“It was only twenty-four hours ago.”
“That changes nothing.”
She again ran her hand over his abs. “You’d better not go shirtless when we’re at Laskin’s. One look at your spectacular physique could give you away as a special operator.”
“Sweetheart, you noticed my muscles even when my clothes were on.”
She played with a nipple until it peaked. “Yes, but I didn’t know until you took your shirt off. I suppose you could say you’re a bodybuilder or fitness instructor for your day job.”
“That works. I’ll ask to see his home gym and give him all sorts of unsolicited advice.”
She snickered. “He’ll see you as irritating, but not a threat.”
The fact that Laskin had no reason to think Rand was anything other than what he’d claimed was on their side. Whoever had searched his hotel room had found manuscript pages with handwritten notes and nothing about his military service.
He’d locked down his privacy before he became a SEAL and had no social media presence. There were a few men with his name on LinkedIn and Freya had created a profile for him there—without a photo—last winter in case Gillibrand did some digging.
His website under the name Reece Foresman and the LinkedIn profile under his real name were now being embellished by tech wizards at FMV, adding biographical details should Laskin decide to do some searching.
“We need to tell Freya to add that to your bio.”
He nodded and reached for his phone and sent a text.
His mood had turned serious, and she could guess why. Everything hinged on Laskin’s focus remaining on Kira. Tomorrow, they’d take a massive gamble, and even if they got what they wanted, when all this was over, Laskin would remain untouched.
Taking down Grigory Laskin was not the goal. It wasn’t even a likely outcome.
Like all billionaires who funded terrorism and coups, Laskin would remain free and clear from whatever atrocity he had planned. The only way he’d pay a price would be if he was caught pulling the trigger or detonating a bomb himself. But men like Laskin never did their own killing. They sent in mercenaries or traitors to do their dirty work.
Rand was taking a huge risk in entering Laskin’s home. The oligarch wanted nothing more than to kill Navy SEALs and had a team of henchmen on his staff.
“If they manage to figure out who—what—I am, you need to be shocked. You don’t know me. I was conning you. Turn your back on me and get out.”
“I won’t do that—”
“Promise me, Kira.”
“I can’t leave you.”
“If you don’t, then whatever happens to me will be for nothing. I’ll need you to finish the mission. Find out what Laskin and Kulik are planning and tell my team.”
“But what if I don’t know anything? What if I can’t finish the mission? How could I live with myself if I left you and we still fail?”
“Then do it for me. Do it because I love you and it would destroy me to watch them hurt you just to get at me. Promise me, Kira.”
Her eyes burned at the intensity of his words and gaze. He’d said it. He loved her.
She cupped his jaw and ran a thumb over his cheekbone. “I promise.”
Rand was just drifting to sleep when his cell phone rang. As a SEAL, he didn’t have the luxury of ignoring it, no matter how late. Especially when it was late.
Kira stirred beside him as he checked the phone. It was a call to the number Freya had set up and printed on the business card he’d passed out at the gallery.
Could be anyone, but he suspected he knew who was calling.
He hit the Accept button. “Fallon.”
“Are you really an author, or are you conning my sister?” Reuben’s voice—and tone—were easily recognizable.
“What’s it to you?”
Kira turned on the bedside lamp, then rolled to face him. Her expression showed she was alert in spite of being fully asleep a moment before.
“She’s my sister.”
“And you care so much about her. It’s heartwarming, really.”
“I’m not convinced she’s not complicit with Conrad and our bitch of a mother. But that doesn’t mean I like the idea of a con man using her to get to my money.”
“You’d make an interesting character for my next book. Tell me more.”
Reuben let out a sharp laugh. “I might like you in a different situation.”
“You can like me in this situation. I make your sister happy, and I can help you.”
“How so?”
