Until Death Do We Part (Sex and Vows #1) (8 page)

His gaze dropped to my tits, filling with appreciation. “I think you had a slight advantage that time around. You had just the right assets to lure a reclusive target into a meeting.”

I swatted at his arm. “If by assets you mean my brain and my knowledge of fine arts, then yes, I did.”

“Let’s put your big,” he paused to slide his hands up to cup my breasts, “brain to good use and figure out where Heron’s hiding.”

“Just so long as you don’t think this is me proving myself to you,” I replied, sliding my hand down his side and moving over to cup his dick. “Because Scarlett doesn’t need to prove herself to anyone.”

His thumbs slid over my nipples, making them stiffen into hardened nubs. In retaliation, I squeezed his cock lightly, feeling it harden in my palm. “You sure you don’t have anything to prove to me? Like maybe how fucking gorgeous you are as you cry out my name while you come?”

I tugged him towards the bed. The search for Heron was going to have to wait a little while. I had a husband who needed fucking first. A girl had to have her priorities after all.

E
vie was lacing up her boots while I re-packed our bug out bags when my cell phone started ringing. My
other
phone.
Son of a bitch.
I knew who would be on the line.

I picked it up and pressed the accept button. “Justice,” I barked.

“Relax, mate. It’s Colin.”

I was relieved the caller wasn’t Donovan, but was still on edge, wary of why he was calling. “You have something for me?”

“You left me quite a mess to take care of,” he muttered, his irritation evident. “Lucky for you, Martin and I handled it before it was brought to anyone else’s attention. We scrubbed all the traffic cam footage and sent in a sanitizer to clean things up.”

“Thanks.” Colin had put his ass on the line to keep this situation under control and me out of the dog house with the higher ups. “I owe you.”

“And, I’ll definitely be collecting. It’s not the only reason I’m calling though, I’ve got a lead for you. Well, someone who can get one for you, anyway.”

Colin gave me the name and address for an old CI of his, someone who was out of the game but still had their ear to the ground.

“She went legit a few years back, but she still hears things and will pass them along for the right price.”

I ran over my reserves in my head, I’d had to grease quite a few palms to find Heron the first time. “I don’t think I have enough, where is the nearest drop site?”

The sound of clicking came across the line before he replied. “I would say you might not need it, but I’m aware how pussy-whipped you are by your wife.” I snorted but didn’t otherwise respond. If what I had with my Evie was considered pussy-whipped, they could tattoo it on my forehead and I’d wear it proudly. He ignored me and continued, “There is one a little over eight kilometers from your current location. It’s a used book store, look for a first edition James Bond novel, it’s in a compartment just above.”

“Bond?” I asked drily. “Really?”

Colin chuckled. “Whoever set it up had a sense of humor. Give me half an hour to get a cut-out to make a drop first. You’ll also find keys in there and a car parked out back.”

“Great. Keep me posted if you hear anything else.”

“Will do. Oh,” he stopped me before I could hang up, “Am I seeing things or was that sexy as fuck dominatrix in black, Genevieve?”

A growl rumbled to the surface from my chest. “Colin”, I said, my voice filled with malicious warning, “I don’t ever want to hear you say the word fuck and Genevieve in the same sentence or I’ll cut off your balls and shove them down your throat.”

“Whoa, whoa, okay. Won’t happen again. Thanks for the very vivid image, by the way. But”—he paused before continuing hesitantly—“was it your wife?”

“What if it was?” I was fishing, trying to ascertain how much he knew, if he’d realized she was also a spy.

“You’d better send her home, mate. Now would be a good time to put in the request to read her in, because she’ll figure it out eventually, if she hasn’t already.”

“I’ve got it under control.” It was all I was willing to give.

“Alright, well, keep me posted and I’ll give you a heads up if I hear anything more.”

I hung up and looked at the name and address I’d written down. Once I had it memorized, I pulled out a small, yellow Bic lighter from the pocket of my black cargo pants and lit the paper on fire. Dropping it in the ash tray on the room’s table, I turned around and saw Evie quietly speaking into her phone as well.

