“Was. I. With. A. Woman?” Vance ground out, still holding the gun to his head.

  Deadly serious, Echo did not hesitate. “No.”

  Vance holstered his gun and pulled back into traffic. “Not a fucking SEAL.”

  “Exactly.” Echo glanced back at me and winked. “Don’t worry, sweetheart, I didn’t hit him too hard this afternoon. All his essential parts should still be working.”

  “Every word out of your mouth, I’m filing away,” Vance warned with more calm in his tone than I was expecting.

  “Counting on it,” Echo casually replied.

  I did not know if I was more alarmed now or when Echo had insinuated that Vance had been with another woman this afternoon. Anger management issues? Pulling a gun on his friend? But then making him tell me the truth?

  My head spinning, I had almost forgotten what Vance had said to Joseph. “What security threat?” I asked.

  Vance glanced at me in the rearview mirror before looking back at the road. “No imminent threat. I didn’t want you in the car with him.”

  Echo snorted. “He’s lucky I’m not in the car with him. That’d be an imminent threat.”

  Ignoring Echo, I addressed Vance. “Who was that man?”

  Vance took a corner then stepped on the gas. Driving too fast, but also with control, he scanned his side mirrors. “Anything I tell you about Massimo Vincenzo makes you vulnerable.”

  “The M-word,” Echo added almost sarcastically and low enough to be construed as a slip.

  “Pardon?”

  Vance turned onto the road leading to the private airport. Then he clipped out two words that he clearly did not want to say. “Organized crime.”

  I briefly closed my eyes and inhaled, but it did nothing to calm my spiking nerves. “Joseph knew him.” This was getting worse by the second.

  “Bingo,” Echo commented, but Vance didn’t say anything.

  The man looking at my ring being associated with organized crime, Joseph insisting I attend the party tonight and the auction in Vienna—none of this was painting a pretty picture. “You think this has something to do with me.” I did not know if I was stating it to try to wrap my head around it or asking it in hopes that one of them would tell me I was crazy and imaging all of it.

  Instead, neither said anything as Vance drove through the entrance of the Executive Airport and pulled up next to the black sedan that was parked next to two private jets, one of which I recognized.

  “What is Joseph going to do?” I asked no one in particular because I already knew it had something to do with the diamonds and my ring.

  Vance put the SUV in park then cut the engine. “That’s what we have nine hours to figure out.”

  Vance

  That fuck, Bertrand, went straight to the aft cabin, shut the bulkhead door and took the only comfortable sleeping section of the plane for himself.

  I set her suitcase and my bag down and glanced in the cockpit of the older plane before spying the young-as-fuck flight attendant in the galley.

  “Take a seat, Sabine. I’ll join you in a minute.” Without waiting for a response, I made my way to the flight attendant.

  She smiled flirtatiously. “Welcome aboard, sir.”

  “Has the plane been restocked since it landed in Miami?”

  Her smile faltered. “Yes, of course. I have—”

  “Leave. You’re not flying tonight.”

  Confusion clouded her face. “But I always fly with Mr. Bertrand.”

  Shocker. “Not anymore. Get off the plane. You have two minutes.” I walked back to the cockpit and stuck my head inside. “Gentlemen.” I handed the captain a generic business card from AES that didn’t give my name. “I’m from Alpha Elite Security. Mr. Bertrand’s retained my services, and I’ll be flying with you tonight.”

  “Welcome aboard, Mr. Victor.” The captain took the card and pocketed it. “Mr. Bertrand already gave us a heads-up you’ll be along for the ride. I’m Mark, and this is my copilot, Jensen.”

  I nodded at the second chair before looking back at the captain. “Are you the same crew who flew down from New York?”

  “No, sir, we’re fresh off a forty-eight-hour reprieve. You’re in good hands tonight.”

  “Excellent. Flight time?”

  The pilot glanced out his side window at Trefor’s new Falcon. “We’re not quite as fast as your company’s bird, but we’ll make good time. We have some minor headwinds. Flight time will be ten hours and fourteen minutes.”

