“Nothing does,” I point out, not that it’s any relief.
“What do we do?” Selina asks. She is still pale, wide-eyed. I’m not used to seeing her this way—normally, she’s the most clear-headed of all of us.
Normally, she does better at her job. Granted, it was my mission to uncover Donovan’s secrets, but she was tasked with working her magic. Hacking him, connecting the dots, uncovering the trail to his ill-gotten gains. I might not think twice about it if it wasn’t for the kitchen incident and her mysteriously corrupted file. I hate having to think twice, having to doubt.
“I have Crawford digging for more information,” I tell them. “The song remains the same whether or not he uncovers more accounts. Donovan has everything he needs as it stands. We need to start looking into real estate records. Other propertieshe might own where he can hide out. I’ll send you the names of his shell accounts as a starting point,” I announce. “Do not stop until he is found and the job is finished.”
“What about her?”
I don’t like the way Selina says it. “She does have a name.”
She ignores me, narrowing her eyes and wrinkling her nose the way she always does when she’s frustrated. “If I didn’t know better, I would say you plan on breaking your arrangement with Gabriel Russo. He still expects a bride out of this.”
Burning rage sweeps over me like wildfire, threatening to consume my self-control.Gabriel.
Three pairs of familiar eyes stare at me, expecting a response that will bring them comfort. “He’ll get his bride,” I grit out, clenching both fists in my lap until my joints scream from the pressure. “We made a deal, and I’ll uphold my end of it.”
“You sure about that?” Selina asks.
“Did I stutter?” I fire back. “The plan is still in place. Aurora is his once this is all over.” The words leave me with a conviction I don’t feel.
Fuck. How am I going to hand her over?
Nick steps in, reading the situation the way he always does and bringing an end to it. “All right. Let’s get back to work. I hope I get to put a bullet in the fucker’s head myself. If only to pay him back for making us do all this extra work.”
When the call is finished, I lean back, pinching the bridge of my nose, willing away the headache that wants so much to take hold. I was so close to having everything, and now, in so many ways, I feel farther from my goal than ever before.
With new complications I didn’t have to consider back then. Before all of this started, I trusted Selina implicitly. All of them. I relied on their expertise. Now, all I can do is wonder whether any of them have a reason to betray me. If Selina can do an about-face, any of them can.
I’m turning into a paranoid old bastard.
Hence, the tracker now embedded in my wife’s back. The thought of her gets me out of my chair and back to the bedroom. The guards are changing shifts—the pair I assigned in front of the elevator nod as they leave while the next two take their seats, one on either side of the sliding doors. I am taking no chances anymore. She’s not getting away from me.
I would love to make her pay dearly for what she’s put me through, but I have my limits. I’m not leaving her vulnerable so that the bastard can use her. No fucking way.
She’s still out cold, though she’s moved around since I left her. Somehow, she managed to kick away her blanket, which is now lying in a twisted pile by her feet. Without thinking, I straighten the blanket and pull it up over her body. She’s rolled onto her back, her face turned toward me, lips parted so she can breathe slowly in and out.
She killed two men to get away from me. She did what she felt she had to do to gain her freedom. I don’t know, still, whether I resent her for it or admire the courage it took.
She takes a deep breath and lets it out with a sigh, her head rolling from one side to the other and back again. A bad dream? A memory? I reach out to brush a lock of golden hair away from her forehead and can’t resist the impulse to let my fingertips trace the curve of her cheek. Creamy skin, soft, warm.
“Mm…” It’s a soft sound, but it has the power to wake up the desire that’s always lying in wait when it comes to her. Her eyelids flutter slightly before she moans again in her sleep. “... Liam…”
I can’t resist another impulse that roars to life when I hear her say my name that way. I lean in, brushing my mouth against hers, and let myself forget everything outside this room, if only for a little while.
25
AURORA
I’m not sure if I’m sleeping or living in an alternative universe. Maybe both, or neither. My mind is fuzzy, but in a calming way, as if thinking clearly isn’t necessary right now. I feel incredibly safe and happy. A combination I’m not used to.
Liam’s lips gently press against mine. He doesn’t touch me anywhere else, yet I can feel him on every square inch of my body. My limbs are heavy, but I manage to throw my arms around his neck and deepen the kiss.
The room is dimly lit, but even that is too bright. I let my eyes flutter shut, and darkness engulfs me, but everything else feels heightened.
He climbs on top of me, his large form hovering over mine like he is meant to be. My sensitive nipples brush against his button up shirt, and all I can think of is ripping the fabric off him, desperate to have his skin on mine without anything between us.
Grabbing a handful of his shirt, I yank on it, ready to tear it to pieces. Liam chuckles, the sound reverberating through my chest. He breaks the kiss long enough to pull off his shirt. Assoon as his upper body is bare, I run my hands all over it, enjoying how smooth and warm his skin feels.
