Page 2 of King

“We’re going to have a very busy day,” I reply and wipe the sweat off my face with a towel.“I wanted you to sleep as long as possible.”

She comes over to me and slips her arms around my neck, standing on her tiptoes to give me a kiss

“You’re a very bad man,” she says with a smile.“You should’ve woken me so I could come for a run with you.I need to get in better shape if I’m going to keep up with you.”

I laugh.“You mean if I can keep up withyou,” I say.“You’re the one who wants to stay up late at night working.”

“You’re going to have a shower?”She narrows her eyes.

I can’t help but smile even wider.“I am.”

“Care for some company?”

A surge of desire goes through me at the sound of seduction in her voice.“I thought you’d never ask.”

She grabs my hand and pulls me down the hallway to the shower.It is a fantastic bathroom, with glass doors and a window at head height so you can watch outside and see the surf while you shower.

For the next twenty minutes, we aren’t looking out at the surf.

Instead, we enjoy the hot water as it rolls down our bodies.Not to mention everything else that happens.

She chose me, and that’s the way I like it.

Later,after we dress, we sit at the kitchen island and drink our coffee.We discuss what we have to do to get ready to leave and then start packing things up.After a quick cleanup, we take our bags out to the waiting Pedicab and load them up into the trunk.Before I get in, I stop and look back over the ocean.

I’ll miss this place.If I could do anything, I would live on Fire Island.Maybe one day, when we’re both through with this FBI operation, and McDonald releases us from our obligations, we can move here and start a life together.That’s my hope, but as my father used to say, ‘Hope in one hand and shit in the other and see which one fills up faster.’

I can’t rely on hope.I have tomakeit happen, and it will only happen if we satisfy McDonald’s demands.That means getting deep into the Andropov family, learning their secrets, and then turning them over to the FBI.Once that happens, we’ll be free of the FBI and McDonald.Then, we can turn back to each other, and I can get my family out of the grip of the Irish mafia in New York State.

Natalia comes to stand beside me, her arm slipping around my waist.

“I hate to leave this place,” Natalia says with a sigh.“It’s so beautiful here and so peaceful.”

“It is,” I say with a sigh mirroring hers.“I love this place.We’ll be back when this is all over if you want.Next summer.”

She turns to face me and strokes my cheek with affection.“I want.How could you doubt it?”

I exhale.“You’re the one who faked the relationship.How can I know that you really want to be with me?”

She sighs heavily.“Oh, Harrison,” she says, her voice pleading.“Do you doubt how my feelings have changed?When I first met you, I was out to get you for revenge for what I thought you did.But I was wrong, oh so wrong.”She shakes her head.“When I got to know you, I realized what an honourable man you were.Youare.I’m so sorry that I jumped to the wrong conclusion about you.If I had been less judgmental and if I’d done some research, I might have realized the truth.But we all thought Sherri was with you.She made usthinkshe was with you, and why would she lie?”

I hold a finger up to her lips and stop her from speaking.“I know, I know,” I say softly.“You’ve explained this before, and I accept your explanation.My only hope is that your feelings are real.Mine are.”

“How could you doubt it?Imarriedyou.Iloveyou.”She slips her arms around my neck and pulls me down for a passionate kiss.

If we had more time, I would’ve taken her back inside, but we don’t.Still, her words are a salve for the doubt that still lingers in my mind

I hate to leave this peace, but Reynolds is waiting for us both.

The FBI cannot be denied.

ChapterTwo

Natalia

Manhattan

We take the Pedicab and arrive at the ferry that takes us from Fire Island to the mainland.Part of me is sad that we’re leaving, but another part of me is happy that we can finally get this business over with.I’m sick of playing a part instead of living a real life.I’m sick of pretending to be someone I’m not.But until we satisfy Reynolds and the FBI, we’ll be in their service and in their grip.