by Ana Ban
For Donovan and I both, our way of life consisted of more paranoia than might be considered healthy, but it had kept us alive and secret for this long, and neither of us had plans to change.
Turning one more corner, I immediately began climbing up a fire escape, until I reached the third floor. Here, I swung in through an open window, pulling out a heat sensor from a loop on my belt. With no activity, I headed up to the fourth floor, sweeping the rooms before heading back to the fire escape to access the roof.
Tony DeLuca would be waiting for me, and if he had a trap it would be on the inside staircase, which he would expect me to use. Instead, I crouched on the ledge, spotting Tony immediately, but searching for others. He’d promised to come alone, but people so rarely held their word.
Satisfied there would be no surprises, I approached Tony silently from behind. I’d earned a reputation as a ghost, and enjoyed startling my prey.
“Tony DeLuca, I presume,” I spoke, pitching my voice low. He spun, his eyes wide and a hand resting over his heart. I allowed myself a small smile. “So nice to meet you.”
“You scared the daylights out of me,” Tony complained before visibly composing himself. “You must be the infamous Selena. You have a business proposition for me?”
“That I do,” I answered him, my eyes sweeping the roof and surrounding area. The plan was to keep this as brief as possible before disappearing into the night. "We seem to be in the same business, and thought that working together could be beneficial to both of us.”
“That sounds agreeable, depending on your terms,” Tony allowed.
“We’d like access to your channels,” I told him. “In return, certain city officials who have been giving you trouble will look the other way.”
Tony hesitated, surely thinking through the simple terms for some hidden benefit to us. Finally, he nodded.
“We have a deal?” I asked, wanting to hear it aloud.
With a dip of his head, he said, “That we do. When will your first shipment need to come through?”
“Tomorrow,” I told him. “6:00 AM. Once we know we can trust you, we’ll redirect your trouble officials.”
The statement was a threat, letting him know we wouldn’t take kindly to a double cross.
“Agreed,” Tony said.
Acknowledging him with a nod, I stepped backwards off the ledge.
To Tony, it will have looked like I jumped off a five-story building and disappeared without a trace. In truth, I’d attached a cable to the ledge, allowing me a quick escape through the open window below.
Chapter 18
Mia
Present Day
With nerves rattling around my stomach, I took a deep breath and turned to look at myself in the full-length mirror. The dress was blood red, with a high neckline and scooped back, fitted down to my hips before flaring out just slightly, allowing easier movement. Gently tugging up the hemline, I stared at the shoes and had immediate doubts as to my walking capabilities while wearing them.
Donovan had returned just before Sophia had left, with strict instructions not to intrude until I made my appearance.
My hair was done up in some kind of complicated bun that managed to look soft and romantic, a clip glittering with crystals snapped securely in the midst of all the pins it took to hold it all together.
Releasing the dress to let it sweep gently to the ground, I rubbed a hand down the soft silk before looking myself directly in the eyes.
Sophia had done my makeup to accentuate my eyes, applying heavy smudge that left them looking larger and sultry. I hardly recognized the woman reflected back at me. She was… sexy. Beautiful. Words I had never applied to me before.
She was Selena.
Before I could talk myself out of it, I teetered to the door, then made a concentrated effort to balance on the balls of my feet. As I did so, my walk become steady, more confident. As I stepped into the living area, I looked up and straight into Donovan’s heady gaze.
He let out a visible gasp as his eyes trailed down my body and back again, his eyes hooded with an emotion I was afraid to name. Just as he studied me, I swept my own eyes across his lean form, taking in the sharp black suit he wore. He stayed monochromatic with a black shirt, glossy black tie and even a black vest visible beneath the fitted jacket.
The look left my mouth dry.
“You look stunning,” Donovan finally spoke, approaching me with a small box in his hand.
Peering down at it, my eyebrows drew together as he popped open the tiny lid to reveal a pair of diamond earrings, twinkling even in the dim light.
“Donovan, you didn’t have to…”
He silenced me with a look, removing the earrings himself and slipping them in. I swallowed back any more protest when he stepped back and smiled at me.
“Now, you’re perfect,” he seemed satisfied. Holding out his elbow like a gentleman, he rose a brow. “Ready?”
Nodding, I slipped my hand through the crook of his arm, pausing at the door to add an elbow length pair of white gloves and, of course, sunglasses. The lenses were large, round affairs with glittering jewels along the edges. I felt like a movie star.
Donovan led me to the lobby, and I swear numerous people stopped to stare as we glided by. It made my nerves extra jumpy, but Donovan placed his other hand over mine, and the contact was reassuring.
Our car was waiting, and Donovan deposited me into the seat before moving around to join me. The lights of the city passed us by, and my attention was torn between Donovan in his dark suit and the sights as we drove.
We made our way towards the River Thames, and though I was curious what our night would entail, I didn’t ask. Donovan seemed content to just sit beside me, his hand keeping mine captive. Whenever I looked his way, his eyes were on me, and we shared several long looks. Thankfully, none as intimate as our car ride to lunch, so I was able to keep my hormones under control.
