Chapter 22
Amy woke up feeling numb. Today was the day. She’d been aware of that, even in her sleep. Oddly enough, it hadn’t affected her as she expected it to. It was different from what she experienced on Saturday at the beach BBQ. There, a feeling of peace resided. Today, Amy almost felt like there was nothing left.
Like the turmoil had hollowed her out and left nothing but a void.
Now it was time to see this through to the end. The bugs in her home were, as always, catching every word she said. So Amy would say what she was supposed to say. Hide what she was supposed to hide. And then march right into the lion’s den with Jace.
She’d started her morning with a shower, but when it came to getting ready for the day—hair and makeup and the whole nine yards— it felt all wrong. She didn’t want to look good for this occasion.
Still, she’d brushed powder over her face. Blinked her lashes through a wand of mascara, and pulled her wet hair back into a tight ponytail. She hadn’t bothered checking her reflection after that. Just strode down the hallway toward the kitchen.
It took her a moment to recognize the voice she heard as she rounded the corner. It was hers. Jace sat at his laptop, watching the filming of her latest show at the swimming pool. Amy walked over to the coffeepot, poured herself a mug, and smiled when she spotted the spoon with the rose on it resting by the sugar and cream. After getting her coffee just right, she rounded the counter and took a seat at the table across from Jace.
Wordlessly, she pulled the mug to her lips, enjoying the smile he wore as he watched. “You were perfect,” he said once it was through. He closed the laptop and stretched his arm out to take her hand. “Did I already tell you that?”
Only about a dozen times.“No,” she said anyway. “You really think so?”
He chuckled low under his breath. “Yes, I do. Should beAdorable Amy.”He brought the back of her hand to his lips and kissed it.
Warm tingles—the first thing she’dfeltsince waking up—spread down the length of her arm and straight to her heart.
Amy set her mug down, pulled his hand to her lips, and kissed it in return. She pressed his palm to her cheek next, and sank into his warm strength.I love you.Just the thought of saying those words aloud caused her heart to melt and break all at once. Tingly heat pooled into her chest, assuring her that—with Jace around—she could never feel numb for long.
She tested out the trio of words once more. Could she really tell Jace that she loved him?
No.She couldn’t handle the rejection that might follow. Didn’t want to know if he was—possibly without even knowing it— using her to put the trafficking ring behind bars.
“Jace?”
“Yeah?” he asked.
She kept her eyes closed, face turned toward the patio doors. “Are you going to stay here in Colorado?” She stopped herself from sayingafter all this is through.They were listening, after all. Besides, he’d know what she was asking.
Jace tipped his head in thought, a furrow pulling at his brow as he considered.
If Amy could somehow snatch the words from the air and shove them back into her mouth, she’d do it in record time.
Her heart picked up a new, painful rhythm. Shifting fromthump, thump, thump,to a series of hits and misses. Ca-bump, bump, thump. Ca-bump, ca-bump, thump.
“I’ve thought about it,” he said, rubbing a thumb over her cheek. “Do you mind if we talk about it tonight?”
Ca-clunk, ca-clunk, ca-clunk clunk clunk.Tonight. Because if he admitted now that he was going to fly back to his California life once this was all said and done, she might not play along. She might put the entire mission in jeopardy. Is that what he thought?
“Yeah,” Amy managed, letting go of his hand and grabbing her mug off the table. She meant to follow it up with,you’re right,orgood ideaoryeah, let’s just do that.But she couldn’t. She’d cry if she spoke even one more word. So she nodded instead, scooted her chair out, and walked over to look out the patio doors.
Jace was at her side in the next breath, wrapping those strong arms around her and rubbing the scruff of his jaw along her cheek. They stayed like that, watching the rows of corn bow to the cloud-covered sun. As she considered what lay ahead of her, Amy had to wonder what she was really more afraid of: the mission, or what would happenafterthe mission.
* * *
When Jace wasn’tbusy tearing his mind from thoughts of strangling the infamous Mr. P, he was weighing every possibility. Reminding himself that just because something waspossiblethat didn’t mean it wasprobable.
He’d made a practice of separating the two, and though it had become second nature to him over time, he found himself more distracted than he’d ever been by the ominouswhat ifsin his head.
What if they were secretly on to Maddox?
What if they planned to shoot Jace for revenge upon arrival?
What if they somehow got their hands on Amy?