  I glanced at my watch. That’d put us in Vienna just before eighteen hundred hours, local time. We’d be cutting it close for the start of the auction. “Copy that, thank you. FYI, I dismissed the flight attendant. We won’t need her.”

  The two men looked at each other before the pilot spoke. “Ah, Mr. Bertrand always flies with an attendant.”

  “Not on my watch,” I answered, letting them know I knew exactly why the fuck she was here, and it wasn’t happening. “I’ll secure the hatch. If you need anything else, ask.”

  The flight attendant walked past me with her head down and exited.

  I closed the main cabin door, grabbed our bags and made my way to Sabine.

  She glanced toward the forward cabin. “You dismissed the flight attendant.”

  “I did.” I nodded at her bag. “Do you have something more comfortable to sleep in, love?”

  Heat flushed her cheeks, and she glanced away. “I am fine.”

  “Right. I’ll take that as a no.” I grabbed a T-shirt and gray sweats out of my bag as the pilots fired up the engines. “It’s going to get cold once we’re in flight. Put these on. I’ll grab us a drink.” I held the clothes out to her.

  Wide-eyed, she stared up at me from her seat.

  “Problem, pet?”

  She glanced behind her.

  “Afraid to wear my clothes in front of him?” I’d wanted her comfortable for the long flight, but now I wanted her wearing something of mine.

  “The restroom,” she answered vaguely, not taking my clothes.

  “You can change here, I’ll turn my back.” It wasn’t lost on me that Bertrand had closed himself in with the only lavatory on board.

  The plane started to taxi, but she still didn’t move.

  “I doubt he’ll notice,” I assured.

  “He will notice,” she replied with a telltale tone.

  Making a concerted effort not to show my anger at that asshole, I took the seat next to her and lowered my voice. “Do you know why I dismissed the flight attendant?”

  She hesitated only a fraction before shaking her head.

  “Because I knew why she was here, and I wasn’t going to let that happen on my watch.” I picked up the T-shirt. “Just like I’m not going to let anything happen to you no matter what you’re wearing.” Keeping my eyes on hers, I slipped the T-shirt over her head. “Slide the straps of your dress down your shoulders, love.”

  Her body trembling, her eyes welled. “Vance.”

  “It’ll be okay,” I promised. “We’re getting you comfortable, then I’m going to have a drink with you. After, you’re going to fall asleep next to me while I keep watch over you. Straps, love. Slide them down.” Before I did it for her, which wouldn’t end well for either of us.

  “You are not going to sleep?”

  “No.” Not with Bertrand feet away, and no fucking way was I risking a nightmare in front of her on a damn plane.

  “You have to sleep,” she protested, but not in the judgmental way that my brother or Trefor would’ve said it. She said it with concern.

  Momentarily thrown, I didn’t think.

  I leaned over and touched my lips to her temple. “Appreciate the sentiment, love, more than you know, but I’ll be fine. The Marines trained me well.” And my absolute shit decisions took care of the rest.

  She stiffened. “What did you do in the Marines?”

  Reading her body language, I gave up on my resolve not to touch her right now. Gently pulling the T-shirt down, I skimmed my hand up her arm and slid a strap off her shoulder. “I’m not a killer, darling.” Not unless I had to be.

  “I did not say that.”

  “No, but you were wondering it, and I’m reassuring you.” Running my hand back down the smooth skin of her arm, all I could think about was sinking inside her. “Before I take this farther than either of us are prepared for right now, I’m getting us drinks. Wine?” I stood.

  “Whatever you are having is fine.”

  “Right.” I made my way to the galley as the captain called back to me.

  “We’re lined up, Mr. Victor, third in queue. Prepare for takeoff.”

  “Ten-four.” I grabbed a bottle of scotch and two glasses and made my way back to her as she was pulling something out of her suitcase. “Need help?”

