She turns away, glancing down the sidewalk in the other direction. “You couldn’t have found any other way to escape? You just had to blow up my house?”
Since she looked away, I slowly canvass the area again. “You’re the one that told Todd where we’d be and led the operatives right to us.”
“I didn’t tell Todd about Exuma. But I did have to tell himsomething.He kept hounding me for updates, so I just tried to give him information about our location when I knew you could get us out of whatever he threw at us. I only told Todd we’d be at that bar in Leavenworth and gave him our location when we left the hotel. Every other time, they found us on their own.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter now. Todd probably thinks that Nicholas killed me two days ago. He doesn’t know we’re the ones tracking him.” I glance down at my watch, checking how close it is to ten o'clock.
“I’m sorry.” Lacee words are lower, softer, and I rush my search so I can get back to watching her. “It wasn’t fair of me to put you through all that.”
“You don’t have to apologize. It’s part of the job.”
“I want to.” She turns her head in my direction. “For the last two years, day in and day out, I’ve been Lacee Warren. Not Sienna Prime, the CIA field support officer. I always imagined that when I took on an alias, I’d completely immerse myself in that role and channel the right emotions for that character. My thoughts, my actions, everything would become that person. But being Lacee was easy. I got to be myself, minus the CIA operative side of me. So when we met that day at the mall, I didn’t have to channel anything. I was sincere in our relationship. I might’ve been lying to you about my profession, but everything else was genuine. All the emotions I felt were real.”
That’s the one thing I wanted to know—was this thing between us real? Because it was for me. But even now, I’m having a hard time believing it. I don’t want to be fooled again.
“Like I said, you don’t have to apologize.” I raise my guard. “We both agreed all was fair in love and war. Besides, going our separate ways at the end of this was part of the rules.”
“Is that why we haven’t kissed since Christmas Day? Because the rules said our holiday fling ended then?”
“Or did it end when we reached a level ten kiss?”
Her lips lift into a half smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “I think it was whichever one came first.”
“I’m not sure if I ever reached a level ten kiss. If I did, you never told me.”
“Well, I think a few small children interrupting the kiss may have knocked you down a point or two.”
“Dang.” I smirk. “Making out during a Christmas program is never a good idea.”
Lacee spits out a laugh. “Definitely not our best moment.” Her eyes drop. “So…I guess we’re sticking to the rules and walking away after today?”
“I guess so.” I grit my teeth as I answer because I don’t know if that’s what I really want, but trusting in anything more feels scary. Or maybe it’s just trusting inher.“Walking away after Christmas was always the plan. I’m sad that level ten kiss never happened, but like you said, not every mission gets completed.”
Lacee’s shoulders drop, and she doesn’t immediately answer back. The moment feels awkward and I have no clue what to say now.
“Do you think our plan will work?” She forces an air of normalcy into her voice.
“I don’t know. There’s a lot out of our control and a lot that can go wrong.”
“If it doesn’t work, I just wanted to tell you I had fun anyway.”
“Me, too.”
A black car pulls up to the sidewalk behind Lacee. I shift the binoculars to get a better look. Todd steps out of the back of the vehicle and shuts the door, letting it drive off.
“We’ve got company,” I say. “And he came alone.”
Todd stands on the sidewalk, gazing up at theTerminal 30sign. I take a moment to study him. He’s a broad guy with dark hair and a peppered beard. He’s aged well over the years, looking like a man in his forties when he’s really in his mid-fifties. Todd Allen always seemed like someone with everything he could ever want. I can’t understand why he would jeopardize his career for a large payout. If he’s not doing this for the money, what is he doing it for?
Todd walks toward the front of the building.
“He’s on the move.”
“I’ve got him.” Lacee sets her guitar aside and quickly stands, making her way toward Todd. She slips a phone inside his coat pocket as they pass each other on the sidewalk then she acts like she’s throwing something away in the garbage. “It’s done.”
I grab my phone with my free hand and call the device Lacee just planted on Todd. Derek fidgeted with the ringer so that it’s louder than normal. There’s no way Todd could missthisphone call. I can hear the ring coming through Lacee’s earpiece, it’s so loud.
Todd glances around at first, then pauses as other people on the street start to look at him.
