“Unless you like being this badass assassin, of course.”
A rueful laugh tumbles out as her gaze lifts to meet mine. “I don’t know what I want anymore, Matteo.” Her hand finds the rough stubble on my cheek, and she drags her thumb across it. “What about you?”
“I’ve got a date with a shovel and an Irish bastard who thinks he can threaten what’s mine.”
“Big words, Rossi.” Still, she’s smiling. She studies my face like she’s trying to memorize it against her will. “You have Tiernan’s location?”
I nod. “One of our Irish guys has eyes on him. We’ll make our way to Belfast and give Ale a day to mobilize the Gemini crew abroad. As soon as themerdahits the fan, I’ll make my move.”
“You? Notus?”
“It’s gotta be me, Kitty Cat.”
It hurts her. It hurts me worse. But she doesn’t let me see more than a sliver.
“Matteo,” she whispers.
“What?”
“Don’t be a hero.”
“Never.” I lie and lean in. I don’t kiss her, butDio, I want to. So, I settle for the place just above her ear, a breath that isn’t quite a touch. I force a grin that fools nobody and step back. “Time to go.”
We slide into the backseat of the car. Leo ends the call, folds his body into the driver’s seat and meets my eyes in the rearview. His voice is a flat line. “It’s done.”
“Good.” I stare out at a city that doesn’t know I no longer exist.
The engine turns and London starts moving. Somewhere in Manhattan, my family thinks the world just ended. Somewhere in this car, it might have.
I reach for Cat’s hand on the seat between us but falter at the last minute, placing it next to hers so our pinkies barely touch. Her hand moves to cover mine, and I hold my breath.
CHAPTER 35
SOMETHING TRUE
Caitríona
Matteo stares at his phone, his lips twisting between a smirk and a scowl.
“Everything okay?” I sidle up beside him.
He doesn’t look up. “Yeah, just getting some post-mortem texts from my cousins. They’re pissed I’m dead.”
“The nerve.”
His eyes finally lift to mine and the ghost of a smile tugs at the corner of his mouth.
Leo dropped us at Euston like contraband. There was barely a goodbye, just a nod and a warning in his eyes that saiddon’t make me bury you both.
The station hums like a hive, the departures board blinking, and the air smelling of coffee and wet coats. I tug my hat lower, sunglasses even lower. Matteo does the same. We’re two ghosts pretending in the daylight.
“Let’s get to the platform for the sleeper car,” he murmurs, wrist brushing mine as if by accident. It isn’t. He’s counting my pulse the way he counts exits.
“Sleeper…isn’t that fancy?”
“Only the best for you, Kitty Cat.”
“I take it you have some hidden bank accounts even yourfamigliadoesn’t know about that are currently funding our escape?”