  Flushed, she looked up at me. “No, thank you, but can you please…” She made a circle motion with her finger.

  I turned. “Of course, love, but hurry. We’re about to take off, and I need you buckled in.”

  “You do that a lot,” she said to my back.

  “What’s that?” I asked distractedly as I held the bottle under my arm and two glasses with one hand while I fished my cell out and checked the texts that’d come through while we were still at the party.

  November: Call me.

  Then a second one.

  November: There’s chatter.

  Fuck.

  “You worry about me but not yourself,” she replied. “You can turn around now.”

  Shoving my phone in my pocket, I faced her.

  Then, for a split second, I froze.

  Wearing my T-shirt under a soft, open-front sweater, she’d put on those black leggings women wore, and her feet were bare. She’d done something to her hair that made it more carefree and loose around her shoulders. Looking younger and more vulnerable than I’d ever seen her, she was so damn beautiful, she stole my breath.

  When I didn’t say shit, heat hit her cheeks and she ducked her head. “I realize I appear very casual.”

  Taking the seat next to her, I grasped her chin and brought her face up until she gave me her eyes. “You’ve never looked more beautiful.”

  “You cannot say that,” she whispered.

  “Which part? That you’re beautiful or that you don’t need a costume to be beautiful?” Setting the bottle and glasses on my lap, I buckled her seat belt then mine. “The clothes don’t make the woman, darling.”

  “Prepare for takeoff,” the captain announced.

  She didn’t reply.

  The plane took on speed, and I waited until we were in the air and leveled out before I poured us each a drink. Handing her the scotch, I smiled. “Cheers, love.”

  She took the glass, and this time she toasted me before she drank. “Santé.”

  We clinked, and she took a small sip.

  I fucking swallowed half my pour. “Do you miss it?”

  She glanced out the window. “Miss what?”

  “Speaking French.”

  She glanced back at me before focusing on the glass in her hand. “I miss many things.”

  From her tone, I couldn’t tell if I should touch that, so I let it drop for now. “I’ll speak French with you anytime.”

  “Because you are fluent or because you enjoy it?”

  I didn’t touch the enjoy part. I’d speak whatever fucking language I had to for this woman. “I get by.”

  “I think you more than get by.” She almost smiled.

  I did smile. Wide. “I think you may be right.” I downed the rest of my drink and set my glass and the bottle on the table in front of us. “Drink up, love. I want you to get some sleep.”

  “And alcohol will help facilitate that?”

  I took a full beat to study her expression as she continued to stare into her glass. “No. But it’s the best I can do for tonight.”

  “Maybe.”

  I cocked my head. “Why, Miss Malcher, are you flirting with me?”

  “No.”

  I dropped the playful tone. “Care to explain?”

  She tucked her legs under herself and leaned back in her seat. “Maybe you can tell me about her.”

  Every fucking muscle in my body went stiff. “Her who?” I knew who.

  “The woman you made a mistake with.”

  Sabine

  Even though he tried to hide it, I saw his whole body stiffen.

  Giving me a half smile that did not reach his eyes, he took his jacket off but not the holster or the gun. “That doesn’t make for a good bedtime story, love.”

  I did not say anything. I studied his face, wondering if maybe, like me, a part of him wanted to talk about it, to share the burden. I accused him of not knowing me, but the opposite was also true. I had known exactly what he meant when he had spoken about meeting someone and feeling like you knew them.

  I felt that with him.

  Which was why I was almost certain he had never spoken to anyone about what had happened to him when he was seventeen, just like I had never told anyone what had happened to me when I was nineteen—until I told him, Mr. Trefor and their colleagues.

  Anxiety was twisting inside me like a churning storm, but I also recognized the thread of difference that had not been there before. It was relief.

  Sighing deeply, Vance shook his head. “That tactic is impressive, love.”

  “Pardon?”

  “Your silence.”

  Worried he was misreading my intent, I tried to explain. “I am not attempting to manipulate you into telling me anything by remaining silent. I was merely giving space.”

