“Ms. Krieger, is there something I can do for you?” Melody asked.
Yvonne shut the door and blew out a breath. She was entrusting this woman—a stranger—with a lot. Did they have to be so formal?
“Please, call me Vee?” She gestured at the window seat. “I’d offer you something, but...”
“It’s perfectly fine.” Melody crossed to the window seat and perched on the edge.
Yvonne remained standing. She’d sat and lain around enough today pondering her life and what she wanted. It was time to do something.
She pushed her shoulders back and stared at Melody. “I need your help for something completely unrelated to your job. Mostly.”
“The parameters of my job are fairly broad.” Melody laced her fingers together.
“I need to visit a doctor who won’t go running to my parents. I need to try to not use my real name. Everyone here is related or knows someone and I want my private business to be private. This needs to happen as soon as possible and that means I need to leave the property without letting my family know.” Yvonne paused. There was one last bit, but did she trust Melody with it?
“That shouldn’t be a problem.” Melody didn’t bat an eyelash.
“Would it be a problem if it was just me and you going? No one else?” No Nolan. Not yet.
“That’s not ideal.”
But Melody wasn’t saying no.
Yvonne remained standing, saying nothing, while Melody studied her.
She had to know why Yvonne was going in secret to a doctor. Buying pregnancy tests pretty much pointed all fingers at one conclusion.
Melody’s shoulders dropped a bit, and she leaned forward. “I can do it, but we go to the clinic I pick and we come straight back.”
“Yes. Agreed.” Her knees nearly gave way, and she sat on the side of her four poster bed.
“Is there anyone else you want me to call? Track down?” Melody asked slowly.
“No.” Yvonne wasn’t ready to involve others.
“The father? I could find him for you.”
“I know where he is.” Yvonne stared at the carpet while the room seemed to shrink. “I want all the facts before I tell him. It’s going to be one hell of a surprise.”
And she still wasn’t sure how he’d take the news.
WEDNESDAY. LOCATION, City, State.
Lee stared at the six thugs lined up staring back at him.
Christ.
These guys didn’t know what they were part of. If he had to guess, his contact had shoved money at these guys for them to show up, not ask questions and pull a trigger a few times.
He could work with this.
He had to.
What his team needed were a handful of warm bodies to distract while he did the real work. His plan was taking shape, all he had to do was be prepared for the opportunity to strike.
WEDNESDAY. GRIMALDI Place, Chevy Chase, MD.
Nolan stared up at the ceiling.
He’d gone to bed fixated on one thing, the image of Yvonne’s face, the surprise and hurt etched into her features at his words. It was clearer now that he’d had some sleep.
Why did he have to open his God damn mouth?
He rolled out of bed and onto his feet.
Yvonne was under his skin. He didn’t know how or when it had happened, but that was the truth. There were no rules for how to handle this situation. At least not rules he knew.
He checked the time.
Dinner was scheduled to be there soon, which would leave a few hours for him to do other things before he went on shift.
The need to talk to Yvonne ate at him. But she’d never shared her phone details, and he wasn’t keen on talking to her through a device. No, he wanted to see her in person.
None of the guys had cracked on him about the activity report findings, but the way they looked at him said they’d all drawn their own conclusions. If he were Vaughn, he’d saunter into the house in full view of the cameras and maybe even the family. But that wasn’t Nolan.
What would he even say to her?
Sorry, obviously, but what else?
His plan for replacement shoes were a bust. He didn’t recall what size she wore.
He stretched and put on shorts and a T-shirt. A run might be the best way to sort out his thoughts.
Nolan passed through the kitchen, grabbed a water and paused by the floor to ceiling chalk wall. Someone—Melody if he had to guess by the neat handwriting—had drawn out a grid with duties, their names and a blank spot.
Across from Riley’s name someone had scrawled jog.
Nolan grabbed the calk, added is an asshole below Vaughn’s name then jog on his own line.
That done he headed toward the front door. He could hear the sounds of voices and a TV but wasn’t yet in the mood to be around the others.
Outside, the sky was still overcast. The light hadn’t yet begun to fade.
Riley stood on the sidewalk outside the brick and wrought-iron fence stretching. Nolan blew out a breath and joined Riley.
He pulled his ear buds out and glanced at Nolan. “Hey, just get up?”
“Yup.”
“How far you going?”
“Don’t know.” It depended on what path his thoughts took.
“I’m doing the long loop if you care to join.” Riley slid his ear bud back in and turned right.
Nolan wasn’t keen on company, but a longer run would give him more time to formulate a plan. He set off after his team mate and fell into pace with him. Riley didn’t invite conversation. They just kept putting one foot in front of the other, but still Nolan’s thoughts remained jumbled in his head. It was like trying to pick apart a knot that had four different ends sticking out of it.
He had no idea how to continue with Yvonne.
Riley slowed his pace to a walk after two miles. His face was splotchy, and he breathed harder. They each took long draws on their water bottles.
“Someone’s not hitting the gym enough.” Nolan glanced sideways.
“Fuck you.” Riley swiped his hand across his brow.
