by Jackie D.
Dylan walked in and took in the room. It was gaudy, covered in gold, mirrors, expensive drapes, and rugs. It made her a little dizzy. She put her hands behind her back, waiting for Carol to say something, not wanting to seem too eager.
“Do you speak English?” Carol said from behind the kitchen island, where she held a glass of red wine to her lips.
“Yes, ma’am.” Dylan made sure to emphasize a Russian accent. “I’m Sasha Katov. I’ll be taking over your security.”
Carol sipped her wine and a slow smile split across her face. “When Nikolai told me I was getting new security, I have to be honest, you weren’t what I was expecting.”
Dylan turned to her and gave her a curt nod. “I’m very capable.”
Carol raised one eyebrow. “I’m sure you are.” She came around the island now, wine glass still in hand. She stood in front of Dylan and looked her over again, this time allowing her eyes to linger on her body a little longer. “You’ll be with me night and day?”
Dylan broke eye contact and looked at the wall in front of her. “No. I’ll be available to you, but I will be in your presence only when necessary.”
Carol sipped her wine again. “Who decides when is necessary?”
Dylan stepped around her and made a show of examining the apartment. “Whenever you leave the property, I’ll need to know.”
Carol let out a long sigh. “I’m afraid I won’t be going out much. Too many eyes in the area.”
Dylan nodded toward the phone in Carol’s hand. “Let me give you my cell phone number.”
Carol unlocked the screen and handed it to her. Dylan smiled and entered a series of numbers, opening the phone to cloning. She smiled and gave it back. She opened her phone, cloning Carol’s. This was much easier than I’d expected.
“Call me, so I have your number,” Dylan said.
Carol gave her a mischievous grim but did as she was asked.
“I’m going to send a few guys up to set up some cameras in your apartment.” Dylan made a circle with her hand, indicating the space they were in.
“Is that really necessary?”
Dylan nodded. “Yes, I need to make sure you’re safe at all times.”
Carol studied her for a moment, looking into her eyes. “I’d like to go shopping, but since I know that isn’t possible, could you help me bring a few trusted shop owners here so I can get some new clothes?”
“I’ll see what I can do. How does Thursday work for you?” Dylan asked, pleased that Carol was so trusting.
“That will be fine. If I need anything between now and then, I’ll give you a call.” Carol walked her back toward the front of her apartment.
Dylan opened the door and turned to look at her. “I’ll be back tomorrow to check in on you. My guys will come up to set up the surveillance equipment, but don’t let anyone in who doesn’t have the proper identification.”
This seemed to amuse Carol. “You all have mob identification cards?”
“No, but ask to see their chest. They’ll have a pair of eyes tattooed there if they’re with us.” Dylan leaned against the doorframe, waiting for Carol to respond.
Carol took a step closer, staring at Dylan’s chest. “What about you, Sasha? Do you have eyes tattooed on your chest?”
Dylan pushed herself out of the door. “See you tomorrow.”
Once Dylan made it to her car, she let out a long breath. Carol hadn’t been what she was expecting, and everything had happened with great ease. For someone running for her life, she didn’t seem to grasp how much danger she was in. She placed a quick phone call to one of her guys and asked him to go and install the camera system at Carol’s apartment. She wasn’t met with any resistance, as people in this world were good at taking and following orders.
She couldn’t risk going back to the CIA safe house the same day she’d just been there, so she opted for the next best thing. She picked up her CIA phone and dialed Tony. She might not be able to go there, but she could bring the new team to her. She tried to tamp down the smile she felt form when she thought of Emma and being able to see her again. Distraction was dangerous, but just a bit of visual pleasure couldn’t hurt, right?
Chapter Nine
Emma was focused on Tyler and Caden. Their arms were crossed, and there was a look of concern on their faces.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to let her go out unprotected,” Caden said.
Tyler gritted her teeth and looked between Caden and Emma. “No one knows who she is, though, whereas if the wrong eyes spotted us, we could blow the whole thing. Prey knows what she’s doing. We need to trust her.”
