Page 105 of Lethal Obsession

Knowing it’s been coming doesn’t stop me from feeling the weight of separation like a dark shadow on the edge of our happiness. I shiver.

“I can’t come with you,” he says abruptly. “Back to Granada. It’s too dangerous. I won’t risk anyone seeing us together.”

He doesn’t need to explain why. We both know, all too well, that there are people in our world who won’t hesitate to use me as leverage against Alexei to get whatever it is they want from him.

“Lola will take you and the dragons to another yacht in the morning.” His voice is slightly rough, and I don’t miss the grim set to his mouth. “It’s crewed by Australian friends of hers who are moving it from one port to another. You can go ashore with them tomorrow when they dock to resupply.”

He stands restlessly and walks to the railing, then leans on it as he looks out over the water. “Your friend Lourdes is going to meet you at the port and take you to the beach for the day, then you’ll drive back to Granada together. If anyone is watching your house, they’ll just think you’ve been away with her. Don’t worry,” he says, before I voice my protests. “Lars got your friend Benny to organize Lourdes, so there’s no connection. And he’ll have security people watching from a safe distance, just in case.” He gives me a sideways glance. “It seems Lars has developed something of an interest in classical music. He’s heading to London this weekend to watch Benny perform.”

That makes me smile. “It sounds like Benny is going to have a lot of gossip next time I see him.”

“Ha.” There’s no humor in the sound Alexei makes, and nothing small about the vodka he pours from the bottle on the table, then knocks off in a couple of swallows.

“What is it?” I ask finally, when he remains silent. “What aren’t you saying?”

“Ofelia.” He grimaces, rubbing a hand over his face.

Getting up from the cushions, I go to stand at the railing beside him. “Alexei.” I mock his serious tone.

He turns to me, taking my hands. “It could be a long time before we see each other again.”

I resist the urge to roll my eyes. “Tell me something I don’t know.” I’m trying for sarcasm, but even I can hear the sadness beneath my efforts.

“It’s not my choice, angel.” Alexei brushes a stray hair from my face, and I don’t know what’s harder, the gentleness of his touch or his pained expression. “And I will work this shit out. But in the meantime, it really isn’t safe for you to be anywhere near me.”

“I know that.” I drop my head to hide my face.

“But even if I can’t see you in person,” he goes on, “I still want to be able to talk to you, at least.”

I look up in surprise. “I thought you said phones aren’t safe?”

He grins. “They’re not. But if you’re okay with it, I can have a secure room built in your house.” He lifts a shoulder. “Okay, more like a secure cubicle in this case, but you get my drift. The same kind of thing I have on the yacht. That way I can have a line set up so we can talk. I know video chat is hardly the romantic ideal, but it would be something at least—”

“Oh my God.” I throw my arms around his neck, clinging to him like a limpet, my heart thudding a thousand miles an hour with relief. “It’s everything,” I whisper in his ear. “Being able to talk to you, to see you . . . Yes, Alexei. Please. I don’t care what you have to knock down to get it set up.”

His arms wrap around me, and for a moment we just stand there, savoring each other in the silence.

I’m not sure I realized until this minute just how terrified I’ve been about being apart from him. No matter how incredible this week has been, it’s hard to erase the long years of silence and confusion. Somewhere deep inside I feared that was exactly what was coming for me again.

“There’s something else.” Alexei’s voice comes from above me.

I pull back and eye him. “Something like what?” I say warily.

He grimaces. “I can’t send any of our people to build it. I don’t want to give anyone a reason to start watching you. Or to alert your father, who will rightly want to know why you’re having a high-security comms room installed in your house.”

This time I really do roll my eyes.

Unfortunately, I know he’s right.

“Fine.” I link my hands behind his neck. “So how do we do this, then?”

“You’re not going to like this any more than I do,” he warns me. “But how would you feel if I asked Mickey to set it up?”

“Mickey?” I look up at him in surprise. “Really?”

His eye searches mine. “Is that a yes or a no?”

I lift my shoulders. “I’m just surprised, I guess. I didn’t think you two really got on.”