by Violet Paige
“How so?” She pulled a bright purple throw over her lap.
“It’s kind of crazy, but I twisted my ankle the other day.”
“Oh. Are you all right?” She looked down at my feet. I was wearing my high leather boots.
“Yes. It was nothing, but enough of a scare that I realized I don’t have any emergency contacts here. What if it had been worse than an ankle? What if it had been a car accident? Or if Leo and I had both been hurt?”
Her beautifully waxed eyebrows knitted together.
“Anyway, I was hoping you could be my person in Paris.” I smiled. “I’d like you to have access to all our medical information, our wishes, even our wills.” I stopped and waited for her response.
“Wow. That’s heavy, Kate.”
I swallowed. Maybe it was too heavy. “If it’s too much, just say so. But I don’t know anyone else in the building and it just seemed like the responsible thing to do. Someone should know where the life insurance policies are and all that stuff.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out the folded piece of paper. “We do have family in the States who would need to be contacted if something happened. And…” I trailed off, wondering if I had completely lost her.
“Here.” I leaned across the couch to hand it to her. “It’s the code to our personal safe. Our contacts back home. And the name of our insurance companies, attorneys, and doctors. I hope I didn’t leave anything out.”
She unfolded the paper and read the list I had scribbled this morning.
“All right. I’ll put this in a safe place. Really, I hope I never have to use it.”
“Me too.”
I held my breath. If too many more seconds passed, I’d know I had failed. Maybe I should have been more interested in Paul’s adoption story, or pressed more about the charity. Hell, I should have offered to make a contribution from our account.
“Oh, and the safe is in Leo’s office. You know, next to the study. It’s in the cabinet of his desk. It looks like two drawers, but it’s actually a safe.” That was it, the last extension I had for this conversation. I had played my cards and lost.
“You know, I was going to ask you about that paint color. I love the dark blue in there.”
“Oh sure. I have the sample color. I’ll drop if off.”
“That would be great.” She sipped her raspberry tea. Her gaze wandered to the window. “I don’t like to think about getting sick or dying.” She sighed. “Unfortunately, it’s one of those things that seems to stare me in the face every day with an older husband.” She looked at me. “He is a lot older than I am.”
“It doesn’t matter, though does it? You love each other.”
“We’re an odd couple, aren’t we?”
“Oh no,” I answered quickly. “The first time I saw you together I thought you were sweet. There’s something very deep and romantic between you two. Something that has nothing to do with your age or Paul’s.”
“It’s not like we don’t talk about it, or think about it. My sister told me he was too old, but I didn’t want to listen to her. I loved him. His quirky nerdy Frenchness. All of him. I didn’t care that he loved science and I loved art. It didn’t matter. When we were together, that was all that mattered.”
“Did something change? Are you unhappy?” I was afraid to ask. She made it seem as if all of the love was in the past. It was a contradiction from what I had witnessed.
“No. No.” She waved me off. “I’m just thinking about the beginning—back when I made the decision that this was going to be the marriage I had. I knew there wouldn’t be children. I knew he was a workaholic. What you said about being responsible. Having all your affairs in order—it’s bringing up something I hate thinking about, that’s all. Our age difference isn’t going to suddenly diminish. The older we get—the older he is…”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”
She rose from the couch. “It’s all right. Hold on.”
I eyed her as she disappeared down the hall. A few minutes later she returned.
She sighed. “You’re completely right. We should have someone. Paul’s brother is older than he is, and frankly, I wouldn’t trust the man if we needed something in an emergency. He’s just too damn old.”
I opened my hand as she dropped a notecard into my palm.
“My sister is back home, but if something were to happen, that’s all the important stuff.”
I stared. I had it. The code. It was in my hand. It was that easy. One lie had led to another, and another, until she gave me exactly what I wanted. It was supposed to be a triumph but I felt sick. Disturbed it was so easy to deceive someone who trusted me.
“Are you sure?” I asked. Part of me was giving her an out. She could snatch the piece of paper back and I could tell Eloise it just wasn’t possible to get the code. Blackwing would have to find another way.
“Yes. Of course. The safe is actually behind that painting.” She pointed to the one on the wall I had studied only a few minutes earlier. “It used to be in Paul’s study, but we moved it when we had a problem. It wouldn’t fit flush against the wall, and he’s just too OCD to handle something sticking out two inches.” She laughed. “Anyway, just punch in those numbers and voila. Our lives will be in your hands.” She grinned.
I exhaled. “I hope neither of us ever need these.” I tucked it in my pocket. “But this is smart. Now we have a buddy system. Paul’s work is in there too. You won’t need it, but he just stacks things like it’s an old shoe box, not a safe.”
I laughed. “Somehow I can see him doing that.”
She returned to the corner of the couch and nuzzled under the fluffy blanket. “That man is so particular in certain areas of his life, and a complete slob in others. He’s a fascinating case study on human behavior.” She winked. “Enough about my quirky husband. I was thinking. Why don’t you and Leo go with us to the next event?”
“Oh, really?”
“It’s sort of work-related for Leo. But it would be fun, and you’d get to dress up that handsome husband of yours. How often does he wear a tux?”
