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“Goth chick, huh?” Jack joked.
I wrapped a hand over his shoulder before he could leave. “You will make it back to your wife,” I confirmed in a steady voice. “I promise.”
He stole a look back at me, nodded, then continued toward the others.
Introductions were being made between Sebastian and Diana. Gwen removed her wig and flung it over her arm as she went in for a hug instead of a handshake with my fiancée.
Fiancée. Fuck. What a gorgeous fucking word, second only to wife.
“Nice to finally meet my partner in crime in person,” Gwen was saying as I made my approach.
There was still one more question I had to mention to Diana about my plans for this mission, and I wanted to be honest with her. No secrets between us. I only hoped she’d understand my request. And if she didn’t, I’d adjust course. For her, I’d do anything.
Hands sliding into the pockets of my dress slacks, I stopped alongside Sebastian. We were both in all black, the look I’d grown accustomed to during my dark years. If I were to slip back into this person one more time to finish the mission, it was only fitting I dressed the part.
“Dominick.” Renaud tipped his head instead of offering his hand.
“Renaud.” I nodded back. “You still doing the whole not-killing thing because your wife prefers you not to?”
The side of his lip lifted as if trying to fight off a smile. “And are you still killing people with silverware?”
“When the occasion calls for it,” I mumbled, still shocked I was heading back to the very place where I’d killed an assassin with a fork. My teammates couldn’t seem to let me live that down, and apparently neither would anyone else. Although, this time we’d never actually make it to the hotel. No, we’d be making a detour. If all worked out, that side trip would take us to the Novaks themselves. “So?” I prompted, waiting for him to answer my not-so-joking question. I had to know if he’d kill if it meant protecting my fiancée.
“When the occasion calls for it,” he echoed back, not hiding a devilish grin.
“Are we sure this is going to work?” I wasn’t sure who Diana’s question was for, but there was only one acceptable answer. And I could read it in the faces of everyone around me.
I turned toward her, prepared to steal her away for a quick goodbye before she was snuck out through the back exit along with Mya and Oliver. I’d planned to send Dallas with her, but if he wasn’t seen getting off the jet with me in Zurich where we assumed the Novaks’ people would be watching us, that could tip them off. They’d know I wouldn’t leave him behind.
“It’ll work,” Gwen said, catching my eyes next. “Once we’re in Zurich, and the Novaks think I’m you, my overbearing father will be waiting with a plan to slip me away before all hell breaks loose. He doesn’t want to run the risk I’m in one of the vehicles heading to the hotel if these assholes change their minds and decide they’d rather have you dead than alive. He’s not a fan of me being bait.”
Diana’s skin blanched, and Gwen winced at the way her words negated her previous “this will work” statement.
“Thank you for doing this,” Diana whispered to her instead of melting down.
“Hey, us girls have to stick together against these evil goliaths of the world.” Gwen pulled out a pair of glasses from her purse and slipped them on. “I also have a mission of my own when this one is done. I can’t find the hacker who’s working with them, and if you don’t figure out who the Novaks hired when shit goes down later, I’ll make it my personal mission to hunt down that SOB.”
“Your dad will love that,” Gray said, not hiding his sarcasm.
“As much as you do, Uncle Gray?” Gwen poked back, and Gray rolled his eyes and motioned for us to get a move on.
I tipped my head to the side of the hangar. “I need a word with Diana before we part ways. Give me a minute.” Or two.
Diana stepped away from Dallas clinging to her side and cut through the crowd of operators standing there to get to me. I set my hand on her back and walked her away from everyone for some privacy. We hadn’t mentioned the engagement news yet, and we’d decided to wait until the mission was over to share, but there was someone who did know, and I decided to go ahead and reveal that fact now.
“I asked your dad for your hand in marriage two days ago,” I said, nearly blurting my words like she had a tendency to do. Maybe that side of her was rubbing off on me, too.
Her hands slipped to my chest, and I drew my arms around her waist, needing to feel her. “You knew two days ago? This morning wasn’t an out-of-nowhere moment?”
“I did know, but I’d planned to wait and couldn’t,” I confessed.
Her smile faded when she asked, “What’d my father say? Bet that went over real well.”
“It went as expected. He said no. Hung up on me. Then he called me back, remembered how much money I have and changed his mind. Then I hung up on him.”
“I’m so sorry.” I leaned in and kissed her pout away, and she moaned against my lips. “I’m marrying you,” she murmured.
“You are.” I met her eyes. “I will make it back, and you will be my wife.”
