Page 93 of Hurry Up And Wait
“You can’t keep this a secret,” Red argued. “When this comes out—and it will come out—she’s going to be pissed you kept this from her. She’s going to think you’re trying to control her. Not to mention, she won’t like the fact that you have a fiancée.”
“I’m not trying to control her. Just the outcome.”
“And the fiancée part?”
That was something she could never find out. “The senator’s just trying to keep me in line. If I distance myself from her, he’ll back off.”
“You can’t be serious,” Eli said incredulously. “How the fuck are you going to explain that to Isla?”
“Easy. We’re on a job and it’s intense. I’ll be home when I can.”
I knew neither of them agreed with me, but what woman would willingly go along with what I was doing? I couldn’t risk losing Isla—not when I finally had her back.
“That wasn’t an idle threat,” Eli pointed out. “If he contacts her husband?—”
“I know,” I snapped. “Fuck, I know what he could do.”
We all knew the senator could make a simple phone call and get her husband riled up again. Hell, he could do worse than that and not even involve him. The senator had racked up a lot of friends in powerful positions over the years. I wouldn’t put it past him to try something stupid to put me in my place.
“What do you want to do?”
What I wanted to do was go home, but that wouldn’t be happening now. “Nothing. I’m staying here. You guys go home for the weekend.”
“You’re staying? With your fiancée?” Red let out a low whistle.
“I’m protecting Isla. I’ll stay away until I figure something out. If I’m not with her, the senator can’t use her.”
“That’s what you think,” Red muttered.
I shoved my fingers through my hair and sighed. “It’s fine. Go home. I’ll call Isla and explain. And somehow, I’ll figure out how to get myself out of this without blowing the whole fucking job.”
Eli walked closer, lowering his voice. “You know, it occurs to me that you could solve all your problems by removing one person.”
“Yes, but if I killed the senator, how would I get the information for Cash?”
“I didn’t say it was perfect. Just keep it at the back of your mind. You might need to use it someday.”
22
ISLA
I rushed outof the shower, flinging my towel across the room as I grabbed something sexy out of my dresser. I’d been waiting for this call all day—the one where Kavanaugh would tell me he was only fifteen minutes away. Seeing him on the weekends wasn’t nearly enough for me, but that was life with a protection agent.
Shimmying into my lacy thong, I cringed at the feel of it wedging between my butt cheeks. I didn’t find it at all comfortable, but Kavanaugh liked the look. I was just wiggling into my negligee when I heard her footsteps on the stairs. I tugged it the rest of the way down and rushed to my bedroom door.
“I need you to leave!”
“Well, hello to you too. Nice…boobs.”
I covered my chest and glared at her. “Don’t stare at my boobs.”
“Well, you’re the one walking around with them hanging out.”
“Kavanaugh’s coming home tonight.”
“Ah, well, that explains so much. But I’m not leaving.”
“What? Come on,” I begged. “I haven’t seen him in a week!”