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I take a deep breath in through the nose, concentrating on the scent of freshly ground coffee beans instead of the sour taste of fear on my tongue.
Sixty seconds.
I’d have sixty seconds —likely less— to get to the vault, crack it open, steal the vase, and high tail it out of there before the lasers power up and rip me to shreds.
“I can do it,” I say, swallowing the bile rising in my throat.I have to do it.
Klaus scoffs. “You’re being overconfident.”
“I don’t see you risking your ass to open that safe,” Gabriel snaps. “If she says she’ll get it done, shewill.”
“I got a good look at the vault and the lock mechanism,” I say calmly. “I’ll see what I can do about getting a replica to practice on.”
“That’s a thing?” Anders asks.
“Oh, yes. You just have to know where to look.”
“Keep us informed on any updates,” Gabriel says, standing up from his chair. He picks up my jacket from off the back of mine and holds it open for me, helping me put it on like the gentleman he is. “Stay out of trouble.”
“You too, Foxtrot,” Anders says, tossing me a cheeky wink as Gabriel and I leave.
We walk briskly back to the hotel. All around us, it’s starting to look a lot like Christmas. Bern’s streets are decorated with glowing string lights, fresh wreaths on almost every door, and crisp white snow building up on the sidewalks. The local bakeries fill the air with the scent of baked goods and minty sweets.
“It’s beautiful here,” I comment, mostly to myself. “I wish we had time to sightsee.”
Gabriel says nothing, though I catch him watching me out of the corner of his eye. He reaches over and takes my hand, lacing his fingers through mine, then stuffs our hands in his big pocket. “Next time,” he promises. He smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.
“Is everything alright?” I ask. “You seemed kind of angry on the phone earlier.”
His jaw tenses. “Odette’s come down with a cold.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Is she going to be okay?”
“I’m sure she will be—” He cuts himself off when he sees a pair of police officers up ahead. They appear to be minding their own business, but Gabriel pulls me down a narrow alley, nevertheless.
“Someone’s paranoid,” I tease.
He gives me a look. “And rightly so. Anders said he recognized you from the news. There’s no telling who else might notice you.” He reaches past me and pulls my hood up over my head. “This isn’t a game, Raquel.”
I frown. “I know it’s not.”
Gabriel grumbles something under his breath, turning on his heel to stalk down the alley. I have to double my pace to keep up with his long strides.
“What’s eating you?” I ask. “If something’s bothering you—”
He cuts me off with a kiss, pressing me up against the cold stone wall. I’m quickly learning that Gabriel is a ferocious kisser. There’s a possessive quality to the way he holds me, slotting his lips against mine with practiced ease. His tongue is demanding, his hands on my waist sturdy and powerful. There’s no denying him, and I don’t think I would even if I’m given the option.
I melt against his touch, mold against the hard press of his body. Dragging my hands down his wide chest, I hum contently as he deepens the kiss. Our hot breaths and mingling body heat are the perfect combination to combat the cold winter air.
“I don’t like it,” he says gruffly against my mouth.
“What?”
“The way he looks at you.”
I laugh softly. “Who? Anders? He’s just being friendly.”
He works his jaw. “I don’t like it.”
