“What do you think?” Sin asks. A thin, modelesque saleswoman stands quietly by, holding another dress for Sin to try on next. The massive private dressing room we are in is luxuriously appointed.
I appraise Sin’s form in the flow of the material, realizing she’s looked equally beautiful in each dress she’s tried on… and it has nothing to do with the clothes.
It’s simply Sin, beautiful inside and out.
Still, she’s asked for my involvement, so I rise from the couch, set my champagne glass on a table, and move over to the saleswoman. Taking the dress from her, I murmur, “A little privacy, please.”
The saleswoman gives a deferential bow before leaving and closing the door behind her. Sin doesn’t pay me any attention, her regard fixed on her reflection in the mirror.
At a table where the saleswoman had previously laid out several sets of lingerie to be worn under whatever potential dress Sin chose, I start to flip through them, relishing the feel of the silk under my fingertips while imagining myself ripping through it once we’re in bed.
I pick up a nude set of panties with black lace etching and a matching bustier. Bringing them to the dais behind Sin, I hold them out to her.
“Try these on,” I suggest.
She smirks at me through the mirror. “I need your opinion on a dress, not lingerie.”
“Don’t care about the dress,” I reply, shooting her a grin. “It’s what’s underneath I’ll be thinking about.”
“Perv,” she replies affectionately as she takes the offered lingerie.
I return to the couch, pick up my champagne glass, and settle back to watch Sin change.
My burner phone ringing has me growling in frustration, but I can’t miss a call from Kynan, so I sigh and dig it out.
Sin doesn’t let the call deter her. She continues to slip out of the dress she has on while I answer and bring the phone to my ear. “Bellinger.”
“Just checking in,” Kynan says.
Sin is completely naked except for a stretchy piece of white fabric that does amazing things for her long legs. Despite the fact I’m in a clothing store in a private dressing room and on a call with Kynan, I feel a stirring between my legs. She does it to me every damn time.
Paying no attention to me, Sin shimmies out of it and pulls on the nude panties, which are a lovely contrast with her darker skin.
“How are things going with you?” Kynan prompts.
I keep things simple as it’s never good for these calls to last long. “We completed another job for Mercier. He’s invited us to a big party at his house next weekend, and I’m hoping we’ll find out more about the big heist then.”
“Good,” Kynan replies.
I don’t bother going into the details of our last job, and I most certainly have no intention of discussing the murders of Brandis or Neal. If Kynan had any clue how bloody and dangerous this situation has become, he’d pull me from the job. I’m not willing to chance that happening since I’m finally getting close to figuring out what the big heist is.
“I’ve been thinking about how this all ends,” I say while Sin puts on the bustier. She looks amazing, but I don’t lose focus because this is important. “I’m going to have to see it through to the bitter end.”
“All the way?” Kynan asks, but he’s playing dumb. He knows what I’m saying.
“The heist. Unless Mercier has the loot in hand, he’ll be untouchable. There won’t be a good way to prove he’s behind it since William runs the show.”
Kynan stays silent for a moment. Sin’s listening, although she’s pretending not to by checking out her reflection in the mirror. The tight set to her shoulders, though, says she’s invested in this conversation.
“Maybe we should involve the police,” Kynan suggests.
“Too risky.” I’ve already considered—and discounted—this. “Mercier could easily have some of the officers on his payroll. We can’t afford a leak—not even a chance of one.”
“If you get busted, you’ll go down,” Kynan reminds me.
Believe me, I know. “You’re going to have to hope to fuck I don’t get caught, but it would help for Bebe to go ahead and create valid alibis for Sin and me in the States.”
It won’t be difficult as we’re both traveling under aliases. In this line of work, people can’t move about freely under their real names—not if they’re any good at what they do.
“I’ll see what she can whip up,” Kynan promises. “So… you and Sin?”
“Package deal,” I say, alluding to the fact that whatever help Jameson gives me had better extend to Sin. However, I don’t think that’s exactly what Kynan is asking. I don’t leave any room for doubt, though. “She has to be included in whatever you do to extricate me. If you don’t, I’m out of here. I’ll abandon this right now, no looking back, unless I get your assurance, Kynan.”
That gets Sin’s attention. She spins from the mirror, fixing those turbulent, witchy eyes on me.
Yes, I’d meant what I’d just said, but that’s my secondary plan. I have to at least try to convince her to get the hell out of Paris sooner rather than later, but that’s a fight for another day.
Kynan says what I need to hear. “I promise, Saint. We’ll get her out safely, too.”
I’m grateful. “Thanks, Kynan. It means a lot to me. Now, is there any word on Malik?”
He sighs before admitting, “None. He’s vanished. Like a ghost.”
Those words hurt—punching me deeply in the gut. Sin is all but forgotten as I close my eyes and picture the last time I’d hung out with Malik the night before he left on his mission. It’s not fair.
“We’ve got lots of people working on it,” Kynan says. “President Alexander has even personally put his resources to work.”
“That’s good,” I murmur. Opening my eyes, I realize Sin has gone stock-still as she carefully studies me, concern etched on her face.
She steps off the dais and walks toward me, coming to kneel on the thick carpet between my legs. It’s not in a sexual manner. Her arms settle on my thighs, her hands casually resting there in a silent show of support. At the end of this, I’ll damn well never walk away from her.
I cover one of her hands with my own as I tell Kynan, “Don’t call me anymore. Mercier is watching me.”
“Understood,” Kynan says. “And stay safe, okay?”
“Got it,” I say. “Find Malik.”
“Got it,” he replies before disconnecting.
“No word on your friend?” Sin asks. I had told her about Jameson, all the friends I’d made there, and about Malik—how he was presumably taken prisoner but could just as easily be dead.
I shake my head, reaching to tug on one of her curls. “You feel like getting something to eat?”
Smiling, she coyly tilts her head. “I thought you wanted me to try on all this lingerie for you?”
“I say we buy it all,” I reply, tossing the phone on the couch. I tug Sin up from the floor, urging her onto my lap. “You can give me a private show in my hotel room.”
“I like the sound of that,” she murmurs, leaning in to nuzzle my neck.