Tony raised his hand to speak, looking a little sheepish. “If I may, she’ll be with me.”
Caden raised her eyebrows. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
Tony reached into his pocket and retrieved a small canister. “I have pepper spray.”
Caden looked over at Tyler and put her hands on her hips. “Is he fucking with me? He has to be fucking with me.”
Tyler put her hand on her shoulder and then directed her attention at Tony. “Prey told you to come get Emma and bring her to the apartment, right?”
Tony put the canister back into his pocket and nodded. “Yes, then I’ll bring her back here. She has some information, but she can’t come back and forth to the safe house. It’s too risky. We are to go over there and find out what she needs to tell us.” He motioned between Emma and himself. “We both speak Russian, so we’re a little less conspicuous than, well, you two.”
Caden narrowed her eyes, and Tony took a step back. “If anything happens to Emma, we’re coming for you.”
Emma pulled her fingers off the rosary in her pocket and put her hands up, wanting to deescalate the situation. “Everyone relax, we’ll be fine. If something goes wrong, I promise to hit my panic button. It won’t be a big deal.” She looked over at Jennifer and Brooke, who were sitting behind computer monitors. “They’ll be tracking me the whole time. Everything will be fine, and we need an update.”
Tyler nodded. “Agreed. I’d like to go with you, but I think this is the best option for this particular set of circumstances.” She handed Emma a bottle of wine and Tony a tray of food. “If anyone sees you walking up, it will look like you’re going for dinner.”
Emma took the bottle, cradling it in her arms. “We’ll be back soon.”
Caden formed a peace sign with her fingers, pointed to her eyes, and then turned them on Tony, indicating that she’d be watching him. He audibly gulped next to her.
Once inside the car, Tony seemed even more nervous. He tapped his leg several times and pulled at the collar of his shirt. “So, how’s the NSA?”
Emma watched the changing landscape out the window. “It’s good. This is my first team assignment, so I’m a little nervous.”
Tony continued to drum his fingers. “Yes, I know. So far, so good, though. I’ve seen some of your work, it’s awe inspiring.”
She turned and looked at him. “Thank you. Yours is pretty good too.”
“I know,” Tony said, matter-of-fact.
Emma didn’t think it was possible, but perhaps she found someone as socially awkward as her. The thought was reassuring, and she relaxed a little bit, letting her guard down.
“How long have you been here in Russia?” she asked.
Tony put on his blinker and cautiously checked his surroundings. “Three years.”
“So, you’ve been here as long as Dylan?”
Tony shook his head. “No, she’s been here a week longer than me.”
Emma stifled a laugh; Tony was very literal. “Do you like working with her?”
Tony changed lanes, again, checking all his mirrors. “She’s smart. Not smart like you and me, but very smart. She can read people, knows how to interact with everyone. She brings me gifts sometimes, things that I like, because she pays attention. She brought me an R2-D2 lunch box from nineteen seventy-seven that she found at a rummage sale. I don’t thin
k she has any idea that it’s worth twenty-five hundred dollars, but she thought of me.”
Emma smiled, thinking of the stoic Dylan carrying around an R2-D2 lunch box. “That was very kind of her.”
Tony nodded as he pulled into an open parking spot. “Would you prefer to carry the wine or would you be more comfortable if I did it?”
Emma cocked her head at him, thinking that maybe he was even more awkward than she’d initially assumed. “It doesn’t matter, Tony. Whatever you prefer.”
He took the wine from her hands and opened the door. “I prefer to carry the wine.”
Emma followed Tony the short distance to the apartment and waited as he knocked three very specific thrums on the door. She could hear music playing behind the wall and was surprised to hear it was Johann Sebastian Bach.
Dylan opened the door a moment later, wiping her hands on a dish towel. She grabbed Tony and greeted him in Russian. “Cousin, welcome!”
Emma felt her neck flush as Dylan turned her eyes on her. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Nada, please come in.”
