That she wouldn’t even engage with him meant she’d drawn the line—around herself as a way to protect her peace.
From him.
“Where are you staying?” Gene asked, finally breaking his silence.
She was honest.
“Raph, Uriel, and myself are booked into the Conference Center. Our normal room. We will be bunking in the same space.”
Ivan popped onto the screen.
“Are you insane? That’s the norm. Have I taught you nothing?” he asked, horrified.
Only, she didn’t need him on her ass, too. This wasNOTher first day.
She stopped him before he said something stupid, too.
“Do you have faith in me, or have you lost it too, Ivan?” she asked.
He knew this was a landmine.
But still, he was honest.
“You know I have faith in your skill. It’s your common sense I worry about, Crazy Train. I worry you’ll stay there to get him to show up so you can shoot up the damn town!”
She wished, but she wasn’t playing bait.
Instead, she was honest.
“We are staying in my office with MATE locking it down. We made the reservation to hide a little better in DC. This is my kingdom, and I know the holes here. Not him.”
Ivan chilled out.
Elizabeth was to the point.
“No one will be in or out of my office. I’m cuddling up to two Marines tonight. For the record, I’m not the village idiot. I’m also playing the game. After we leave the White House tonight, a second car, one I always am in, is going directly to theConference Center without us in it. We’re riding out in Secret Service vehicles to the FBI building. Tiffany is going to transport us to the FBI post my meeting with Gabe.”
Ivan reassured her.
“Good. I don’t want that face hurt. I like it despite it making me want to puke simultaneously.”
She actually laughed because if she didn’t, the pressure would make her cry. Never had she felt so alone while she was out in the world.
“I love you too, Ivan.”
He winked at her.
“Be safe, Cupcake.”
That was the plan.
Gene was curious.
“Can you tell us what clues he left you? Because I don’t know how you saw a uterus and a cross and thought about going to DC. Help a dude out? Unless you put it in your notes.”
She broke it down because she hadn’t.
Not yet.
