“Would you like a drink or a snack before we take off?”
I shake my head. “I’m fine, thank you.”
“We’ll need to take our seats soon. But you still have a few minutes,” she says, before leaving me alone with my thoughts.
After a short time, I’ve had enough of the room and the wealth and power it represents. I take out my iPad and go back into the main cabin, making myself comfortable in one of the recliners near a window. While I’m configuring my tablet for Wi-Fi, Gray joins me.
“There’s been a change in plans,” he announces, taking the seat across from me. The plane is taxiing, so the change must not involve aborting the trip.
Gray’s agitated, tapping his fingers on the armrest, looking as though he appreciates last-minute changes less than I do. And I despise them.
“What kind of change?”
“We’re meeting Prince Ahmad on his boat rather than at the palace.”
There was an entire section of a briefing book dedicated to The Great Escape, the crown prince’s yacht. Gray thought there was a possibility that at some point during the visit, the prince would decide he needed more privacy than the palace allows, and we would all spend a night or two on the floating fuck toy.
“Will Princess Saher be there?” I ask, with some trepidation. If she’s not there, everything we’ve prepared for is out the window.
“I highly doubt it.”
My heart drops into my stomach as soon as the words are out of his mouth. “Why—what do you think happened?”
Gray glances at me. “Trippi thinks the prince might want to lay eyes on you before he welcomes us to the palace.”
“What do you think?”
“I don’t like it. We’re more vulnerable out on the Mediterranean. But I think it’s the most likely explanation.”
“Why the last-minute change of heart? He must have had concerns about me all along.” And if he didn’t, certainly his security had them.
Gray nods, stretching his legs out in front of him. “Gives us less time to regroup. It’s exactly what I would have done.” He reaches over and squeezes my knee. “This changes nothing. He’ll meet you, spend a little time chatting you up—he’s good for that—and we’ll be on our way to the palace before you know it.”
“What if it’s not okay? What if after meeting me, he decides I haven’t changed my stripes? What if we’re walking into an ambush? Maybe I can board the boat alone, and you and the rest of the team can go on to the palace.” All those faces on the cards. This is too important. And I certainly don’t want anyone in danger because of me.
He scoffs. “You’re not going anywhere alone with that asshole. Not while I’m still breathing.”
“Did the crew file a new flight plan?”
“Same plan. We’ll be boarding a helicopter at the airport.”
I have fifteen hours to regroup. No sweat. Then why is my stomach hurting like a sonofabitch?
“I need to work for a few hours, but you should take it easy. The Great Escape is luxurious, but you’ll be working and it won’t be very relaxing. Try to stay awake. We’ll sleep later. That way, we can begin to adjust to the time change. I have a sedative if you need it.”
I stare at the window. A last-minute change is a bad way to begin a mission.
“Delilah, I have every confidence in you. When I told Ahmad I was bringing you with me, I didn’t give him an opportunity to say no.”
“Does he normally allow you to bring guests?”
He shrugs. “It’s never come up. I always go alone. That’s why this relationship,” he gestures between us, “has to be convincing. I don’t think that’s going to be an issue,” he says, his eyes darkening. “It’s going to be fine.”
“I know.” Although I don’t know. “I just need a little time to wrap my head around the change. Let me comb through it a bit.”
Gray unbuckles his seat belt. “I’m going up front, because if I stay here any longer, I’m going to initiate you into the mile-high club—unless you’re already a member.”
“I don’t belong to any clubs. Certainly not that one.”
He smirks, and his eyes twinkle with mischief. “I brought the Lush vibrator along. It’s the perfect size for travel. Can I interest you in a little fun and games?”
I could use a big, fat orgasm right about now. The kind that makes my legs shake. “I’m good. Neither of us will accomplish anything if you pull that thing out.”
“You can have your way now, because I have things to do, but when I’m finished…” He leans over, his lips hovering just above my ear. “You. Are. Mine.”
I glance up at him, and smile flirtatiously. “Then you best get a move on.”
Gray tugs my hair back, and moves in for a kiss. But when his mouth reaches mine, he grabs my bottom lip between his teeth, holding it securely for several seconds before releasing it. He places a small kiss on the bridge of my nose and strides off, leaving my heart racing.
Once he’s gone, I push the seat back a bit and put on my headphones to listen to an audio book. Dobbins brings me a Blanton’s, which I savor slowly while listening to the narrator’s sexy baritone, until the story is over.
Don’t ask me about the book, I’m sure it was fascinating, but I’ve been ogling Gray from afar for the past two hours, and truly, he’s a far more interesting character than any author could conjure.
He’s abandoned the laptop and is sitting back, studying the clouds. I suppose he has a lot on his mind too. Everyone prepares differently.
Although I don’t pretend to know every detail, he put a lot of time and energy into this mission—including thoroughly preparing me for the trip. Some of it’s about his need for control, but the rest—the rest was about making it as easy on me as possible.
There are many things that could go wrong, dreadfully wrong. But if they do, I’ll die doing something I dreamed about since I was a teenager. But what about Gray? Is this the end of a decade’s worth of work? After this, can he still pretend to be the prince’s friend, or is that over? And what if the mission takes him down? That’s my worst nightmare. It’s been nagging since Gray told me to call Smith if something happens to him.
I tip my head from side to side, to stretch the tight muscles. But I can’t stop thinking about one of us dying.
Nothing prepares us for when the door closes suddenly. Nothing. All the words left unsaid—the opportunities to make things right. That all evaporates with the last breath.
Gray turns around and catches my eye, giving me one of those lazy half-smiles that makes me melt.
He’s stopped asking about Archbishop Darden. But I want to tell him. I want him to know that I’m not a cold-blooded killer—that I wouldn’t kill a man without an excellent reason. I’m not some crazy, out-of-control chick. I’ve wanted to tell him for almost a week, but the time never seemed right.
I remove the headphones, setting them on the table beside me, and fuss with my hair, finger-combing the flat strands. I don’t want this to go unsaid for another minute. And I don’t want to lose my chance to make it right.