Emma handed her the tray, hoping the transfer of items would prevent Dylan from wrapping her in an embrace as well. Although she immediately regretted it, because she suddenly had an overwhelming urge to touch Dylan.
Dylan motioned toward the couch. “Please, have a seat. I’ll be back in a second.”
Emma looked around, wanting to take in this peek into Dylan’s life. The walls had exposed brick, and the floors were hardwood. The kitchen was lined with white subway tiles and wooden countertops. A chandelier hung in each room, and there were accent walls of light greens and blues flowing throughout the space. It was elegant, tasteful, and not what she’d expected.
Dylan came back in and handed them each a glass. She looked at Emma and cocked her head to the side. “Everything okay?”
Emma nodded and took the glass of wine. “This isn’t what I expected.” She waved her hand around.
Dylan sat and draped one of her legs over the other. “What did you expect?”
Emma was watching Dylan’s slightly bouncing leg, the knee-high leather boots another contrast that had caught her off guard. “I’m not sure.” She forced herself to swallow. “Perhaps something not so put together.”
Dylan smiled and brought the glass up to her mouth, taking a slow sip. “I’m full of surprises.”
Is she flirting with me? No, I must be misreading the situation. She can’t possibly be flirting with me.
Tony, who hadn’t bothered to lean back onto the couch, put his glass on the table. “What’s happening? What do you need us for?”
Dylan pulled her eyes from Emma, but it seemed forced. “Do you want to have dinner first? You need to spend at least two hours here to make a visit with my cousin and his friend believable.”
Tony blushed slightly. “I don’t have any record of your apartment being under surveillance.”
Dylan swished the wine in a slow circle. “I’m not, but people talk. It’s better to be safe than sorry, just in case. I haven’t gotten this far without playing it smart.”
Tony stood abruptly. “I need to use your restroom facilities.”
Dylan pointed behind her toward a hallway. “First door on the left.”
Emma felt her back stiffen, and she forced herself not to reach into her pocket in search of her rosary beads. She willed herself to find that tiny bit of gregarious behavior she’d had when she first met Dylan. “I didn’t mean to offend before when I said I didn’t think your place would be put together. I’m sorry about that.”
Dylan pushed her hand through her hair and focused on Emma. “You’re going to have to work a little harder than that to offend me, Emma.” Dylan smiled and sipped from her wine glass.
Emma tried not to focus on the way Dylan’s bright green eyes seemed to transform under this light. They reminded her of the way trees first bloomed in the springtime. They were vibrant, full of life, and held a little bit of the unknown. Emma was captivated.
Emma sipped from her glass, hoping Dylan hadn’t just noticed her staring. “Still, I do that sometimes…offend people without intending to.”
Dylan uncrossed her legs and leaned forward, putting her elbows on her knees. Emma couldn’t stop herself from staring at the exposed lines of Dylan’s collarbone, dipping out from beneath her black V-neck shirt. She felt her throat go slightly dry and her heart rate picked up without warning.
“What’s your favorite movie?” Dylan asked.
Emma was puzzled by the abruptness of the question, but she didn’t seem any harm in answering. “Looper, without a doubt.”
“The one with Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt?”
Emma shrugged. “And Emily Blunt.”
Dylan cocked an eyebrow. “Of course, how could I forget the exquisite Emily Blunt?”
Tony came back from the bathroom and sat back down on the couch, but Dylan never broke eye contact with Emma. The sensation was both intoxicating and overwhelming. Dylan was so focused, so intense, so purposeful; being her sole focal point, even for a moment, was enthralling.
“I prefer Edge of Tomorrow,” Tony said. “As far as Emily Blunt movies go, that’s my favorite.”
Tony’s cinematic preferences broke the trance between her and Dylan. She didn’t know if she wanted to smack him or thank him. Dylan got out of her chair and walked into the kitchen. Tony grabbed the remote from the table in front of them and turned on the television. Emma only thought briefly about staying rooted in her spot, but she decided instead to see if Dylan needed any help.
