And that’s all she had to say about that.
He sighed. “I just . . . I hoped . . .”
She kept her voice light. Teasing. Anything to keep from falling apart. “For the happy ending?”
He lifted a shoulder.
“Yeah, me too, Bugsy.”
They stood in silence for a moment. The weight of everything unsaid pressed down on her—the lies, the secrets, the kiss last night that had meant everything and changed nothing.
“Can I—” he started.
“I gotta go.” The words came out too fast. Too final. “Thanks for . . . everything.”
Dakota frowned. “Jayden. Seriously?—”
“No.” She forced a smile. “Listen, you know how vacation romances are.” Her voice was bright. Brittle. The performance of her life. “No one is ever who they say they are.”
His expression shifted—hurt, confusion, a frown.
And she just . . . well, she didn’t know what else to do. So she stepped up and kissed him. Quick. Hard. Before she could talk herself out of it. Before he could see the tears threatening to spill.
“But it was fun!” She pulled back, already stepping away. “Five stars. Would recommend.”
“Jayden—”
She walked away. Then ran. Her bag bouncing against her hip, her carryon rumbling behind her, her eyes burning, her heart shattering into pieces she didn’t have time to collect.
She made it around the corner of the Opera House before the first tear fell.
Stop. This couldn’t last, couldn’t be true.
She had a job to do. And that job included lying. Right now, she had to move.
And yes, Dakota was someone she could have loved. If things were different. If she were different.
The bus coughed and she turned, spotting it.
The gray bag. The rifle components. Jayden spun around and ran back.
The bus was still there, the luggage compartment closed. She worked the latch open, heart pounding, already reaching for?—
Nothing.
The gray bag was gone.
Jayden stared into the empty compartment, her blood turning to ice.
Someone had taken it. In the five minutes she’d spent saying goodbye to Dakota—running away from Dakota—someone had walked up to this bus and taken the bag with the rifle components.
The assassin had their weapon.
The president spoke tomorrow.
And Jayden had just let a weapon of terrifying destruction slip through her fingers because she was too busy breaking her own stupid heart.
FEDERAL DETENTION FACILITY, VIRGINIA – 3:17 A.M. EST
