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“I don’t like to think of myself as the enemy, especially when you’re part of the Soloniks.”
Whoa. Am I hearing that correctly? His tenderness can’t imply that he cares. No more than he’d care if his own teenage daughter was in trouble. How old is he?
I’ll stop being foolish. This isn’t anything more than finding the weak link. So he picked me, a girl. Fabulous. I’m being played by another man.
“I need time to think about this. Sit on the front porch.” I step to the side, out of his reach, as he moves to where I’m pointing. Then I slip inside and lock the door.
Through the wooden door, I say, “When your handler gets here, we can talk and no sooner.”
Glancing at the counter, I’m frustrated that the phone is gone. I don’t have any way to contact anyone. All I can do is think. Do I trust Erik? Does it matter if he’s with the FBI or the Lazovskis? He’s offering me a way out, and if he really can put me in witness protection…
The crunch of tires on gravel catches my attention.
The car rolls to stop and Erik greets a man named Nikolai, presumably his handler.
His voice is equally as deep and commanding. He razzes Erik. “What happened? She make you sit and stay on the front porch like a good dog?”
“I’ve got my key. Just wanted to give her space.”
“Is she as viable as her file says? The assessments show she’s pretty sharp.”
Don’t they realize I can hear them? A file? An assessment? Maybe they really are FBI, and Erik is telling me the truth. I haven’t had enough time to sort this out, but there’s surprisingly little to sort out. They’re offering me a way to bring an end to my family’s crimes, which I had wanted to do if I could take control. The bonus of their help is that I’ll have protection.
Exactly how that will happen remains unclear. As does the ability to sort out my innocent relatives. The FBI’s approach to taking down the drug ring was to have the Lazovskis come in with guns blazing. How will I help protect all of the innocent women and children? Some are so brainwashed, I don’t know that they’d ever leave.
They deserve to experience joys like men making hot chocolate for them. And even though Erik doesn’t realize it, he told me to make myself at home. This is the most I’ve ever felt at home and I’m a complete stranger here. I want that for the women in my family.
I lean against the far wall, although nothing’sfarin this small cabin. I bring a foot up, bracing it against the wall, my arms crossed.
“You might as well come in.”
The slide of the key into the lock, then a click, is followed by Erik throwing the door open. The sun has dropped low. The cabin must be on the western face of the mountain. The brilliant colors filter through the tree tops, turning the men into silhouettes, and what gorgeous silhouettes they are. I can’t help the visceral reaction my core has to these men.
My sex tingles. Am I a terrible person for admitting that I want more than protection?
Eleven
Nikolai
Theresheis,likean angel sent from the heavens. I step into the cabin, barely able to breathe. It’s not the closest I’ve ever been to Lilia, but this will be the first time we’ve spoken.
I’m shocked by my cock thickening. A quick replay of how her father treats her helps me get my mission in check. I’m not about to lose my job over a woman, although Lilia hardly qualifies as a woman, she’s so perfect.
Why couldn’t I have met her under different circumstances? Would it have mattered? Have I needed all of this time since losing my college sweetheart to realize I want to move on? If Erik and I can turn her, and somehow, she doesn’t go into witness protection, maybe we could have a life together.
Or if I straddle the line, I could go into witness protection with her.
That’s not likely.
Besides, Erik feels the same way about her. It would get complicated fast. I shove that hot mess of an idea to the side and start going over her case, maintaining professionalism, explaining what we would need from her, the logistics that will keep her in a safe, undisclosed location until the trial….
I dump everything onto her because I fear that if I stop, I’ll confess that I’ve been in love with her from the first stakeout.
A smile breaks out her on her face.
“You like the idea of being protected?” Maybe we are a match made in heaven.
“No.” She wags a finger at me. “I remember you. When I was sitting outside the cafe in Peach Bottom valley, the wind stirred up and my hat blew away. It was one of those big floppy hats, and you caught it. You started to bring it back to me and you had a blue baseball cap on, and you kept your head tilted low so I couldn’t make out your face, but for a fleeting moment—”