I blushed. Everyone noticed Vaughn. Even very happily married women.
“Not enough,” I admitted.
“We could go shopping together. Next week there’s a black tie event at the Ritz. It’s a silent auction for the children’s home.”
I nodded. “Sure. We’d love to go. And I will make sure we bid on some very expensive items.”
I wanted to leave as many good deeds behind as I could before we were gone and Aubrey realized how I had betrayed her trust. I knew it wouldn’t matter by then. She would be mired in the breach of trust. She wouldn’t care if we had given a million dollars to parentless kids. But for now, it was something that helped me move to the next day. To keep this friendship going.
“I’ll tell Leo.” I smiled. “Speaking of Leo, I better get going.” I had an hour before he’d be home.
“Making another gourmet dinner?” she teased. “Paul still talks about that chicken you made.”
“I think it’s just going to be spaghetti tonight. I need a break from gourmet.”
I walked to the door. “Thanks for the tea. And for all the other things. I appreciate it.”
“We’ll go shopping soon. We need stunning dresses.”
I smiled. “Bye. I’ll talk to you later.”
I stepped into the hallway and walked to the elevator. On my way, I passed the small office. The door was ajar. I paused in front of it for a second. Oh shit. There was someone in there today. I scurried past, mortified that someone had to work at the desk today. I’d experienced new things on that desk. Over-the-top eroticism that still made my clit tingle.
I tapped the button for the elevator. I jumped inside and rode to the top floor.
Last night would always be burned in my memory. Like so many nights with Vaughn. I leaned into the carriage wall. I rubbed my hand over my pocket where the numbers to Paul’s safe were written. Now, it was up to me to make sure we
had an entire future ahead of us of nights like that. Only, I wanted them to be in our own bed. In our own house. With no prying ears or eyes.
Chapter Eighteen
The doorbell rang while we were eating dinner. Vaughn looked up from his plate of spaghetti.
“I’ll get it,” he volunteered.
I had been holding my breath all day, waiting for the Blackwing courier. I didn’t know when or how he would request the code. I suspected everyone I came in contact with. I was suspicious when I walked into Marie’s for an afternoon coffee. Hesitant when a guest rode the elevator with me. There had been an hour when I sat by the window, watching people pass on the sidewalk, wondering if one of them was headed to our building. What would the agent look like? How did I know I was giving it to the right person? What if Eloise didn’t trust the task with one of her agents? Maybe she would want to question me herself. I had no interest in seeing her.
I shook my head at Vaughn, despite the tight knot in my belly. I had to complete the mission from start to finish. I didn’t want to believe it was my pride. I didn’t want to think I had to prove a point to Eloise. That I could do this without Vaughn. He and I were a team. It wasn’t supposed to be competitive. How did I turn off that part of my psyche?
“It’s probably for me. Let me answer.”
He followed behind me anyway.
I had copied the numbers from Aubrey on another piece of paper, and stored the original in the office safe in Vaughn’s desk. I opened the door. A delivery man stood in front of us holding a box. If I hadn’t been expecting this exchange all day, I would never have known he was anything other than a mail carrier. I would have been surprised that there was mail for me. I would have questioned it.
“Bon soir.” He nodded, handing me the package. He wore a ball cap embroidered with the fake company’s logo.
I looked at the parcel. My name was scribbled in marker on the brown paper. The courier cleared his throat.
Vaughn nudged me. “I think you need to sign for it, babe.”
“Oh right.” I reached into my pocket for the code to Paul’s safe. There was nothing smooth and polished about the way I handled the collection.
I had felt deceptive inside Aubrey’s apartment, but this was far worse. This was the moment I handed Blackwing the details. Having the code in my possession wasn’t illegal, but this was. I was violating my friend’s trust. I was helping them pull off an incredible con. I hated every part of it.
“Go ahead. He needs your signature,” Vaughn reminded me.
I nodded. I took the clipboard from the man and placed the notecard under the clip. I gave it back to him.
“Merci.” He turned for the elevator and Vaughn closed the door.
“That’s done.” He pulled me into a hug. “It’s over.”
I closed my eyes. “I don’t ever want to do that again,” I whispered. I think we both knew if we didn’t escape, it wouldn’t be the last time. There would be more tests of loyalty. More pressure. More assignments.
“I know you don’t, but you did good work. Eloise will be happy with the result. How about I open that new bottle of red?”
“I don’t think I can celebrate. I just want to go to bed.” I stepped away and walked past my uneaten plate of spaghetti and salad on the kitchen island and headed for the bedroom.
“Em,” he called after me.
“I’m going to bed.” My shoulders felt heavy. My neck ached with tension. I was likely nearing a mind-splitting headache.
“Come on.” There was something in his voice that tugged at me, but I couldn’t turn around. I couldn’t let go of the hopelessness.
I left him standing in the foyer.
I kept walking. I didn’t want to talk through it, or process it. I didn’t want him to reassure me it was for the greater good. That it was for us. For our future. I knew all those things. And not a damn one of them made me feel any fucking better.
It was almost February. I was tired of the cold. It had seeped into my bones.
