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It was over too soon, his muscles suddenly unable to hold his weight, but he wasn’t ready to release her. So he rolled until Julia was spread on top of him and he was still inside of her.
She groaned her complaint, but otherwise didn’t move. They lay there, boneless and worn out, sated for the time being. Joe stroked his hand down her back to the curve of her behind. So much more to touch, to do. He’d need a lifetime to learn her.
Julia wriggled a little, sending shock waves throughout his body.
“I can’t believe we did that with an angel watching,” she said with a husky voice. “That is so wrong.”
Joe looked up at the painting facing the bed and started to chuckle. He held Julia tight as he rocked her body with his laughter. Which grew even more raucous when Julia grumbled at him. He wrapped his arms tight around her and felt her smooth, soft roundness against him.
Bliss. This was bliss. Now he just had to convince her that this was forever.
Because he wouldn’t settle for less.
Chapter 19
The summons came as Julia was getting out of the shower. Five minutes later, the team were assembled in Patricia’s living area. They were sombre and Patricia was shaking—Esteban had been in touch.
“Did you sleep at all?” Julia said as she hugged her gran tightly.
“No, but we’re almost finished reading the textiles. We’ll have an exact location soon.”
“You need a nap first, and some food.”
“No.” Patricia kissed her head before stepping back. “First we need to watch Alice again.”
“Did they say anything or just give you another internet address?”
“They said they wanted the mummy and I told them I needed more time. They said I could have more time, but they had a message from Alice first. That’s when a text with another internet address came through.”
“Elle?” Julia called. “Is it a different address?” In other words, was Alice still being held in the same location?
“Yeah.” Elle stopped hooking her laptop up to the TV for a second to hold Julia’s eyes. Julia saw the same worry she felt reflected back at her. “I’m going to try for a trace while they broadcast. Hopefully, we’ll get a lock on the new IP.”
The computer genius was dressed in tiny red shorts and a white t-shirt with a red printed photo of Princess Leia wielding a gun and the words A Woman’s Place Is in the Resistance. Julia was wearing shorts too. Ones she’d bought in La Paz airport after the dress fiasco. Unlike Elle’s, Julia’s were what her sister liked to call “mom shorts”—because they came almost to her knees.
“You about ready?” Elle asked Patricia.
“Yes. Of course.”
But Julia could see her gran’s hands shake.
“Will this be the same as last time?” Julia asked Elle. “Are we just watching?”
“I think so. I won’t enable any cameras or sound at our end unless we have to.”
Julia reached out to put a hand on her gran’s back, offering comfort, as her eyes automatically found Joe’s. He was standing by the door, talking in whispered tones to Ryan and Callum, but he didn’t take his eyes from her. It was reassuring, and she somehow drew strength from his attentiveness.
“Right, I’ve typed in the address. I’m going to press enter. Pick your spot and settle down,” Elle said.
Joe immediately came over to stand beside Julia. He didn’t touch her, and she was grateful for that; it would have shattered the thin control that was keeping her sane while she waited to see Alice at the mercy of a madman. Julia felt someone else come up, and was pleased when Ed took her gran’s hand in his.
“This will be over soon,” Ed said to Patricia. “You’ll feel better once you get back to work on the textiles. You’re doing a great job, so close to finishing. Concentrate on that instead of this. It will help. You’ll both be much safer once the gold is in our hands.”
Gran gave him a weak smile.
The large TV blinked on, and they were watching another nondescript brick room. The room was mostly dark, the single bulb illuminating a cone of space beneath it.
Alice staggered into the light, as though someone pushed her. Julia folded her arms to stop from shaking. Alice was rumpled and dirty. Her hair was messy and there were dark circles under her eyes that made her seem gaunt.