“Yes, sir. I’m on it. No, I don’t have any leads but—” I waved my hands to get her attention and when she met my gaze, she raised an eyebrow in question, to which I nodded confirmation—“Never mind, sir. A lead just showed up. Yes, sir. I’ll keep you updated.” She snapped her phone shut and blew out an exasperated breath.

“It’s like having a fucking babysitter sometimes.”

I chuckled, knowing exactly how she was feeling. Picking up our bags, I tossed them over my shoulder, grasped the handle of my briefcase, and made my way to the door. “Let’s go, baby. I got the name and address of an asset who might know something.”

Evie pulled her backpack from under the bed, and I held the door open as she stepped out into the hallway. A quick elevator ride and we were walking through the hotel entrance, out into the bright sunshine. Instinctively, we both moved so we were standing out of the direct rays, blending into the shadows.

“Someone is leaving me money and a car at a drop about five miles away. We’ll grab a cab and pick up my packages, then head out to see Colin’s contact.”

Evie murmured an agreement, and I signaled to the doorman to flag us down a taxi.

“Colin?” Evie asked when I gave her my attention once more. “The sexy Brit at your firm?”

Despite my complete confidence in Evie and our love and desire for each other, jealousy exploded inside my head, pounding at my temples. “Yes, the dead man who used to work with me.” I was only half-kidding.

Evie’s eyes widened in surprise, then her lashes lowered, but not before I caught the coy gleam in them. “I should have known he was a spook. He just screams 007, don’t you think?”

I growled, gripping Evie’s waist and pulling her against me. “Don’t push me, baby. Or you’re going to find yourself bent over my knee with a very red ass. And then I’ll show you exactly who your man is, by fucking you into next week.”

She looked up at me through her long, dark lashes, her brown eyes heated. “Promise?”

I stifled a groan with a curse. I was going to need to learn to control myself. If I had to spend the whole mission with a hard on, it was going to make things extremely difficult. “Behave,” I scolded. Just then, the doorman whistled and a cab pulled up to the curb.

Before climbing inside, she leaned up and whispered in my ear, “Jealousy is a sexy look on you. It makes me wet.”

For the love of...
I was so screwed.

***

M
y eyes swept the perimeter of the nondescript apartment building we were standing in front of.

After collecting the stash from the dead drop, I was startled to see two extra passports. Again, I wondered what Colin knew, or if he was simply speculating and being over cautious. The note said they were brand new identities, under the radar from even The Company. Apparently, he’d contacted a local cobbler, one not associated with any institution, but one he trusted.

The car was a boring, gray sedan, perfect for blending in. With our belongings in the trunk, save for the weapons strapped to our bodies, we drove to the address I’d memorized.

I did another sweep and my gut told me we were clear. Glancing at my wife—no, I needed to think of her as Scarlett while we were in the field—she nodded, indicating she agreed with my assessment.

We exited the vehicle and approached the building, halting when the door opened before we could knock. A pretty young woman stood there. Probably in her early twenties, she was a tiny thing with short, curly blond hair and alert, blue eyes. “Brandon and Penny Abel?” she questioned in Italian.

“Sì,” I confirmed. Those were the names on our new identity papers.

She moved back and waved us forward. “Entra. Come in. I’m Antonia.”

“Grazie,” Evie thanked her. “Per l'incontro con noi, Antonia.” I knew Evie spoke Italian fluently, just as I did. I’d heard it many times, considering we had a home there. However, no matter how much I heard it, it never stopped being a huge turn on. I had to find a seat quickly and set the bag I was carrying on my lap, doing my best to disguise my growing erection.

Antonia took the chair beside mine, forcing Evie to sit on the couch across from me. Her eyes narrowed slightly, but her tone was neutral as she started the conversation. “You have information on the whereabouts of Mark Sai?”

Blue eyes bored into me as Antonia placed a hand on my bicep. My erection suddenly withered and died, limp as a noodle. “I do, but my knowledge isn’t free.”

“Of course.” I reached into the bag, but her hand moved to cover mine.

“I’m happy to trade what I know for ...
other
things.” A sound that could best be described as a growl emanated from the other direction. I looked to see Evie sitting ramrod straight, her hands clenched into fists on her lap, and her face storming. The situation was too tense for me to enjoy my wife’s display of jealously, but make no mistake, I’d be coming back to it later.