I sighed. “I miss the bungalow.” I stuffed my gloves in my pockets.
“Yeah. That was nice.”
Vaughn and I walked through the mall. He had a specific shopping list today, but he had been waiting to tell me what we were going to buy.
He lifted a sundress from a stand. “What about this?”
I looked at him. “It’s freezing outside. There is no way I’m wearing that.”
He stared at me.
“Oh.” I nodded. “It’s cute.” I threw the dress over my arm as I followed him, and we picked out an entirely new island wardrobe.
“You know Aubrey and I are going shopping this week for dresses for the gala.”
Vaughn studied a string bikini. “This.” He tossed it at me. I caught it clumsily.
“That’s next weekend?” he asked.
“Yes. You’re ok with going?” My arms were full of cute dresses, jumpsuits, and now a tiny bathing suit.
“About that.”
I winced. I didn’t want to back out. Not after what Aubrey had shared with me about Paul’s past and his connection to the children’s home.
“It is the topic of conversation this week in the flat.”
“What do you mean?” We kept our voices low.
“I want you to be consumed with your dress, hair, everything Aubrey is doing. Talk about that event incessantly whenever you’re in the flat. Have her come over and talk about it. Mention it to me in passing. Over dinner. Focus on how excited you are about it.”
“Ok, but why?”
He ushered me to the dressing rooms, choosing a changing cubicle at the very end of the corridor. “It’s our cover, Em.”
My eyes bulged. I almost dropped the clothes on the dressing room floor. “Next week? One week from today?” I eked.
He nodded. I’d seen determination in his eyes before, but nothing like this. There was a hardness surfacing. He was all business.
I pulled the curtain closed to try on the first set of dresses. As soon as I turned, Vaughn was behind me. He moved around me. He sat in the corner, watching me dress. It was oddly private in the back of the store.
“I didn’t know the when or how. And it’s fucking soon, but when Aubrey made the invitation, I knew it was the best option we had.”
My hands were shaking as I shimmied out of my jeans and reached for the black and pink tropical romper.
“How are we going to do it that soon?” I lifted my hair and Vaughn tied the halter behind my neck. We both looked at my reflection in the gilded mirror.
He squeezed my ass. “This one is a winner.”
“Hey.” I slapped his hand away. I spun toward him. “Tell me everything.”
“Keep getting naked and I will.” He grinned.
I changed into a pale blue dress. It would have been prettier if my skin wasn’t so pale from the harsh winter, but there was a plan for that. I had a date with a spray tan salon this afternoon.
A group of teenage girls moved into the stall next to mine. I heard them giggle and chatter in high notes of French. The walls went all the way to the floor so I couldn’t count how many girls there were, but the walls didn’t reach the ceiling. Their voices carried from one side to another. It was a reminder we needed to stay quiet.
“Next one.” Vaughn pointed to the bikini.
I huffed. “Tell me what you’ve come up with.”
I didn’t expect the shopping trip to turn into this. I didn’t know why I thought it would take weeks or months for him to develop a plan. He was so embedded in Blackwing. He had worked for them for years. I never thought he’d run this quickly. Where were we going? Who would we be when we got there?
His hands landed on my hips and he drew me to him. I felt exposed in the tribal fabric. His thumbs ran over my hipbones.
“This is definitely the one.”
His eyes lifted to mine. I focused on his long lashes, sexy as always.
“Are you going to make me guess?” I asked. I was seconds
away from tapping my foot on the floor.
“After this, you have your tanning appointment. We’ll go back to the flat and talk about the movie we’re going to see tonight. We are going to the theater, buying tickets, and then meeting our photographer ten minutes into the film. It’s a little indie theater. He has a photography studio in the lower level,” he revealed.
“What? What photographer?”
“The one who is going to shoot you in all these clothes. He’s going to make you look like you’re on vacation in the islands.”
“And post them for us?”
Vaughn nodded. “Yes. He’s going to drop these into a dummy account he’s been building on Instagram. Once the FBI sees them, they will track everything. They will mobilize. Agents will be on the ground.”
“Ok, and Blackwing? They know I’m not in the islands. They aren’t going to run there. They will know from the beginning they are fake. They know I’m trained not to be on social media.”
“It gets trickier. The timing has to be perfect. The coder is dropping the pictures like bread crumbs.”
I wanted to change out of the bikini, but I was holding my breath. I couldn’t move until I knew the rest of the plan.
“I understand the FBI part. I don’t get how we throw them together.”
“We’re going to lure the FBI here.”
I shook my head. “Here? As in Paris?”
Vaughn took my hands in his. “Yes. To Paris. To our flat. We’re going to hand them Blackwing.”
“And Eloise?” My throat had clamped shut.
He smiled. “On a silver platter.”
Chapter Nineteen
I fidgeted too much. Looked over my shoulder too much. Perspired too much.
“It’s not a horror movie, babe,” Vaughn reassured me as we stood in line to buy tickets for the next showing. He saw the signs of my agitation.
The clothes from our afternoon shopping spree had been delivered by courier. They were here, waiting for me.
“I just need a soda. I’m a little thirsty, that’s all.”