The car stopped in one of the biggest tourist spots- just outside the entrance for the London Eye, the large Ferris Wheel London was famous for. Waiting for Donovan to open my door, I accepted his hand and stepped as gracefully from the car as I was capable of.
With my hand back in the crook of his arm, we walked at a sedate pace to the entrance. I could feel Donovan’s eyes on me, waiting for my reaction, so I smiled up at him.
“We’re going in a pod?”
“That we are,” Donovan inclined his head, pulling open the door.
The building was oddly quiet, with only several workers lingering around, but no crowds of people waiting to board.
“Where is everyone?” I wondered aloud.
Donovan was silent, so I looked up at him. The small smile playing at his lips had my eyes narrowing.
“I purchased all the rides for this evening. The Ferris Wheel is ours.”
“You…” I was speechless. My mouth had dropped open, but as someone approached us, I quickly snapped it shut.
“You must be Mr. and Mrs. Anderson,” the woman smiled brightly. “We’re so happy to have you. Please, follow me.”
We followed, loading into a waiting pod. A bottle of champagne sat ready for us in a bucket of ice in the center of the long bench, a waiter at rapt attention.
I sat to one side, careful not to disturb the bucket of champagne, while Donovan settled in beside me. A tray of hors d’oeuvres was brought in, placed on the bench beside us.
“Will there be anything else, sir?” The waiter asked.
“No, thank you,” Donovan dismissed him.
With a bow, the waiter left, and we were alone. The doors closed and we began to move, slowly lifting into the sky.
“The waiter normally stays on and doubles as a tour guide, but I thought you might like to be alone,” Donovan explained, grabbing the bottle of champagne and easily popping the cork. He poured it into two glasses, handing one to me. “To us.”
Slipping off my sunglasses, I clinked my champagne against his. “To us.”
As we gaine
d height, I stood and watched the skyline of London come into view. Donovan rose to stand beside me, softly whispering in my ear as he pointed out the main attractions. Big Ben, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Paddington Station, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament- Donovan seemed to be knowledgeable on all of them.
Once we reached the top of the wheel, our pod stopped. Looking over at Donovan quizzically, he explained without me having to voice my question.
“Since I’ve bought out the rest of the night, I’ve asked them to stop us at the top,” Donovan lifted the tray of snacks as he spoke, offering it to me.
Accepting a chocolate truffle, I took a bite and sipped on my champagne, the sweet bubbles going instantly to my head. I didn’t drink much before taking this job, and since I’d been in Donovan’s care, I hadn’t seen any evidence of alcohol in any of the homes we’d stayed in. In fact, everything he’d fed me had been so healthy, I was probably in the best shape of my life.
Donovan stepped close, wrapping an arm around my waist, pressing me against his hard body. I felt the jolt of electricity immediately, and savored the feeling.
“You mean everything to me,” Donovan spoke with a quiet intensity. “You deserve all of this and more. Our life is not what we’ve been dealing with back home, being attacked and hiding in safe houses. It’s this, and I plan to show you just what exactly we have together.”
“Donovan,” I began, my words coming out breathy. “As long as I’m with you, that’s all that matters. Crawling through sewers or wearing diamonds, it doesn’t matter to me. Only you do.”
With a shock, I realized that I wasn’t just acting. Those words rang true, and they came from me, not Selena.
Closing my eyes against the wash of guilt, I leaned my forehead gently against his chest, breathing in his scent. When this ended, I would have moments like this to look back on. I wanted to make the most of it.
Lifting my head again, I pressed my lips to his, pushing against his body to be as close as possible. He met my hunger with his own, but, too soon, pulled gently away.
“We could get carried away rather easily,” Donovan smiled.
“I would enjoy that even more than these amazing views,” I told him honestly.
With a groan, his lips met mine again, but without the firestorm that had nearly consumed us. Leaning close to my ear, he whispered the words that allowed me to separate from him.
“We have all night.”
Chapter 19
Selena
4 years ago
The office was certainly a lonely place without Donovan’s presence. With business booming, it was imperative that he travel abroad and meet face to face with our clients. Though I understood that, and encouraged his trips, it didn’t help to alleviate missing him.
Bruce knocked, then entered the office, standing at attention until I acknowledged him. Donovan trusted Bruce with both our lives, and I had a respect for the man that bordered on affection.
“I’ve just spoken with Donovan,” Bruce announced when I gestured him forward. He sat opposite me, his back ramrod straight. “There’s some good news from NoCorp.”
“What is it?” I asked.
“They are ahead of schedule. They’ll have both subs completed before the end of the month.”
“That is good news,” I responded, surprised. People rarely over-exceeded. “Is he placing an order for more?”
With a dip of his head, Bruce answered. “Yes, two more in six months.”
“Perfect,” I murmured, taking out my map and placing it atop the other paperwork on the desk. Each of our routes was highlighted, with future plans penciled in. “When does the expansion at the docks begin?”
“Tomorrow,” Bruce answered me. “Your vision is almost complete.”
