“Careful. You’re going to jinx it,” he said.
She shot him a surprised look over her shoulder. “Since when did you become superstitious?”
The reply was an arched brow. “Just get us in. Pick the lock or whatever it is you do.”
“Another reason you always stay in the van,” she teased.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
Finally, she was going to get to be the know-it-all. It didn’t happen often with Kane around, and she’d take what pleasure in it she could. “You forgot the first rule of a good thief.”
“Which is?”
“Try the knob.” She wrapped her hand around it and twisted, 99 percent sure the door would swing open.
Locked. Okay, that was a little embarrassing.
Kane snickered, and she gave him a half-hearted glare. “It’s still a good rule.” Extracting a lock-pick kit from the pocket of her shorts, she kneeled down. “Keep watch.”
“Of course.”
Behind her, his foot tapped the carpet in a nervous staccato. “Knock it off,” she whispered. “You’re making me lose my concentration, because I want to use these tools to stab whatever is making that infernal noise.” She took a moment to give his foot a sharp stare, just in case he missed the point of the comment.
The tapping stopped. “Sorry.”
She focused harder on the lock. It might be attached to a bedroom door, but it was high-quality and designed for something sturdier. Which made her wonder what they were hiding.
The tumblers fell into place, and the lock disengaged. “Let’s do this,” she said.
They entered and then shut the door behind them, locking the deadbolt. There was no going back now. If they were caught, they had no excuse to be in the master suite.
And what a suite. Hazy golden light filtered in through the white lace curtains, making patterns on the butter-yellow walls. A pale yellow silk duvet with matching dust ruffle dressed the king-sized four poster bed.
The smell of a variety of cleaning solutions tickled Holly’s nose—housekeeping had been through. That meant no interruptions, not that she planned to let her guard down.
“Let’s find the necklace and get out of here,” Kane said, striding over to a small nook that served as an office, complete with a fax machine and multi-line phone.
“I couldn’t agree more,” Holly replied. “The sooner we’re out of here, the sooner we can get on with our lives.”
Kane paused mid-search. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Dammit. Why was she letting Kane, of all people, get to her?
“Nothing.” She started her search. This wasn’t the time to argue, discuss, or confess.
“If you have something to say, say it,” he said.
Not a chance. She’d bared enough of her soul, he’d done the same, and this was where it got her—questioning the mission and herself. She’d never be having these issues if Bravo were her fake fiancé. He was the partner she needed. Someone fun. Professional. And with no illusions that anything that happened would mean anything.
Kane wasn’t that guy. He was the kind of man who required a relationship.
Which would be all well and fine…right up until he met her family. And when it all blew up, because it always did, she’d be left to pick up the pieces of her broken heart.
Exactly what she wanted to avoid.
“I said nothing, and I meant nothing.” She scanned the room and, on a hunch, lifted the edge of the area rug at the end of the bed. Just beneath the fringe was a metal box embedded into the floor. “Bingo.”
A few minutes to crack the safe and they’d be on their way. She’d be back in L.A. by tomorrow morning. Kane would go to wherever Kane went, and she’d be on her own again.
So, why did the idea make her stomach hurt?
He trotted over. “Is that it?”
“Has to be. Where else would they keep it? On a silver platter?”
He snickered, and she cracked her knuckles for effect. “Just stand back and watch me work.”
Voices in the hall caught her attention, and the cramping in her stomach morphed into butterflies that threatened to take over her entire body.
“Again? Seriously?” she half-whispered.
“On the bed,” Kane replied.
She wasn’t kissing him again. Not now. Not ever. If she did, she wasn’t sure she could stop. Besides, they’d used that lie once. Trying it again, and in the master suite, would only get them tossed out. By the time the party ended, Tammi Lynn and Tim would be on their way back to DC, possibly taking the necklace with them. Possibly not. And they couldn’t take a chance on the former.