“Two miles?”
“Shut it.”
Nolan chuckled and let it drop. He had other things to think about and as much as he didn’t want to discuss his personal life, Riley was the only person he could ask.
“You’re gonna bust my balls, but I’ve got a question.” Nolan knew he had it coming, and he deserved it.
“I’m not sure I want to hear it.” Riley pulled the other ear bud out and glanced at him. “What?”
“You and Erin? How’d you make that work while we were extracting her?” Nolan needed guidelines, a model, something that told him where all the pieces fit.
“Fuck, man.” Riley grimaced. “I try to not think about that week.”
Nolan frowned.
“I lost my fucking mind, is what happened. I’m not proud of the shit I did.” Riley glanced at him. “This about you and...?”
Nolan didn’t answer.
“I didn’t know Erin before we rescued her. You and Yvonne have a whole other thing going on. Not sure what to tell you. Something happen?”
“I opened my mouth.”
“Fuck.” Riley drew that one word out.
Yeah, Nolan occasionally said too much or went too far. Like back when he’d called Riley pussy whipped or told Yvonne she was Cinderella.
“Well, in your shoes, I apologize, accept blame and grovel.” He shrugged. “Even if I didn’t do it.”
Nolan snorted. “You really are pussy whipped.”
“Yeah, well, takes one to know one. Any other questions?”
“Nope.”
Riley picked up the pace, and they dropped the conversation.
Nolan was going to have to accept that this job blurred the lines. He didn’t like it, and there were no rules for how to move forward. He’d just have to watch his mouth. But first, he had to fix things with Yvonne, and that meant going to her.
He and Riley finished the run, but
neither spoke again. Nolan left Riley doing his cool down stretches with another goal in mind.
Nolan had to do this carefully. His team might be aware that he’d known Yvonne prior to the job, but her family didn’t. And he wasn’t keen on informing his team just how well he knew her. There was one person he’d gone to for help, and he hoped she’d be willing to cover for him once again.
He found Melody in one of the sitting rooms with her laptop. She didn’t immediately acknowledge him so he waited until her fingers stopped moving.
“Something I can help you with?” she asked without looking up.
He spoke slowly, still uncertain about how to execute this plan. “I was hoping you might take a turn watching the cameras.”
Her gaze went from her laptop screen to his face.
Melody was a hard woman to read. She had this professional mask that hardly budged, even when Grant was on his worst behavior. Nolan grit his teeth and forced himself to stand there as she studied him.
“You met Yvonne six weeks ago in Vegas, is that correct?” Melody asked.
“What I do on my personal time—”
“Yes or no. The cost of my cooperation is an answer.”
“Fine. Yeah, it was something like six weeks ago. Why?”
“Curiosity.” Melody shut her laptop. “I’ll go relieve Brenden.”
“Thanks. I’m going to clean up then head over.”
“I recommend avoiding the pool and kitchen entrances. This time of night the family congregates there.”
“Thanks.”
Nolan doubted Melody wanted to know the details of his life. This was probably for some write up in her files on the job and now he was a footnote. Nolan didn’t like it and he didn’t have to. What mattered now was putting things to rights. After all, he couldn’t allow their one cooperative family member to shut down on them because he’d decided to speak out of turn.
He made it back to his room without running into the others. After a quick shower he was presentable enough to go make his apology. His ugly mug could have done with a shave, but he wasn’t willing to lose the window of opportunity Melody’s assistance offered.
His cell buzzed with a text from her as he tightened the laces on his nicer boots.
You have fifteen minutes.
That was nothing, but he’d have to make do.
Nolan slipped out a side door, secured it and hoofed it across the lawn, through the trees and on to the house. Sure enough, the windows around the living room and kitchen were lit up. He could see figures moving around, but not who they were.
A few other windows were illuminated, including the three pane bay window on the second floor.
Yvonne’s room and hopefully his destination.
There were three stairs that led to the second floor. One in the kitchen, a sort of servant’s stair. The main stair leading from the foyer up. And one that served the wing where the family resided.
His plan formed, Nolan cut right through the grass. A small utility entrance put him into the house’s laundry facilities. Much to his annoyance, the security system didn’t even beep. He checked it and found that the whole system was disengaged.
The Kriegers had ousted their team from the house and couldn’t be bothered to turn on their measly security system. It was like they were asking for something to happen.
Nolan would make note of it to bring up to Grant later. Right now Nolan had another objective just one floor up.
He tip-toed through the darkened room and peered out on the hall. Voices drifted from the kitchen, one rising above the others.
“I’ll just stick this in the wash.”
12.
Wednesday. Grimaldi Place, Chevy Chase, MD.
Yvonne stared at her phone, waiting for Tabby’s next message. She wished she could talk to Tabby, but twelve hours time difference and shoddy reception in the remote part of Japan Tabby was currently in made that impossible.
Yvonne scrolled back through the messages from the last half hour.
I can’t believe you didn’t tell me!
I’ve checked all flights. There’s no way I can get back before Sunday.