“What are you making?” Emma leaned against the counter and folded her arms. She thought, for whatever reason, the simple stance could protect her from Dylan’s magnetism.
“Lemon pepper chicken, salad, and some noodles.” She pulled the wine from the counter and poured more in her glass, then poured more into Emma’s. “I’d like to say this will be the best dinner of your life, but that would be categorically untrue.” She chuckled to herself. “I’m not a very good cook. This is one of the only things I know how to make.”
Emma didn’t mean to say what she’d been thinking, but it slipped out anyway. “I can’t imagine anything you aren’t good at.”
Dylan took a step closer to her and leaned against the counter. “You’ve spent some time imagining my skill set, have you?”
Emma watched her lips as Dylan spoke, mesmerized by the way they moved and turned into a sly, seductive smile. “Yes…I mean, no. I mean, it’s my job to know what you’re good at.” Nice save, Emma.
Dylan put her hand on the counter, inches from where Emma’s hip was resting. “Is there anything you want to know that isn’t listed in my file?”
Emma stared at Dylan’s hand. It was scarred, like Tyler’s. She wanted to turn it over and see if they were calloused in the same places too. She wanted to touch it. Emma was feeling nothing like her usual self, and the feeling was terrifying and liberating. She wanted to know what Dylan’s skin felt like under her fingertips. She wanted to see if Dylan reacted to her touch. Emma wanted to see if the electricity she felt would actually transmit between the two of them. A buzzing sound started from behind Dylan before she had a chance to let her thoughts morph into purpose. Dylan moved away, started pulling dishes from the oven, and gathering plates.
Emma took the plates and brought them over to the table, happy to make herself busy with something else. She knew she didn’t have a great deal of experience in this area, but she was pretty sure Dylan could feel whatever had just happened between them as well. Her eyes had glimmered with the same awareness Emma had felt in her belly. She wasn’t sure if she should be elated or go running back to the safe house. She wasn’t accustomed to having such conflicting emotions, nor was she sure how to manage herself in a situation like this because Emma couldn’t afford the distraction Dylan had the potential of becoming. She’d worked too hard to be taken seriously. She wouldn’t blow it now because a beautiful woman looked at her with a little
bit of lust in her eyes. All she could do was hope that her good sense would prevail when it came to Dylan Prey.
* * *
Thank goodness for small miracles and the fact that Dylan couldn’t cook by sight or smell alone. If that timer hadn’t gone off and pulled her from her moment with Emma, she would’ve surely kissed her. Which, for about one hundred different reasons, was a terrible idea.
Once she’d brought all the food over to the table, she sat down. She noticed that Emma wasn’t making eye contact. That’s probably a good thing. Luckily for both her and Emma, Tony seemed to be oblivious to anything having transpired between the two of them.
“I’d like the update now. We have seventy-one minutes until it’s appropriate for us to leave, and I want to allow for question and answer time,” Tony said it with so much determination, Dylan almost stopped everything to answer him.
But then she remembered his place, and her own, and started cutting the chicken on her plate into pieces. “I’ve managed to secure the spot as lead security for Carol O’Brien.”
Emma’s eyes grew into the size of silver dollars. The blue was shining with excitement and a bit of fear. “Is that a good idea?”
“Do you have a better one for being able to know her comings and goings on a daily basis? For being able to have access to her?” Dylan made sure to keep her voice even and soft. She wasn’t trying to be combative, but she was trying to make a point.
“I think this is the most efficient way to complete your objective,” Tony said, nodding thoughtfully. “I hope you’ve taken into account that if this particular mission of extracting Carol O’Brien is successful, the probability that your cover will be blown by the end, or worse, they’ll kill you, is highly likely.” He scratched his chin and looked up at the ceiling. “In fact, the probability of them killing you outright once Carol is taken back to the States, is about ninety-six percent.” He refocused on his plate and started to eat.
“Tony, as always, your analysis is very helpful.” Dylan shook her head and kept eating. Hearing the odds out loud made her stomach turn.
