“What, are we in high school? Are we going to play the twenty-questions game?”
She chuckled. “What’s that?”
He waved a hand in the air, made eye contact with Knox and Asher, and then looked back at her. “Just ask a question.”
“When did you know you wanted to be in the military?”
He didn’t even hesitate. “I was three.”
“Three?” She edged closer, her hand falling to his knee, and she looked up at him. “Really?”
He blinked twice, trying to rein in his thoughts. “Yeah, I used to wear my dad’s dog tags and run around the house shooting bad guys. My bedtime stories at night were about his missions.”
“Aww.” She hiccupped and pressed a hand to her mouth. “One more from me, and then it’s your turn.” She scooted a little further to the edge of her seat, her knees bumping his. “How do you do it?”
“Do what?”
“I figured out who you really are,” she whispered. “Asher thought I was watching movies all day, but really, I was working through theories in my head.”
“Oh, yeah?”
She nodded. “I’m curious about how you stay in the shadows and no one connects the real you to this you.”
He glanced around, checking to ensure no one was within earshot. “I’m not two people. That’s you.”
She hiccupped again and shook her head. “We’re different; you’re right. I said goodbye to my old life. You, on the other hand, live two simultaneously. Has anyone ever found you out?”
“Not until you, Hollywood.” He sucked down the rest of his water.
“Your sister is a cyber guru, huh?”
He wasn’t all that surprised Eva had figured him out—well, he assumed she hadn’t worked out every detail in her head, but still . . . “Jessica deleted my digital footprint a long time ago, but if anyone ever makes the connection between ‘this me’”—he dropped his voice to emphasize her wording—“and the real me, it could prove dangerous for anyone close to me.”
“I get that.” She sighed. “I hope it never happens, for your sake. And I hope, someday, you get to step out of the shadows.”
His stomach dropped and he closed his eyes, trying to prevent all hell from breaking loose on the inside.
A quiet moment passed between them, and a smile tugged at her pink lips. “You didn’t get to ask your question.”
“Oh, that’s easy.” He smiled. “Best kiss?”
Her fingers rested on her collarbone, and then slowly sank to her plunging neckline. “You should know the answer to that.” She tensed. “Yours?”
He leaned back and closed one eye. “High school girlfriend.” His tongue darted between his teeth as he fought back the laugh trying to break free at the sight of her scrunched-up nose. “Kidding.” Unable to stop himself, even knowing his buddies had eyes on him, he dropped his head so her lips were within reach.
“Me?” she whispered, staring at his mouth instead of his eyes.
“Unfortunately,” he whispered, easing back into his seat and allowing another sweeping silence to settle between them for a few minutes.
“This is crazy, isn’t it?” she asked after finishing her drink. “We’re sitting here in Monaco, listening to this woman sing a cover of a Taylor Swift song, acting like—”
“There’s someone singing?” He craned his neck around to find the woman on stage with a microphone in hand. “Shit, I didn’t even notice.”
“Aren’t you supposed to notice everything?”
He scratched at his jaw. “There’s a certain someone who makes it hard for me to do that.”
“I see why you have your rules.” She squeezed her eyes closed as if she hadn’t meant to voice her thoughts. “Knox sort of mentioned . . .” Her eyelids fluttered open.
Before he could speak, a hand wrapped over his shoulder.
“Cross, your table is ready.”
He stood and held out his hand to help her balance in her high heels.
Bright fucking pink heels to go with her lipstick. He should’ve gone with a subtle look when shopping for her tonight, and not something that’d draw the attention of everyone with a pulse.
“You ready?” he asked.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she murmured and took his hand.
He turned his comm back on as they followed the man to the poker room.
There was only one table in play. Nine seats were occupied, and an open seat was directly across from Malik Yilmaz.
Three men were seated at an empty table behind him, and Luke had to assume they were his guys.