  He smiled tiredly. “Giving me space?”

  “Oui.”

  He gave me his half laugh, but this time it was weighted with the same fatigue as his smile. “All right, love. I’ll offer a trade. You do something for me, and I’ll give you a complete shit version of a bedtime story. Deal?”

  Nerves that were not entirely from anxiety spidered across my skin, but Joseph was steps away behind a door that I knew from experience was not soundproof. I could not make this deal. “I do not know what it is you are asking of me.”

  “Trust, love.”

  Two words. The same expression he had sent in a text that had long since disappeared from a phone he gave me. He was not asking me to only trust him. He was asking me to trust him and his ability to handle any situation that might arise.

  Knowing I should not do it, I consented anyway. “Deal.”

  His smile was rare and real, and it made me want so much more than this moment. “Excellent. Be right back.” Undoing first my seat belt, then his, he went to a compartment on the plane as if he knew exactly what would be in it and pulled out a blanket and pillows.

  Sipping my scotch, I watched his biceps flex and strain the cut of his shirt, and I shamelessly took in the size of his muscular thighs. I also studied how he moved with a gun in a holster at his side and one hidden under his pant leg. He was not only comfortable with them, he was confident in every controlled step he took as if no movements were wasted.

  Taking his seat again, he pushed the recline button on mine. “Lift your head, love.”

  I did as he asked, and he tucked a pillow under my head, then covered me with a blanket. I could not stop myself from thinking about how Joseph had never done anything like this. “Thank you.”

  “Not a bad deal, is it?” He winked as he took my glass and set it on the table.

  “This is all I have to do for you?”

  His flirting half smile came back. “Such a loaded question, pet, but for now, yes.”

  Before I could say anything, the door to the rear of the cabin opened and Joseph yelled out. “Where the hell is the flight attendant with my drink?”

  Unhurried, Vance stood. “Not on board. Galley’s in front of you. Help yourself.”

  “What the hell do you mean she’s not on board?” Ignoring me, Joseph glanced about before glaring at Vance. “What did you do?”

  “Compromised security risk,” Vance easily lied. “She had to go.”

  Joseph’s eyes narrowed like they always did right before he was about to unleash his temper. “Sabine,” he barked. “Get my drink and get back here.”

  Every nerve ending in my entire body pulsed then frayed with panic.

  Subtle, so Joseph would not see, Vance kept his arm at his side, but he held his hand out behind him, palm flat, silently telling me to stay. “She’s already settled for the night.”

  Focusing all of his anger on Vance, Joseph did not even look at me. “I don’t give a damn if she’s asleep. Wake her up!”

  “Right.” Vance’s hands went to his hips. “Here’s what’s going to happen. You can get your own drink, or you can get some sleep. Either way, I’ll make sure you’re up before we land. You’ll have enough time to change, then I’ll get us to the auction before the event starts. What I’m not going to do is listen to you berate anyone aboard, least of all Miss Malcher. If I have to run interference, trust me, it won’t be pleasant.” He sat back down in the seat next to me.

  For one unbearable moment, nothing happened.

  Then the door to the sleeping area slammed shut.

  “You lied,” I whispered.

  He tucked the blanket tighter around me. “Did I, love? Do you know for a fact that the flight attendant isn’t on Vincenzo’s payroll?”

  Oh God. “Is she?” She had been on our flights for years.

  “Let me worry about it. For tonight, all you need to do is get some sleep.”

  I let out an undignified sound.

  His amber-eyed gaze cut to me. “Do you have a problem sleeping?”

  “Why?” I hedged.

  For a long moment, he did not say anything, he simply stared at me. Then, “Nothing, love. Lean back and close your eyes. You’re safe, you can sleep.”

  It wasn’t nothing, and I did not close my eyes. “You made me a deal.”

  Without a smile or even one of his short laughs that I had already become addicted to, he looked at me with a wary expression I had not seen on him before. “I was hoping you’d forgotten.”