“Under it,” she said, sliding beneath and hoping Kane would fit in the cramped space beside her. On the far side, he dropped to the floor and scooted under the dust ruffle as the door opened. Face up, his nose was barely an inch from the slats.
Holly smiled as he turned his head to glare at her.
The door opened, and she held her breath.
“We’re going to get caught,” a familiar masculine voice said, closing the door as he spoke.
Enzo, Kane mouthed.
Her eyes widened. Crap. If they were discovered, they’d be in trouble with the Burkes and the mob. Great.
“We won’t. Everyone is out on that half-assed scavenger hunt, and we have the house all to ourselves,” a woman replied.
Tammi Lynn, Holly mouthed.
The mobster’s chuckle drifted downward. “So, you planned this?”
“I knew from the moment I met you that I had to have you,” Tammi Lynn replied.
Liar. If Kane had shown any interest, he’d be here instead. Their hostess was a predator, and whoever was in her bedroom was the weakest in the herd. Nothing more.
“What about your husband?” He sounded unsure again.
“Tim is on a conference call, and the staff is doing the shopping to prep for tonight. We have an hour.”
“My wife?”
“Getting a massage.”
The sound of something dropping drew Holly’s attention from Kane. Holly peered through the space between the floor and the bottom of the dust ruffle. A pair of men’s khaki slacks puddled on the hardwood mere inches from her nose, followed by a short-sleeved white shirt and Tammi Lynn’s green dress and black lace panties. Tammi Lynn’s feet came into view. She kicked off her expensive pumps, shooting one of them under the bed, where it smacked into Holly’s forehead. She bit back a yelp.
Please don’t look for your shoe now. Please don’t look for your shoe now.
Fortunately, Tammi Lynn and Enzo were too focused on taking care of business to mind the lost Louboutin. The bed creaked as the couple tumbled on to it. Holly flinched, waiting for the weight of the couple to make the mattress sag down and smother her and Kane. But it held.
Good thing Tammi Lynn only believes in buying the best.
The noises the couple soon started emitting were enough to make Holly gag.
Kill me now. She did not want to hear Tammi Lynn and her lover du jour having sex. Especially not Enzo, with his big, close-cropped bowling ball of a head and meaty lips. He looked like the kind of guy who slobbered when he kissed.
She turned her head to focus her attention on Kane once more as the mattress started creaking slightly. Kane’s eyes met hers, and to his credit, he remained silent. Stoic.
But his eyes told her that on the inside, he was anything but calm. She glimpsed anger and a pain so deep it seemed tangible. It wasn’t about the people above them.
Staying quiet, she slid her hand along the floor until her fingertips touched his.
Sorry, she mouthed.
Above them, the bed creaked and groaned. “Fuck me hard,” Tammi Lynn groaned. “Give it to me.” People actually said things like that outside of pornos?
Kane didn’t say a word. He said his girlfriend had cheated on him, but she sensed there was more. Had to be, considering his reaction.
What had he left out of his
story?
Above them, the bed began to move in a faster rhythmic motion that told them more than they ever needed, or wanted, to know about their hostess and her guests.
Across from her, Kane stared upward, his face a blank mask. Holly shut her eyes but neither could close their ears.
…
Would it never end? Listening to Tammi Lynn screw Enzo, of all people—not even caring that her husband was in the same house—made Kane sick. Under any other circumstances, he’d make his presence known and leave the room but not before telling the couple exactly what he thought of them.
This wasn’t just any circumstance. This was work, and he had a job to do. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, what Holly thought of him mattered. If he blew the mission because he let his past get in the way of the present, she would have every reason to call him out.
So, he closed his eyes and focused on Holly. The touch of her hand. The way her fingers wove through his. This scent of her hair. The rhythmic sound of her breathing.
Anything but the memories that worked their way through the wall he’d created to keep them at bay.
Holly sidled closer until her thigh pressed against his, and he thought about this morning. He’d been pissed when Bravo interrupted them. Now, he was grateful.
