Eddie’s job has been terminated before the end of his shift.I can’t imagine what could be taking him so long.
I’m stepping into the entryway, nodding at a woman dressed in a form-fitting sheath and sky-high heels, when Adrien steps through the door.My body recognizes him before my brain processes his presence—a sudden alertness, a pull in my chest, that annoying flutter.
“Adrien.There you are.I was coming to get you.”
“Is Macon waiting?”
“Yeah, he has…”
I stop speaking, noticing he’s typing a message.He hits send and holds the door for me.“Come on.”
“What—”
“Trust me,” he says, and the seriousness in his expression raises every internal alarm.I follow along, doing just as he says.
He steps onto the curb and a black sedan pulls up.He opens the back door and I slide in.He comes around to the far side and gets in.He never speaks to the driver, but the car pulls forward into traffic.
On his phone, he opens the notepad app and types, then shows me the screen.
Play along.Someone could be listening.
My blood chills at the words, but I keep my expression neutral, even lean into him like a girlfriend would.
He deletes the words.I glance at the driver and note his eyes in the rearview.Watching traffic?Or us?
I take Adrien’s phone and tap into the app.
Where are we going?
I have my handbag and phone, but it will take Quinn a minute to figure out we aren’t coming back for the meeting with Macon.Jake and Noah are on surveillance duty, but they’ll stay back in the vicinity of The Sanctuary.
Adrien deletes my words and types.
My place.When there, don’t speak or say anything.Can you sweep for bugs?
Holy shit.What happened after I left his office?Did his sister tell him someone’s listening to his conversations?I take his phone, delete his words, and the car pulls to a stop in front of his place.He lives ridiculously close to his office and we could have walked, but I’m guessing he ordered a car because that’s what would be expected.If he’d walked so we could talk on the street, it might have set off alarm bells.At least, that’s my best guess.
On the sidewalk in front of his place, I scan the sidewalk.There’s no one around.The nearest pedestrian is at least forty yards away.I pull him to me, brushing my lips over his, then acting like I’m giving him a tight hug, speaking into his ear.
“I don’t have the equipment to do a reliable sweep.”
He pulls back, looks at me, nods, presses his lips to mine, and takes my hand.
Instead of going to his place, he presses the elevator button for the pool level.When the doors open, we walk past a room of fitness equipment and into a humid room with a long pool.
Chlorine fills the air, sharp and chemical, nothing like his expensive cologne or the salt sea.The humidity makes my clothes cling, and I’m hyperaware of everything—the echo of our footsteps, the lap of water against tile, the way Adrien’s jaw is set with determination.He looks like a man preparing for war, and something in my chest tightens because I know that look.I’ve worn it myself too many times.
