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“It’s all over the Internet. Heaven registered this honeymoon suite under Liam McDermott.” He storms over and grabs the phone, stabbing the screen with his big finger. “So now the biggest story in Vegas is Boy and Girl Wonder swooping in to save the bride-to-be. You’re fucking heroes.”
“Why do you make that sound like such a bad thing? We did good. You should be proud.”
Boris looks at me like I have a dick growing out of my forehead. “Proud, Quinn? For exposing yourselves under your fake married name and allowing our enemies to use facial recognition software to uncover your real identities and expose that you aren’t the newly married McDermotts?”
“Oh my God,” Val mutters. I lace my fingers with hers and squeeze. Shockingly, she doesn’t pull away.
Maybe it’s because she knows as well as I do that we just completely fucked our mission.
“That’s right, Val. I can finally see the light toggling on in your brain,” Alek sneers. “Mr. and Mrs. Liam McDermott, the honeymooners who are trying to get access to Luis Navarro’s lair as willing players in the sex trade, are now famous for trying to crush it. So congratu-fucking-lations. You’ve effectively killed our last chance to find Branko Ivanova.”
His fierce eyes narrow at us both. “Once he figures out who you both really are and what we were trying to do, don’t think he won’t send a message back in response. And I guarantee thatbothof your families will be the recipients.”
Chapter19
Valentina
“Mulligan,” Alek snaps, pointing to the balcony. “Get out.”
Oddly enough, Quinn doesn’t argue. His lips stretch into a tight line and his gaze locks on mine for a hot second before he pulls open the sliding glass door, walks out to the balcony, and drops into a chaise lounge with his phone.
He never ceases to amaze me. I figured he’d put up a fight, being left out of the conversation that could lead us to a potentially life-threatening situation. But I guess he sensed that Alek has zero patience with either of us right now and it’s not worth the argument.
I dissect that look he shot me before he left the room… it gave me the same sense of peace I had last night… and any other time he’s near.
I shake it off like it’s an annoying gnat that won’t fly off my arm.
Quinn has the power to turn me back into that naïve little girl at the stadium who needed to be rescued because she had no idea what she was up against or how to battle it.
I can’t revert back toheragain.
I won’t.
She was weak.
And dammit, hemakesme weak.
So I need to fight my attraction to him with everything in me. No matter how loud my heart or body screams.
Alek whips his head back in my direction. “Do you know how much damage you did with that leaked footage?”
My spine tenses. I obviously didn’t realize it at the time, but the knot in the pit of my stomach is an all-too-painful reminder of what can happen when I overlook consequences. “I wasn’t paying attention to the cameras. I was only focused on the girl and what was about to happen to her. It was stupid, but I’m not sorry for saving her. If you’re waiting for an apology, don’t, because there isn’t one.”
“You need to accept responsibility for fucking up our shot to get Branko. This is out there for the whole fucking world to see. How long do you think it’ll take before our enemies cross-reference your fake names to their facial recognition results and figure out who you really are?”
I tug at the ends of my hair, but I don’t avert my gaze. “I messed up the plan. Quinn only came after me to make sure I was okay.”
“No shock he missed what was happening right in front of him.” Alek rolls his eyes.
“No, you’re wrong. He knew exactly what was happening. He came after me because he was concerned for my safety.”
“You were trained to think clearly and anticipate danger. Every action you took last night went against what you were taught. It was reckless and stupid of you to behave that way. Expected of Quinn, but not you.”
I rub my toes against the floor, tracing the grout line in between the tiles. “I did what I had to do. I saved that girl’s life.”
Alek’s eyes flash with anger. “Yeah, sure, and now everyone thinks you’re a hero, but what about the plan? You’ve never gone off on your own like that and sacrificed our objectives. You exposed all of us—all of Red Ladro—by pulling that stunt.” He leans in close. “She was one girl. How many others’ lives did you gamble with because you just had to step in last night?”
My jaw parts. “Oh, so if someone kidnapped Ava, for example, you’d be okay with letting her go to save the masses?”
