“Your cover might have been blown,” he said. “We need this handled.” He extracted his phone, called Sin.
“Hey,” Sin answered, “we were just talking about you guys.”
“We have a problem,” Gabriel said, “and we need you to fix it.”
“Go.”
“One of my translators showed up in the hotel lounge,” Halston said. “He outed me, said I was an American spying on the Russians.”
“Jesus,” Sin bit out.
“He tried to assassinate her,” Gabriel said.
“God, no,” Evangeline said.
“Gabriel protected me, got me out of there.”
“The shooter was taken down by hotel security,” Gabriel said. “We snuck out and are in Halston’s suite.”
“I have no idea how he figured it out or if anyone else at the embassy knows,” Halston said.
“You can’t go back there,” Evangeline said. “You’ve been compromised.”
“Tomorrow is the delivery. I can’t bail now,” Halston pushed back. “I’m not afraid.”
“You should be,” Sin said.
“Sinclair,” Evangeline scolded. “Barbi, it’s your call. We will support whatever you decide, but I strongly urge you to reconsider.”
“I’m going to work tomorrow,” she insisted. “I need to know what’s arriving at Dulles. Between the ambassador and Petrov, I will get us some answers.”
“Bring the burner,” Evangeline advised.
“No,” Halston replied. “It’s too risky.”
“I don’t like any of this,” Evangeline said.
“If Grigori told someone and they search my things, I cannot have that phone on me,” Halston stated.
“Understood,” Evangeline said.
“Sin, make sure the police don’t question me,” Halston said.
“I got you,” Sin said, before he and Evangeline said their goodbyes.
Gabriel set down his phone.
“Every fiber of my being wants to put you on my private jet and take you somewhere safe,” he said.
“Like a tower?”
“My villas. Either would be safer than this.” He raked his hands through his hair. “Do you want me to stand guard while you shower?”
Her lips curled into a smile. “Shower alone? I don’t think so.”
Off came her wig, out came her contacts. Seconds later, her baggy clothing lay in a heap on the floor. With nimble fingers, she helped him remove his sweater, pausing to examine the Kevlar. After helping him take it off, she gently removed his undershirt. Boots, pants, and boxer briefs next. Yes, his back hurt, but damn if he didn’t have an erection.
One sweltering kiss as she caressed his hardness. Just as things were heating up, she ended the embrace.
