Passing through the doorway, Liam stilled when he saw her. Then his eyebrows slammed into a vee and red dotted his cheeks. “Bitch!”
“Such language is rather uncouth, don’t you think?”
His eyes widened at her accent. “Who the hell are you?”
“I’m the spy you willingly let into your organization, and the woman who’s brought down your whole family.”
The redness on Liam’s face increased. “Donny was right. I should have forced you to submit to me. Taught you to be a proper lady.”
Her smile disappeared, and she took a step closer. “You’d have lost something rather precious to you.” Her gaze flicked to his crotch. “And learned that this lady runs the show. It will be a pleasure to watch you rot in jail, you son of a bitch.”
From the floor by the sofa came a low laugh. Audra stepped back and looked past Liam and the cops to see Donny sitting on the floor, an officer holding a rag to his nose. In addition to the damage she’d inflicted, he now had a swollen left eye and cheek.
He looked past her at Liam with his good eye. “How does it feel to be the bitch? Sucks, doesn’t it?” Another crazed laugh followed.
Audra shook her head. She turned to Sam. “I’m done here.”
He held out a hand to her, his gaze on Liam. “Have fun in prison.”
Lacing their fingers together, Audra walked out without another glance.
Forty-Four
Five weeks later…
Audra rubbed her temples as she left the SIS building for the last time. That exit interview process had been grueling. But her case was out of her hands now. Dee had everything; the prosecutors did too. She just had to wait for the trial. But for now, her role as a spy was done.
“Hey, pretty lady. Can I buy you a drink?”
For a split second, the words “Get lost” were on the tip of her tongue before the voice registered.
A wide smile covered her face as she turned.
“Hi, Aud.”
She let out a squeal and launched herself at him. “You’re here!”
Sam caught her and wrapped her in his muscular arms. “Of course I am. You’re officially retired. Which means you’re all mine.”
She leaned back in his embrace to frame his face in her hands. “I am. And I’m so very excited. My bags are packed and waiting. All I have to do is run by my flat and grab them before heading to the airport.”
A gleam entered his eyes. “About that…”
Audra tipped her head, trying to read his expression. “What?”
“I was wondering if you’d be open to a little detour before we catch our plane. And yes, I booked myself on your flight.”
“I’m glad. What do you mean, though? What kind of detour?” She couldn’t imagine what he meant. They didn’t have a lot of time before their flight left. Only tonight. Her move to Costa Rica had been in the works for over a month. Ever since the day after they took down Brogan, Callahan, and the Powells. She’d decided she was done with spy work. Bright and early tomorrow morning, she was supposed to fly down to Costa Rica.
He dropped a quick, but heated kiss on her lips, then released her. “Come on.”
“What? Sam, where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
He led her to the tube station, where they boarded the train. After two line changes, they ended up at Southwark, where they got off. Audra still had no clue where they were going.
Outside the station, they crossed Blackfriars Road, then went up Union Street before turning right onto Great Suffolk Street. He stopped in front of a building with colorful windows.