Luke grabbed a chair from another table and positioned it behind him for Eva. When he set the euros on the table, he finally drew Malik’s eyes, and Malik’s hand stilled atop the poker chips he’d been casually shuffling.
“Welcome, Mr. Cross.” The dealer exchanged his cash for multicolored poker chips, all with the casino monogram of a crown on them. “You’re small blind.”
Luke placed his bid and glanced at Eva, ensuring she was okay.
She didn’t look the least bit intimidated, which would’ve surprised him last week, but now he knew better. Maybe she considered herself to be playing a role, and acting came easy to her.
“How’s everyone tonight?” Luke addressed the table when Malik touched his cards, a slight tremble in his fingers.
“Ace over here’s been on a winning streak.” A guy with a heavy Texas drawl jerked his thumb to the man to his right. “Maybe you can help tip the scales.”
“I’ll do my best.” Luke smiled at the old timer and checked his cards. They were shit, but as long as Malik was in the hand, he’d remain in. He figured he could study his tells and use that to his advantage once they were alone together—whenever the hell that’d be. Hopefully, sooner rather than later. He didn’t want Eva in the eye of the storm anymore.
“You’re American, yes?” Malik quadrupled the big blind, sliding a stack of chips to the center of the table, and kept his eyes pinned to Luke’s.
“Yeah. Are you Turkish?”
Malik nodded and his lips thinned, pressing tight into one hard line.
“İyi akşamlar,” Luke said to him, curious as to how he’d react.
“Good evening to you as well.”
Luke matched Malik’s bet and watched the rest of the players bow out.
“Where in the U.S.? I’m from Texas,” Old Timer asked, joining the conversation.
Luke watched a four of clubs fall on the turn, which gave him an unexpected straight draw. “We’re from Chicago.” He checked the turn, waiting to see what Malik would do. It was no longer about cards at this point. They were both prepared to go head-to-head to see who’d blink first.
“Ahh, the windy city.” Old Timer scooted his chair back. “Do you like it there?” he asked Eva, and Luke focused on Malik.
“All in,” Malik announced, his eyes twitching ever so slightly.
If Luke won, he’d know Malik’s twitchy eyes meant he’d been bluffing. “Call.”
Malik’s pulse pricked in his neck, and Luke’s own heart did the opposite and slowed to a steady beat. This was a game of cards, and so the stakes were low—but once they left the table . . .
Without looking at the river card, Luke flipped his hand face up, never losing sight of Malik’s face.
“I guess you win, Mr. Cross.” Malik’s lips twisted into an almost smile, and he stood. “That’ll be all for me tonight.”
Luke stiffened. He’d need an excuse to get up, as well.
“Honey, I don’t feel so good,” Eva said with a pull of pain tugging at her words.
Maybe he’d been right to bring her, after all. “Looks like a quick night for me. Sorry.” He stood, tipped the dealer, and cashed out. “Come on.”
Malik had already left the room, but they wouldn’t be too far behind.
Asher cocked his head to the right.
“I’m on the move,” Luke told Owen through his earpiece.
“Knox is
on him. The target’s heading toward the main exit,” Owen said.
Luke gently gripped Eva’s elbow, leading her toward the lobby.
“The valet’s getting his car. You need to step on it,” Owen said.
“Can you speed walk in those things?” He eyed Eva as they picked up the pace.
“Of course.”
“A black Suburban just rolled up. Want me to have Knox make a move?” Owen asked.
“No. I’m almost there.” A bad feeling carved out a hollowness in his stomach as he eyed Eva from over his shoulder.
Not waiting for the staff to open the doors, he yanked hard on the handle, prepared to yell Malik’s name, but he nearly halted in surprise at the sight before him.
Malik was leaning against the exterior of the vehicle with folded arms, his head cocked to the side, and his brown eyes pinned to his. “We need to talk.”
Luke spotted Knox holding a phone to his ear twenty paces up the circular drive, in position in case he needed backup. And he knew Asher had been at his heels on his way out. None of them were carrying, though, because of the security.
