I’m not going to lie. I’m tired of it. “I do. I always have.” I lean against the elevator wall and run a hand down my neck. “I wasn’t expecting this.”
“Yeah, falling in love in the middle of a mission has never worked out for James Bond either.” Her teasing eases some of the pressure building in my chest. “But here we are, and I want to make sure you don’t do anything dumb like give her the door while you freeze in the water.”
I frown. “Did you just identify me with Jack and Rose from theTitanic?”
“Movie night with my mom and aunts.”
“Don’t you hate sappy romance movies?”
“It’s a tragic maritime accident. I blame the director and Leo for making it all... human.”
“You know people di—never mind.” The elevator doors open. “I promise I won’t do anything dumb.”
“Or heroic,” she deadpans.
“Heroic?”
“You know what I’m talking about. That whole alpha male chest puffing,” she says. “You know, ‘Let me fight the bad guy in a dumb heroic way that only works in the movies and never in real life.’”
I start for the parking garage. “No idea what you’re talking about.”
“Just stick to the plan,Miller.”
Calling me by my alias is Ruby’s way of reminding me that I’m still playing a part. One that needs to be Oscar worthy. Did Bond ever win an Oscar?
“Do you trust her?” she asks, quieter now. “I mean really trust her—not just the part of you that’s eighteen and still hung up on her, but the part that knows Earl Edmond might make her talk if he pushes hard enough?”
My throat tightens and I loosen my tie and unbutton my top button. “She’s not trained.”
“She’s not,” Ruby agrees.
“But she’d never let down the people she cares about,” I say. And that’s exactly what scares me. Because IknowCybil. I know the girl with steel beneath the sarcasm. The girl who carried the weight of her mom’s condition like it was her personal responsibility—still does. Cybil won’t let anyone down. Not even if it costs her. And that’s the part that kept me up all night.
My personal phone vibrates in my pocket.
“I have to go,” I tell Ruby. I’m not going to miss another call from Cybil. “I’ll see you soon.”
I end the call, anxious to speak to Cybil, but it’s not her number on my phone. “If you’re calling me to bail you out of jail, I’m a little busy right now.”
“Well, hello to you, too, grandson. And you don’t have to worry about that. Bernie handles all the bail bonds for our group.”
I don’t even know where to go with that. “I don’t mean to rush you, but I’m working. Is there something you need that doesn’t require a background check or permit?”
“Not today, honey. I just wanted to check in on you and your sweet friend, Cybil. Such a nice girl, and I’ve talked to our members and we’ve agreed to make an exception if she wants to join. An honorary member of Pistols and Pearls.”
It’s both sweet and scary that my grandmother has already taken to Cybil. Or maybe it was the fact that Cybil was so willing to commit felonies with Gran that won her over. Either way, I probably need to keep expectations low for Gran’s newest recruit until I know what a future with Cybil looks like. Or at least get us through this mission.
A black SUV drives by, slow enough that it immediately catches my attention. “Gran, I need to call you back later.”
“Don’t you lie to me.”
“I won’t. Love you.” I hang up on my grandmother and drop thephone into the nearest trash can just as the SUV pulls up to the curb and jerks to a stop. The back door opens and out steps Rook.
The hair on the back of my neck rises.
“I need you to come with me,” Rook says, glancing around like he’s suddenly a Bond villain on retainer—minus the charm and the British accent.
“Unfortunately, I’ve got to get back to the office.” I hold up the folder. “Trying to catch up on work before Mr. Ramirez’s auction.”