He didn’t want to be like Tammi Lynn and the men she slept with. After Danielle’s death, he’d tried to have sex without an emotional connection, but it didn’t take him long to realize that meaningless sex wasn’t what he wanted.
He wanted more. And while he might not be sure what “more” meant, he knew it wasn’t a series of one-night stands.
Above them, Enzo groaned loudly, and the mattress stilled. Sheets rustled, and a pair of feminine feet landed on the wooden floor inches from his head and headed toward the bathroom.
“Where are you going, babe?”
Tammi Lynn giggled, sounding like a teenager. “I’m going to start getting ready for the party tonight. You can show yourself out.”
“What if I want another round?”
“I have to get ready.” She walked back over to the bed. There was the distinct sound of a wet kiss. “I’m the hostess. Now go.”
The bathroom door slammed, and seconds later, Kane heard the sound of the shower.
As soon as Enzo left, they’d follow, and per their backup plan if Holly ran out of time, Bravo could crack the safe when everyone was at the party.
“Bitch.” Enzo muttered, but it wasn’t loud enough for Tammi Lynn to hear. He didn’t make a move to leave.
Holly tapped Kane with her foot and nodded upward. What the hell? She mouthed.
What the hell indeed. They didn’t have long before Tammi Lynn finished her shower, and then they’d never be able to leave without blowing their cover. So, it was either expose themselves to the mobster or their hostess. Since they weren’t here to take on organized crime, they had only one choice.
Follow my lead, he replied.
She gave him a thumbs up.
Not sure what he’d find, Kane scooted out from under the bed and peeked over the top of the mattress.
Enzo lay on the bed, the white sheets draped over his hips and his eyes closed.
Thank God for small favors. The last thing he wanted to see was a naked Enzo.
With the sound of the water running providing cover, Kane rose to his feet, leaned over the bed, and clamped his hand over the man’s mouth.
Enzo’s eyes flew open, wide and shocked.
Good.
He tried to rise, and Kane pushed him back down, knowing he shouldn’t enjoy the man’s fear, but unable to quell the satisfaction that washed over him.
Holly used the edge of the mattress to pull herself upright next to Kane and waved at Enzo.
Cute. He almost laughed at her sheer joy in intimidating the mobster. She was either the bravest woman he knew or the craziest. Perhaps a bit of both.
Enzo struggled, and Kane went back to the task at hand, knowing their time was limited. “I’m taking my hand off your mouth,” he said, “My fiancée and I are leaving. If you make a sound, if you tell anyone we were here, if I get a whiff of gossip, I will tell our host and your wife what we heard. Do you understand?”
Enzo’s eyes widened, and he nodded, frantic. He might be in organized crime, but even the mobster had the sense to be frightened of Rachel.
Kane removed his hand.
Enzo sat up, eyes narrowed. “What are you doing here?”
“Doesn’t matter. We’re leaving.” He took Holly’s hand, grateful that she was with him. She might be a pain in the ass, but right now, she was what he needed. He unlocked the door, eager to get out of the room.
“You don’t have evidence,” Enzo said. “You tell Rachel, and I’ll deny it.”
Holly help up her phone. “Yeah, I do.”
Enzo paled, and Kane followed his partner into the empty hallway, stopped, and leaned back in. “Remember, not a word,” he said.
They slammed the door behind them and walked quickly back to their room.
Pulse pounding with adrenaline, Kane paced to the other side of their bed. That had been close.
Too close, but worse than confronting Enzo was listening to him and Tammi Lynn betray the people who loved them. He ran a hand through his hair, rubbing his scalp and wishing he could scrub his brain with a wire brush. Even if he could, there wasn’t enough soap and water to wipe away what he’d heard.
Holly made a snorting sound, and he watched her lean against the wall, head down, shoulders shaking as she burst out in a guffaw and held up her phone. “Can you believe Enzo bought that? What a moron.”