Chapter 20
Mia
Present Day
Eventually, the wheel began to move once again and by the time we’d made it back to the ground level, the bottle of champagne was empty and my cheeks were flushed. Before reaching ground level, I slipped my glasses back on and held onto Donovan’s arm, though this time it was more for balance than him being a gentleman.
The same group that had greeted us bid us goodbye, and I allowed Donovan to lead me back to the waiting car.
Our next stop was the Ritz Hotel, another famous spot I’d never envisioned myself stepping into. Donovan led the way, ushering me to the Ritz Restaurant where music was already flowing through the majestic room. We were immediately shown to a semi-private corner table, affording us views of Green Park. A waiter, dressed to the nines in full livery, was ready to assist with another bottle of champagne.
Behind the dark glasses, my eyes took in the tall marble columns, silk draperies and gorgeous chandeliers. All the waiters bustled about like some forgotten era, and I immediately had a flash to a scene from Hello, Dolly! If the staff spontaneously broke into song and dance, I don’t think I would bat an eye.
“A couple of night a week, they offer dinner and dancing,” Donovan leaned close to whisper in my ear. “I hope you’re hungry.”
“Starved,” I smiled. “Do you think it’d be all right to take my glasses off?”
Glancing around first, Donovan then nodded his approval. Setting them gently on the table, I rose my gaze to meet his.
“This place is incredible,” I told him.
“I’m glad you like it. London certainly has a lot to offer.”
Deciding to share my earlier thought of musicals, I asked, “Do you think our waiters will break into a choreographed dance?”
His low chuckle sent waves of pleasure dancing through my bloodstream. “Let me guess. Hello, Dolly?”
My eyes widened. “It surprises me that you’ve seen that.”
“It surprises me that you’ve seen that,” he retorted.
Giving him a cheeky grin, I realized our waiter was approaching with appetizers, and turned my face down and away so he wouldn’t get a full look at me. It felt extreme to take these measures, especially here, in London, in a restaurant, but it was the way Donovan and Selena lived.
Once the waiter had gone and I took a bite of something delicious and unpronounceable, I pressed my luck with Donovan.
“Tell me something about yourself that you’ve never told anyone,” I prompted.
He placed a finger against his mouth, thinking through my question. “There are no secrets between us,” he finally answered. “At one time, you knew all my deepest, darkest secrets. I will happily share them again, but perhaps not tonight.”
Swallowing hard, I switched directions. “All right, something not so deep and dark, then.”
“My second favorite color is red,” his eyes dipped down, taking in the skintight dress sheathing my body.
Though the comment made my throat go dry, I managed to ask, “And your first favorite color?”
His eyes met mine again, brushing a stray piece of hair gently away from my face. “Amber.”
The color of my eyes. With only a few inches between us, I closed the distance easily, pressing my lips to his. My head spun with the contact, coupled with the champagne and the pounding beat of the music pulsing through my chest.
For a moment I forgot who I was, and where I was. All that mattered was the man before me. Donovan deepened the kiss, and though I wanted to wrap myself around him, I allowed the sensation to flow through our lips and wash over the rest of my body. When we parted, my eyelids lifted slowly to look at him.
“I love you,” Donovan’s husky whisper sank into my very core.
And for a moment, my vision went black.
Another scene superimposed itself upon the one before me. Donovan was still there, standing in front of me as close as he was now. The restaurant was no longer there, but we were surrounded by large, empty spaces and brick walls. Underground spaces.
The tunnels.
Donovan, saying those same three words.
“I love you.”
It was just a flash, gone in a moment. Reality sna
pped back and I shook my head in an attempt to clear it.
“Sorry,” I murmured. “Must be the champagne.”
Focusing back on Donovan’s facial expression, I realized he had just said something very important, and I’d handled it poorly. There was an unreadable mask over his handsome features, and I reached out to stroke a thumb along a line his slight frown had created.
“You are the most important person in my life,” I told him, again, honestly.
His face immediately cleared, and he brought my hand to his chest. “Dance with me.”
Bewildered, I glanced around before responding, “What? Here?”
He shrugged. “Why not?”
Then, without waiting for further argument, he simply stood and pulled me up and into his arms. The band was playing a slow number, and we swayed on our feet. Donovan kept an arm wrapped tightly around my waist, my body snug against his.
“Donovan?” I asked quietly, pulling my head back to look directly at him.
“Yes?”
“Tell me something about me that no one else knew.”
He was silent so long I wasn’t sure he was going to answer. Dr. White had directed us both not to push memories, and I thought he would argue against my question based on the doctor’s recommendation, but I really wanted to know something about Selena, from someone that cared about her. She had to have some redeeming qualities to deserve a man like Donovan.
Donovan continued to study me, and I wasn’t sure what he was looking for, or if he found it. I kept my expression open and relaxed, begging with my eyes alone.
Finally, he spoke. “The day we met, you challenged me and proceeded to kick my ass. Looking back, that was the moment I fell in love with you.”
I didn’t know how to respond to that, but felt a smile blooming at his words. “Why would I challenge you?”
“It was my job interview,” he explained. “Eventually, I got the upper hand, though I always had a sneaking suspicion you let me win.”
“How long was it before we…” I trailed off, knowing he would understand my question.