He doubted Malik would pull a gun on him now. But, at this point, who the hell knew what might happen?
He ate up the distance between them in five quick strides, keeping Eva at his side.
“I started to grow worried you wouldn’t come.” Three of Malik’s men flanked his sides, but he motioned them back to the SUV with a flick of his wrist. His finger tucked under the collar of his dress shirt, yanking it away from his throat. “You are the man who has Ender and his men, are you not?” He stepped away from the vehicle, dropping his voice to add, “Is my nephew still alive?” Dots of sweat coated his forehead along the line of his scalp, despite the cooler temperature.
“You know who I am. Let’s not play games,” Luke said, his voice terse.
“I’m not, I assure you. Please, tell me: is he alive?” His voice nearly cracked, emotion breaking through, his pulse spiking at the side of his neck.
“He’s in a coma.”
Malik’s hands turned to fists at his sides, but Luke didn’t take it as a threat, so much as a sign of worry from the man.
“Do you care to make an exchange?” Luke scoped out the positions of his teammates, peered at Eva over his shoulder, and then settled his attention back on Malik.
“If only it were that easy,” Malik said.
“Actually, it is. You give me what I want, and I’ll be happy to turn Ender over to you.” Well, he’d track Malik down afterward, but he’d save that conversation for another day.
“You know this idea is not possible, or you would’ve taken him back in Istanbul.” His voice lowered. “You are the man he spotted in Turkey, right? The man who killed the CIA agent in Berlin?”
“Ender texted you my picture.”
“If I knew what you looked like, I would have checked every hotel room until I found you. I am short on time. Lives are on the line.”
Irritation snapped up Luke’s spine, and he inched closer to try and read him to see if he was bluffing as he had been back at the table; his eyes didn’t twitch. “Care to enlighten me?”
Malik’s gaze flitted from left to right. “Not here.”
“My room would be fine with me.” Luke’s jaw tightened.
Malik shook his head. “I need to know I can trust you first. I need to know you’re not working with the agent who killed my brother.”
Luke poked his chest with his free hand. “Why would I kill him if I was on his side?”
“People stab each other in the back all the time.” Sorrow filled his eyes, throwing Luke for another loop.
“True. You’re the one who hired the agent to kill your brother,” Luke said. “Or, are you going to tell me—”
“I didn’t do it.” His thick brows rose, his eyes glancing at the sky. “But you have no reason to believe me. I can understand your hesitations, given what my nephew tried to do to you last week, but there has been a misunderstanding. I did not show my face here to trap you. I showed my face because I need your help.”
“What?” Eva spoke up for the first time.
“But—”
“You don’t trust me,” Luke finished for Malik. “And I’m not exactly prepared to trust a terrorist, so, we’re in a shit situation.” Luke connected his eyes with Knox off to the right again and then felt the need to look at Eva, despite the warmth of her hand within his.
“I’ll call in two hours and leave a message with the hotel for the name Cross. I’ll provide an address. But, I need to know you won’t show up and blow up the place or kill me, and so—”
“I need you, remember? Why would I do that?” Luke reminded him.
“In case your government has decided they’d rather end my life than find the safe . . .”
“You’re planning on handing over the safe?” Luke’s shoulders rolled back, his spine straightening. This conversation wasn’t going how he’d expected.
“I’m prepared to make a deal, yes.” The SUV started up, and one of Malik’s men came around the vehicle. “But, I need an insurance policy.” His eyes landed on Eva. “She comes with me, and no one follows us, or we have no deal. All you have to do is show me some good faith.”
“Fuck your good faith,” Luke rasped, drawing the eyes of people both exiting and entering the casino.
“Don’t make a scene, or security will be on your ass any second,” Owen said in his ear.
“I will not hurt her. You have my word.”
“The word of a terrorist? You’re out of your mind,” Luke said, his heartbeat picking up.
“I’m not a terrorist,” he responded, a tremble to his tone. “I am not my brother or my nephew.”