I wish I could be there for you tomorrow.
Tabby was really the best friend a girl could ask for. Yvonne wished Tabby could be there at the clinic, but the need to know was more pressing than her need for a hand to hold.
Maybe Yvonne could video chat Tabby in on the appointment when it was time to get the results back. Even that virtual hand holding might be better than nothing.
A rhythmic knock on the door brought Yvonne back to the present.
She powered her screen off, locking the phone, and slid it under her pillow.
“Who is it?” She glanced down at her pajamas, not terribly keen on having to put a bra back on.
Instead of answering, the door swung open and a large figure stepped in, whirled and gently shut the door once more.
Yvonne sat up and blinked at the man currently standing in her bedroom where he did not belong.
Nolan turned toward her, finger across his lips, head cocked to the side.
“What are you doing here?” She grabbed the throw blanket across the foot of her bed and pulled it up over herself.
He tapped his finger to his lips again.
“Vee?” Theodore called out.
Nolan locked gazes with her. What had he done?
“Yeah?” she replied.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you want me to bring you up a plate?”
“No, thank you. I’m still not feeling all that great.” Yvonne glared at Nolan. There went her chances of trying for a real meal tonight.
“Okay, well, let me know if you change your mind?”
Theodore’s footsteps faded, leaving Yvonne staring at Nolan staring at her. He’d changed into a different polo, this one black instead of white. The same stitch work was on his shoulder.
She pulled the blanket up a bit higher, wishing she were wearing more than a T-shirt and shorts. It wasn’t fair for him to break into her private place looking like that while she’d been rolling around in her personal misery all day.
Damn Nolan for being right.
She wanted to throw something at him and fling herself into his arms. She did neither, choosing the safe cocoon she’d made for herself on the bed.
Why was it he seemed to have this aura around him? It was masculine, powerful, potent and totally scrambled her brain.
“What are you doing here?” Yvonne finally asked.
“I needed to see you.”
“Need?” She arched a brow.
Nolan held up his hands. “Wanted?”
Yvonne bit her cheek.
He took a few steps toward her that deep green gaze of his focused completely on her.
“I wanted to apologize about earlier. I was out of line,” he said.
She crossed her legs and folded her arms over her chest, hugging the blanket to her.
Except he’d been right. He’d spoken the uncomfortable truth and warned her. But she couldn’t tell him any of that.
“Vee, sometimes I open my mouth and I say stupid shit. I’m sorry. Usually...” He ran a hand over his hair. “This is why I don’t get involved with people from work. It’s easy for me to flip the switch if you’re just an asset, but...”
His mouth twisted up, and he dropped his hands to his sides.
“But, what?” She didn’t know what answer she wanted to hear.
“We don’t just work together, and—I’m sorry. I open my mouth and stupid comes out.”
If she bit her cheek any harder she was going to taste blood. She didn’t want him to think he couldn’t talk to her or that he was totally in the wrong—he wasn’t—but how did she explain to him without revealing too much?
A lot rested on tomorrow and the outcome of her test. Their whole relationship could change.
“It’s okay,” she said once she thought she could trust herself.
“I might have overreacted earlier.”
“I don’t exactly have a great track record so far.” He circled the foot of the bed, coming closer.
Her skin heated, and she prayed for any reason whatsoever to remain under the blanket. Her nipples were hardened peaks and all he’d done was walk in the room.
Nolan stopped at the foot of the bed, one hand clasped around the top of the wooden post. The cloud around him had dissipated, leaving just the man standing there watching her.
“Did you really just break into the house and sneak up to my room to tell me all of that?” she asked.
“I did.” One side of his mouth hitched up.
Yvonne blinked at him, unprepared for the warmth bubbling up inside of her that had nothing to do with his sex appeal. In her grand history of relationships, the most any man had done for her was fetch a meal or send her flowers. And most of those men had fallen for her mother’s bullshit. Nolan, on the other hand, saw through her family and he got her. Each grievance she’d had with him was met with a swift, genuine apology.
What wasn’t to love about a man like that?
Not that she loved him. She barely knew him, but those were all points in his favor.
“Oh. Well then.” She smoothed the blanket over her thighs and knees.
Nolan let go of the bedpost and took another step toward her. “Am I forgiven?”
Her heart rate jumped and her throat tightened. She tipped her chin up, admiring how the light cast a golden halo in his hair.
“I suppose,” she replied after her moment of study.
“That’s a relief.”
Nolan came to a stop next to her. He lifted a hand and cupped her right cheek, sliding his fingers back into her hair.
Yvonne sat there, frozen.
She wanted to pull him down, beg for a kiss and the escape he promised her for a few hours. But was that the right thing to do?
Should she instead rebuke him for trespassing in her private space and send him off?
If she were pregnant, it would be a lot harder to explain her actions later.
He bent and her mind screeched to a halt. Her whole focus was on the diminishing distance between them and the hand in her hair.
His mouth was warm against hers. His stubble scraped her chin and cheek. A thrill shot through her and she reached for him, running her fingers over the short hair on the sides of his head.
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