“I can only imagine how that feels, knowing it’s unwarranted pain for them.”He put a hand on her shoulder, and miracle of miracles, she didn’t shrug it off.“I know this is hard, that it’s taking a toll on everyone affected, but this is how we keep you alive.If we’re careful, there’s a happy ending for all of you.”
Something his family hadn’t gotten with his brother.Also, irrelevant to this situation.He couldn’t fault Natalie for her emotions.He probably wouldn’t feel any differently in her shoes, but her words scared him.Would she do something risky while gripped with impatience?
Speaking of risk...Ford consciously widened his awareness, but no one among the throngs of tourists paid them any attention or loitered close enough to overhear their conversation.The pink and orange clouds streaking across the darkening sky had stolen everyone’s attention.
As dusk settled over the town, streetlights flickered on down the length of the Promenade, not yet able to compete with the sun’s lingering glow.
Crouching in front of Blitz and giving the dog’s ears a soft scratch, Natalie said, “I know Dallas and your sister are doing everything they can to figure out who’s involved, but it’s taking too long.I’m healed enough.I can’t sit here in paradise twiddling my thumbs while my family and friends deal with the fallout.”
“Yes.You can.”He really, really needed her to agree.It was the only way to keep her safe.“Don’t blow this now.A few days won’t change things for your family, but it’ll give you a better chance of seeing them again.”He changed tack.“Didn’t we agree that keeping you under wraps protects them too?”
Her jaw tightened and her pretty lips pinched together unhappily.For a full minute, she did nothing but run her fingers through Blitz’s fur.
Then, with a sigh, she gave him a tight nod, still looking at his dog.“But if these guys believe I’m alive, they’re probably watching my family for signs of deception.How long before they get antsy and decide to question them directly?If it were me, I’d send a cute guy or a pretty girl to flirt with my brother, see what they could find out.But some people are just as happy to use force.”
Shit.She wasn’t wrong.No matter what she did, it put someone at risk.If she revealed herself, that didn’t automatically mean her family and friends were safe either.
“Two days.Then I’m done.”She met his gaze.“Starting right now.”
Goddammit.He rubbed his forehead, his skin suddenly tight and prickly.
He needed more time.Just to keep her safe, to come up with a plan.And, okay, yes, tobewith her.Just a little longer.“And if that’s not enough?”
She stood, dusting her hand on her jeans, and gave him a shrug.“It has to be.”Then she turned toward their apartment and looked at him over her shoulder as she started walking, her features uncharacteristically solemn.
Stuffing down the unease that buzzed across his skin, he tugged Blitz’s leash and followed.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
A COUPLE HOURS after their walk on the Promenade, Nat lay on her back with a naked Ford keeping the left side of her body warm.Part of her never wanted to leave Nice if it meant no longer making love to this man or falling asleep next to him.The other part hated herself for managing to find any joy at a time when her family had so little.
Now that she’d laid down an ultimatum, she could almost hear the clock ticking in the back of her mind, counting down the minutes until she’d leave this little cocoon of safety and stolen happiness.But also, join the world again.See her family and friends.
Face down her enemy.
Fuck.She couldn’t do this without some kind of plan or approach.Some way to draw out the person who’d forced her into hiding.Not as detailed as Ford would make, butsomething.
Normally, she’d talk things through with someone.She worked better that way, often not sure what she was thinking until it came out of her mouth.Ford would happily play sounding board, but she didn’t want to wake him.And she feared he’d try to talk her out of her decision to leave instead.
So, she had an imaginary conversation in her head with Gretchen.
“If you were the man looking for you,” Pretend Gretchen asked, “where would you go next?”
Virtual Natalie nodded.“Given a cold trail, I’d get a little more aggressive with the target’s friends and family, try to determine if any of them knew she was still alive.Maybe a few “chance” encounters to gauge the veracity of their grief, or find a way to get closer to the family and look for clues.I’d send a good-looking man or woman to chat up her brother at a bar or the grocery store…”
The thought made her stomach roll.What if someone had her family under surveillance right now?Could she afford to wait even two more days?
“In order to ‘come back to life’ and return to the US, you’re going to have to visit a consulate at some point.Why not use that to draw out the investigator on your tail and see what you can learn from him?”Imaginary Gretchen asked.
“Because that’ll put a fresh target on my back?”Revealing herself might trigger a deadly response.“But, you’re right.What other option do I have, really?”She’d just have to be ready.Be one step ahead.
“You could stay in hiding.Let Ford help you figure this out.”
“No.If anything, I need to keep him far away from it all.He’s suffered enough, some of it on my behalf.He puts himself in harm’s way for a living, but I don’t want him endangering his life for me anymore.Besides, I’m healing well.I can take care of myself again.”Mostly.“Whether he ultimately chooses to stay in hiding to protect himself and Henri, or go back to his life in Geneva, I’m not part of the equation.What’s the point of prolonging the inevitable?”Her heart flattened at the thought of leaving him.
Dream Gretchen gave her a twisted smile.“More time with the man you love?”
Natalie’s breath caught.Her eyes popped open.Rolling onto her side, she stared at Ford’s handsome profile.His face glowed under the moonlight sneaking in through the window, and she greedily let her gaze trace his freckled nose, his soft lips, the strong curve of his chin.