His words had Luke taking a step back, tugging Eva against his side. “You can take me instead.”
“I’m sorry, but I cannot take the risk. You seem like a man willing to die for what you believe in, but not someone who will let anything happen to her.” Malik drew in a long breath and opened the car door.
“I’ll do it.” Eva stepped around him and toward the door, but he pulled her back.
“Hell no.” He caught sight of his teammates closing in on the vehicle out of his peripheral vision.
Eva looked at him with pleading eyes. “I messed everything up. Let me fix it.”
Was she out of her mind? He’d never let her go.
“It’s me, or we have no deal,” Luke said firmly.
Eva swooped before him and grabbed hold of his cheek with her free hand. She stared intently into his eyes and then crushed her mouth to his, kissing him with such a fierce intensity he nearly became dizzy, losing focus on what the hell was going on. Her mouth found his ear, and she whispered, “I trust you.”
His heart plummeted as she attempted to pull free from his grasp, even offering her other hand to the enemy. “Let go,” she cried.
One of Malik’s men wrapped his arms around her hips as Malik tugged at her other hand, pulling her toward the vehicle.
He had to let go of her hand to get a better hold on her body. But when he did, someone from behind tried to jerk him back.
He looked over his shoulder to find both Asher and Knox tugging at his frame. “What the fuck are you doing?” he roared, betrayal cutting through his tone.
Luke lurched toward the vehicle, pulling his teammates with him, only to have the door slam shut in his face, and he lost sight of Eva behind the tinted window.
“Get a car and follow her,” he commanded and began to chase the SUV once it was on the move.
He ran as far as he could but stopped once he’d lost sight of the vehicle. He took shallow breaths and whirled around to see Asher and Knox behind him.
He charged at them, punching Asher clean across the jaw. “Why are you here instead of following her? You fucking did this. You let her get taken!”
“They were following my orders,” Jessica said into his ear as Luke’s fist connected with Knox’s cheek next, rage consuming him.
>
Knox stepped back and surrendered, his palms in the air. “We’ll get her.”
“Get to the room,” Jessica hollered. “I’m sorry about this, but Eva knew what might happen, and I had to make the call. Blame me, not the guys.”
“Eva knew? What do you mean?”
Jessica remained quiet, and so he bolted across the plaza and to the hotel, not wanting to waste time.
The second he was inside the suite, he yelled, “Tell me what you know, and right this goddamn minute.”
“First, get ahold of yourself.” Jessica raised her hands between them.
“Get ahold of myself?” A broken attempt of laughter left his lips. “This is why I have rules. I broke my own fucking rules,” he muttered under his breath, staring at the floor as his eyes burned.
Maybe he was losing his mind.
Jessica’s hand rested on his back, and he heard her whisper to the room, “Can you give us a minute?”
He jerked away from his sister’s grasp and advanced across the room and slammed both palms against the windows, feeling the glass pane vibrate against his hands. “Tell me you have a tracking device in those diamonds you gave her,” he said, his tone gritty and sharp.
“Of course. You know I always have contingency plans.”
He spun around and eyed the computer she now held. “We’re already tracking her location, and I have someone en-route.”
He looked up and expelled a breath. The news didn’t change things, but at least they knew where she was. “I need to go.”
“Do you want them to kill her?”
He circled his sister so he could view the screen. The little blue moving dot held his eye, and his stomach tucked in.
“We have to wait. Besides, Eva didn’t just volunteer to get into his car tonight—it was her idea.”
He stared at his sister. Her eyes were like frosted glass. Where was her emotion? How could she remain so cool when the woman he cared about was with Malik Yilmaz?
“Explain,” he said as he tried to slow his heartbeat.
She moved away from him and set the laptop on the coffee table. “When you were shopping, Eva asked to speak to me alone. She proposed the idea of helping us get the safe without directly breaking Will’s orders.”
Finding His Mark (Stealth Ops Book 1) Page 15