Hell, he’d bought it.
He could see why HRS hired her. She was quick. Smart. And a helluva actress. “You’re amazing.”
She gave a what-the-hell grin, slipped the phone back into her pocket, took a deep breath, and gathered herself. “So, we managed to get out of that, but what about the safe?”
Good question, since they were running out of time. “Bravo goes back tonight, during the cocktail party and entertainment.”
“We’re running out of time. What if the necklace isn’t there?” she asked, picking up the camera they were supposed to use in the scavenger hunt. She pointed it at him and took a picture.
“Wing it.”
“You’re winging it? You?” She took another picture. “Let’s make sure we capture that particular moment.”
The shutter clicked. “I seem to be picking up bad habits.”
She flipped the camera to take a selfie, puckering her lips. “From who?”
Kane added silly to his assessment of her abilities and found he liked the addition. It could be frustrating, but sometimes, like now, it was a good balance to his own, more serious, nature. “No idea.”
…
“About time you two showed up. Did you get the necklace?”
Holly turned as the door opened, and Bravo walked into the room. He wore the same clothes from this morning, only they were covered in light yellow dog fur.
“How’s Mr. Wiggles?” she asked, taking a picture of the agent.
“He’s dehydrated, and they wanted to keep him overnight for observation. They mentioned his kidneys.”
“He’s not going to die or anything, is he?” she pressed.
“They want to be cautious, that’s all.” He flashed her a smile fit for Hollywood.
A tension in her chest she hadn’t realized was there released, and Holly took another picture of Bravo, zooming in on the dog fur covering his shirt. “Thanks.”
“Knock it off,” Kane said, hand out for the camera.
“What the hell got into you?” she said, handing over the Nikon. Just seconds ago, they’d been laughing. Bantering. He was the Kane she knew from the island and now—
This guy was back.
There was only one explanation, and it stood in front of her—six feet two inches of hotness named Michael Bravo.
Was Kane jealous of the other agent? Gran
ted, Bravo was a woman’s fantasy, but Kane was a woman’s dream. And she knew the difference—one you slept with and suffered the walk of shame when you left the following morning.
The other made you an omelet and invited you to stay.
Not that it mattered to her, she reminded herself. He likely wouldn’t invite a circus freak to stay for breakfast in the real world.
“We didn’t get the necklace,” Kane said. “But we found the safe. Didn’t have time to open it because Tammi Lynn came back to the room.”
“So, what’s the plan?” Bravo asked, stretching out on their bed, back pressed against the headboard.
“She’ll be there all afternoon,” Kane replied. “That much makeup and hair that big takes time.”
Ouch.
Kane continued, “We wait for dark. Between dinner and the auction, you should have enough time to crack the safe and retrieve the necklace. You can use our room to scale up to their balcony. Or try the hallway. Your call.”
“Balcony. It’ll be dark, and I stand less chance of running into the staff as they do turn down.” Bravo replied. “It’s been a while since I’ve done a residential B&E, but I’ll be in and out before you finish the appetizers.”
“Don’t kid yourself,” she said. “The lock on the door is significant, which tells me that the safe is probably high-end.”
“Thanks for the heads up,” Bravo said. “I got this.”
She tossed her best don’t-be-an-ass glare his way.
He shrugged it off.
She appreciated that he was cocky—so was she—but this mission became more complicated with each hour, and who knew what the next hour might bring. Besides, she’d seen overconfidence nail more than one performer in the family’s troupe. The results varied but almost always included a broken bone of some sort.
“I’d agree under normal circumstances,” Kane said. “But we might have other players.”
“Who?”
“Corsican mob,” he replied.
“Shit.” Bravo sat up, all vestiges of carelessness gone in an instant. The transformation took Holly’s breath away. He was hot before, but now he had a dangerous edge that she was sure made panties drop worldwide. “What the hell are they doing here?”
Undercover With the Enemy Page 10
