Page 38 of Forever: The Companion

FOURTEEN

Learning to walk without making a single sound could be unsettling to most people around him, but Renzo found it to be a valuable asset. Like now, he moved around the bedroom in the Bali vacation home without his wife as much as shifting on the bed. She slept peacefully while he gathered things he needed, between his bags in the walk-in closet and the phone still stuffed in his discarded jeans from earlier.

He’d already dressed—waited just long enough for Lucia to fall into a deep sleep before doing so. He wore all black from his head to his toes, which was the standard uniform whenever he did a job for The League. It was one of their first lessons. A man needed to learn how to blend in, even if he was the type to stand out in a crowd.

He couldn’t draw attention.

Turning the device provided by The League on, he took a moment to appreciate the sight of his wife, who was happy and unbothered on the bed. He liked to believe that she’d found a good head space here. All the stress of life that she’d left behind in New York probably didn’t seem like such a mountain now; more like a small hill for her to tackle.

That’s all he wanted.

Knowing damn well it was about to be a long night for him, he crossed the bedroom and dropped a kiss to the top of his wife’s head before smoothing back the wayward strands of her hair that had fallen in her eyes during sleep. Her lips curved into a soft smile, and while he couldn’t be sure if that was from him or whatever she was dreaming about, he also figured it didn’t matter. As long as she stayed happy, then that’s what counted.

“See you soon, babe,” he murmured. “I’ll be back—promise.”

Forever.

He’d always come back.

It was one of her greatest fears, and while she didn’t voice them, that didn’t make it any less real to Lucia. She’d told him all of once, and he’d listened well enough to know that she wouldn’t tell him each and every time that he went out on a job. It wasn’t like the fear was unfounded, either, considering how dangerous his line of work could be.

And still, he came back.

He made sure of it.

Dropping one more kiss to her forehead, Renzo straightened to his full height and left the bedroom without another look back. He had to. Otherwise, he might never leave at all. Her fear might revolve around his safety, but his was firmly stuck in the idea that he had to go when he never seemed to want to.

Win some, lose some.

Life was funny like that.

Renzo gathered the other things he needed as he walked through the house and headed for the front entrance—his lighter on the counter, the pack of cigarettes he’d left near the back of the house, and even the small sleeve inside the hidden compartment of his bag that had a fake ID, cash, and a passport.

All things he needed just in case.

Stepping out of the house through the front, he found two black vehicles already parked and waiting in the circular driveway. He’d passed the code for the gate onto Cree, who’d then given the information to whatever team would be helping him here with this little side project for The League. Between the two cars, six men stood waiting.

More than he needed.

Renzo would take it.

“Someone’s gotta stay here,” he said, taking the steps two at a time, “but whoever it is, they don’t go into the house and the woman inside never sees you. Got it?”

None of them said a thing.

They all nodded, however.

Yep.

All in all, should be an easy job.

• • •

Feeling like he might finally have enough miles put between him and the city of Kuta to be considered safe, or as close as he was ever going to get, Renzo pulled the black mask from his face. He’d have to put it on again before transferring his ward at the next checkpoint to make sure his face wasn’t seen, but he would deal with that when the time came. All things The League demanded. He’d also like to yank off the goddamn bulletproof vest that felt a little too tight around his chest, but shit …

One thing at a time.

The thumping in the back of Renzo’s vehicle had finally come to a stop but seeing as how he was so fucking exhausted and within three hours the sun would be high in the sky, it might be the fact that his brain had just shut off and wasn’t hearing anything.