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“Olivia is the mole,” he said.
I waited for the shock to hit me. I wanted to feel surprised, but I only felt stupid for not realizing it earlier.
“She played me like a fool and I just let her. I overlooked things she said and did because I loved her. I still love her. I’m fucked. She’s fucked. Both of us—”
“Do Mel and Liam know?”
“Liam told me and I didn’t believe him. I didn’t want to believe him. But I had to know the truth.”
“Neal, what did you do?”
“I slipped information to Olivia. I told her that Liam was taking Mel to the opera. They’d called my phone number instead of his to confirm his reservation. I gave them his number and Olivia was just there…so I thought I would slip it to her and see what would happen.”
“And Avian tried to kill them. That’s what happened,” I finished for him.
He sighed. “They are going to kill us both. Liam is still fuming. I wasn’t even thinking, I just needed to make sure. But I need to tell—”
“Neal, you will not tell them.”
“Coraline—”
“Shut up, Neal. We didn’t have this conversation and you will not tell them that you slipped up. None of us can afford to slip up, not you, not me, not even Declan. We’re at war. Have you chosen your side?”
He was silent and I held my breath in panic.
“Neal, we’re family through and through. This is your moment. You will rise from this, but you gotta be smart.”
“Family through and through,” he repeated.
Nodding, I released the air in my lungs. “Olivia fucked us all over. Now it’s time you pay her back tenfold. You’re going to be a motherfucking Callahan. You’re going to be ruthless. Do you understand me?”
“If I hurt her, Liam and Mel will know.”
“There is more than one way to hurt a woman, Neal. Go on like nothing is wrong. Make her fall in love with you all over again and start sucking information from her. When you have the information, take it to them. Drop it on the table and do as they ask. If Olivia loved you, she would not have done this. She put your life, and everyone in this family up for her own greed. That’s not love. You will come back from this a stronger member of this family.”
He was silent again and I heard the bottle on the other line touch the table, as though he’d set it down.
“Thank you, Coraline.”
“For what? This conversation never happened.”
He snickered.
“Oh, and Neal? I will be watching you. I trust you, but just in case, I will be watching you,” I said before hanging up.
Deleting his call, I straightened myself up before walking out of the room. I walked into the dining room to find Declan slouched over the head of the table, completely lost in thought. He didn’t even notice as the butler placed food on the table that had been set only for the two of us. It was odd being in the house with so many people missing.
“Thank you, Raymond,” I told him as he left.
“Of course, ma’am,” he said before he headed back towards the kitchen. Declan was still not moving.
“Your eyes used to fall out of your head when I walked into the room,” I teased, sitting next to him.
He blinked rapidly, and picked his head up to look at me. Forcing a small smile, he took my hand and kissed the back of it. “Sorry, darling, I’ve just got a lot of things going through my mind. But you’re stunning as always.”
Taking my hand back, I reached for the peas and placed some on his plate, along with the salmon and rice. I hadn’t seen him eat since last night.
“Thank you,” he said, as he took a bite.
“Of course. Are you thinking about what Mel and Liam asked us to do?”
He froze for a moment before he looked up at me.
“What? They called me a few moments after they spoke with you.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you knew?” he asked.
“Why didn’t you tell me at all?”
“Coraline…” he sighed.
I hated when he said my name like that.
“You don’t think I can do it.” We were back at square one all over again.
He sat up. “Coraline, this isn’t game. We’re talking about breaking into the Canadian Embassy, kidnapping a fed—”
“I know, Declan, I read the file,” I snapped as I cut into the pink fish in front of me.
“Then you know that this is too risky. We’re not dealing with thugs. I’m going to figure out a plan with Fedel—”
“If you try it, Declan Callahan, I will divorce you so quickly you won’t even be able to finish your damn peas,” I told him, as I took a bite.
His mouth dropped open before it turned to a smirk. “You’re bluffing.”
“Guess who got invited to, and played nice with, every top law firm in the state?” I asked, sipping slowing as he watched me. “While you were getting your hands dirty with the low lives, I’ve been shaking hands and smiling with a lot of fancy people. I’m not as sweet and innocent as you keep trying to make me out to be. I have a plan to get in, but I need your tech genius to do it. So we’re going to do it whether you like it or not.”
He stared and said nothing.
“You should eat, babe, this salmon is amazing.”
“I’m no longer hungry for food,” he said slowly, as he pulled at his tie and rose from his chair.
“Really? Should I call for some wine?” I smirked, as I tried to keep my eyes fixed on my food.
His fingers caressed my shoulder and trailed up my neck, until he gripped it slightly and slid his thumb along the side of my jaw.
“No wine,” he whispered into my ear.
“Then what?”
“I want you,” he stated.
I smiled, as I pushed my chair back and stood up to face him. “All you had to do was ask.” Backing away from him, I stepped out of my shoes and began to unzip my dress. He watched every movement I made, and just as I’d exposed the lace of my bra, I stopped. “On the other hand, you should have to work for me.” I grinned before I bolted out of the room, ran up the stairs, twisted around the corner, and just kept running.
I turned back to see how far behind me he was, but he wasn't there. I paused just as the elevator doors opened and he stepped out right in front of me with a grin so wide, it was almost inhuman. He pulled me into his arms and threw me over his shoulder like a caveman.
“You cheater! Put me down!”
“Work smarter, not harder, baby.” He laughed as I kicked and tried to wiggle free of him.
I’d just walked right into that!
When we reached our room, he carried me and dropped me in the center of the bed.
“Now that I’ve earned you, why don’t I help you out of that pretty dress?” he said, as he crawled on top of me.
I didn’t fight him. I didn’t want to.
DECLAN
All night I had tried to think of a way to get her out of this. But nothing came to mind. I watched her lace up her boots as I placed my watch on my wrist. I didn’t want to do this with her. She wasn’t ready for this. This wasn’t a game. Neither of us were spies. If she got caught, she’d be done for. Our lives would be on surveillance, gone would be our cover lives. It just didn’t seem worth it to me. I had almost everything figured out with Fedel; all we needed was someone who looked like the agent, and sadly, that person was Coraline.
