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“We have a lot to discuss, but let’s get the important points out of the way first. I realise you’ve just got out of one luxury prison and the last thing you want is to end up in another, but I think it would be a good idea if you keep a low profile for the moment.”
That, we could agree on. “I’m planning to.”
“Baldwin’s Shore is a small town, and fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, my friends here include two sheriff’s deputies, a lawyer, and a Scandinavian princess whose head of security is fond of running background checks.”
I swallowed hard. “Background checks?”
“Don’t worry, your new identity will hold up. There’s also a vigilante in town, and nobody’s quite sure where his loyalties lie.”
“A princess? A vigilante?” What sort of a place was this?
“Brie’s a sweetheart. She’s overseas at the moment, but you’ll meet her soon. As for the Bad Samaritan, I’m sure he’s nothing to worry about, but he likes to help out the sheriff’s department, so it’s best if we keep the Manassas incident quiet.”
“I won’t go out anywhere, I swear.”
“Hopefully, this situation is only temporary.” Ouch. But at least he’d made his feelings clear. “After breakfast, I need to take your photo for a new passport.”
“You can do that? Get me a new passport? With a different name?”
I knew it was possible because Cesare had managed it, but Cesare owned people in one of the New York passport offices.
“Can I do it myself? No. But I know somebody who’s able to.”
“A forger?”
“I’m not sure whether it’ll be a good forgery or a real one obtained through dubious channels, but my contact assures me it’ll pass inspection at any border.”
“You trust him?”
“Her. And she’s delivered so far.”
The pieces clicked into place. “Your fake wife?”
Nico cracked a smile. “She’s quite a woman.”
Of course she was. And that was the kind of girl Nico would be interested in—a modern-day superhero with the power to evade the Cavallaros and conjure up passports. But I had him as a friend, and that was the only thing that mattered right now.
“Yes, she is quite a woman.”
27
NICO
Practicalities. Nico had to focus on the practicalities, and definitely not on Kaylin’s perfect ass.
He was an ass man and he made no apologies for it, unless the ass in question belonged to Kaylin La Rocca, and then he was very sorry indeed. She’d just escaped from one heir to a crime empire; she didn’t need to become inappropriately entangled with another.
At least she was sitting down now.
“We need to come up with a story. A reason for you being here. Emmy recommends sticking close to the truth because then we’re less likely to slip up.”
“Emmy?”
“My fake wife.” Her ass wasn’t bad either. Charles Black was a lucky man, Emmy’s homicidal tendencies excepted. “If anyone asks”—which they would, because Baldwin’s Shore was full of busybodies—“we’ll tell them that you’re an old friend who’s escaped a difficult relationship, and you’re here to lie low for a while.”
“That isn’t revealing too much?”
“In a small town like this one, everybody gets into everybody else’s business, but they’re also protective of their own. If the women know there’s an unpleasant ex-partner involved, we’ll get an early warning if any strangers begin poking around. That’ll buy us time while we establish your new identity and find you someplace to live long-term. Do you have anywhere in mind?”