“Colin certainly enjoys his preferred method of paying me and he suggested you might too.” I hear whispered in my ear.
Colin
. He was messing with me, and I was going to kick his ass before I strung him up by his balls.

“Would you please remove your hand from my“—Evie hesitated—“partner,” she requested frostily. “Before I remove it for you.”

Antonia spared her a quick glance and must have noticed a connection of some kind because her eyes bounced from Evie’s ring finger to mine, then back up to my face, smiling smugly. She obviously wasn’t put off by Evie’s attitude since she didn’t see a ring on either of us. We didn’t wear them in the field. Letting on that you have a spouse, or family, puts you, and them, into even more danger. It was the reason Evie had referred to me as her partner.

It was time to shut this shit down. I pulled my arm away and adopted a bored expression. “I’m not on the menu.” Opening the bag, I withdrew nine hundred Euros and waved it in front of her. “Talk.”

She sighed and leaned back in her chair sulkily. “I heard rumors of an arms deal going down in two weeks. Supposedly, word got out and they are moving it to a port off the coast of Spain.”

“Why would we care about an arms deal?” Evie pipes up.

Antonia finally turns her full attention to my—to Scarlett. “Because the man you’re looking for. He’s the courier.”

I blew out an annoyed breath, no wonder the agency wanted to interrogate this guy. He could be the key to taking down a major crime ring. So, why did Scarlett’s superiors want him dead?

“You should know,” she added, “my contacts also tell me this man isn’t only dealing in weapons.”

My stomach sank. I knew what was coming, but I hoped I was wrong.

“He’s deep into the slave trade as well.” Definitely what I hadn’t wanted to hear. I still didn’t understand how anyone could think him more valuable dead than alive.

We thanked Antonia for her help and returned to the car. Once inside, I faced Evie. I needed answers. “What possible reason could your people have for wanting him dead, rather than alive to spill his secrets?”

She chewed her bottom lip as she considered my question. I wanted to reach out and remove it, but I waited, keeping my hands to myself. Finally, she seemed to make a decision.

“He’s got a noc list.”

I rear back in surprise, almost slamming my head into the window behind me. “How many?” I croaked.

“Every operative in southern Asia.”

Fucking Hell.

A noc list had the real identities of agents working under non-official cover, ones who didn’t have official ties to the government. Spies like Scarlett.

I fought the need to drown in my fear for Evie’s safety. This wasn’t the time to let my training go.

“I still don’t understand the kill order.”

Evie ran an agitated hand over her head and down her smooth pony tail. “He has a photographic memory. The list is in his head. We can’t take the chance, Alex. Not even within The Company. There could be a mole, and the lives of all those agents and their families would become targets and they would be picked off one by one.”

I shook my head in denial. “A mole?” I asked skeptically. “This isn’t the cold war, Scarlett. You know as well as I do, the likelihood of a mole in the agency is slim to none.”

“And yet,” she argued, “somehow this guy got a look at a list of black operatives.”

Her point was valid, but I couldn’t swallow the bitter idea of a traitor within our ranks.

“Thus, my bosses want him eliminated.”

I finally understood their rationale, but I didn’t agree with it. I wanted this guy alive. I was going to bleed everything he knew out of him, a drop at a time. There was a reason I was the one given the tough interrogation assignments. With me, everybody talked.

I
’d tried to forget about the dreadful woman’s actions all day. I’d been successful at pushing my anger down and focusing on the task at hand, but it was more difficult than it should have been considering I’d never had an issue keeping my emotions out of a mission in the past. Then again, this was my husband we were talking about. It wasn’t a normal op.

After spending the day hitting one dead end after another in our search for Heron, once we were back in the safety of a hotel room—at the Grand Hotel Palatino this time around—I let my irritation get the better of me. I finally blurted out the question which had been on my mind ever since her hand had landed on top of the bag my husband had been holding in his lap. The bag which rested right over his cock—or my cock, I should say, since I considered it my personal property. The little blonde was damn lucky we were on a mission and needed information from her, because it was the only reason I hadn’t broken every finger in her hand.