Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 149137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 746(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 746(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
“Because I’m not leaving you here without backup.”
“Everything is fine. Riley’s got the cameras on a timer. I’ll have five minutes to get back. I only need two. If I get caught, I was looking at the paintings and didn’t realize how far I’d gotten from the ballroom. I’m good, Ez.” She turned to the window. The glass was beautifully paned and like everything in the mansion had a certain European flair. Many of the windows downstairs had been left open so the scent of the night-blooming jasmine could fill the ballroom. It appeared it was all on one security system. She opened the window and there was Riley, standing on the ground under it.
“I’m staying on,” Ezra replied. “I’m at least getting you to the ballroom. I’ll hike back through the jungle if you’re worried about getting caught with me in the car.”
Overprotective men. “Suit yourself.”
Not that she would actually let him hike back through the jungle in the dark. She would have to sneak him into Shane’s room.
“Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your thumb drive,” Riley said with a cocky grin.
Somehow it didn’t have the same impact. She dropped it down and he caught it with one hand. “Go. Get out of here as quick as you can. Tell Levi I’ll meet him at the airport tomorrow.”
Riley gave her a salute and then his long legs were taking him and the prize across the grounds and toward the place where Declan was waiting.
Ezra’s device pinged and she detached it, handing it over. “See. Job well done. Let’s get back to the ball.”
Back to Josh for the last time.
She opened the door and stopped in her tracks, realizing that perhaps she’d been the one to see only what she’d wanted to see. Because when things seemed too easy, they usually were exactly that—too easy. Too good to be true.
Levi Green was standing in the doorway with three armed men. Before she could take a breath, he lifted his gun and shot Ezra Fain straight through the heart.
Kayla watched him fall, Ezra’s eyes shocked as he hit his knees, hand going to his chest.
Levi put a second one in his back. “For good measure, asshole. Bye, Fain. Gentlemen, don’t get blood on that dress. We’re going to need it. Hello, Kay. You ready to have some fun?”
She started to fight, but someone shoved a needle in her arm. What was happening? The world went foggy and she couldn’t make her muscles work.
Ezra was dead on the floor. Ezra…she’d gotten Ezra killed. Levi was here and that was a bad thing.
Josh. Where was Josh?
And then her eyes went wide because she saw someone she knew she would never see again. Someone she couldn’t see.
That was the moment Kay knew she was dying, too.
Chapter Eighteen
Josh breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Kay walk back in the room. A few minutes later than he’d expected, but there she was whole and stunningly beautiful.
He should have known she would pull it off.
Somewhere deep down he realized he’d hoped she wouldn’t. Not that she would get in serious trouble, but that the op wouldn’t go off and they would need to try again.
He wanted more time with her.
“She is beautiful,” Hector said, passing him a glass of Scotch. “You’re a lucky man, Josh.”
Kayla smiled at the man talking to her, snagging a glass of champagne. Now that she was done with the job, she would likely not be without a glass in her hand for the rest of the evening. Not that it would affect her. His girl could take down most men in a drinking contest.
Not his.
“I am indeed.” He wasn’t going to get into his relationship status with a drug lord. He took the glass, but he wasn’t going to drink it. It was a prop, nothing else. “I heard someone say you’re involved. I didn’t think you had a significant other.”
There had been tons of rumors about Morales, and now that he was in on the secret he could see how all these people talked around the truth. It had been there, but he wasn’t very smart. How Hector must have laughed behind his back.
He quelled the anger because Kayla was walking his way wearing that damn dress.
He couldn’t forget the last time he’d taken that dress off her. It had been the day they’d gone shopping and he’d received the blackmail instructions and damn near killed that photographer. That was when he’d found out nothing on earth quelled his rage like dominating his sub.
Kay gave him a bright smile. She walked right up to him, curling her free arm around his waist and leaning in. “Hello, Hector. This is an amazing party.”
Her voice had gone low and husky, her flirty voice. It rankled a bit that she was using it on Hector. It reminded him of how good she was at her job. Had they flirted earlier in the day? Had Hector showed her around and thought about making a play for her?