Page 59 of Vengeful Secret

“Because you want to protect me and our daughter. I don’t want to do it either, but if we pull this off?—”

“And what if we don’t? What if it all goes wrong?”

“Then you or one of your men will get me out of there. Right?”

I look down at her, thinning my lips before I speak. “Right.”

“We’re doing the right thing, Gray.”

It doesn’t feel right. It feels so terribly wrong that I can’t believe I ever came up with it. But Sutton’s right. I’m doing this to help protect them.

“Let’s go over the plan," Sutton insists, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

“Not yet,” I mutter, and lean down to cup her face in my hands.

I kiss her deeply, so deeply that she makes a slight moan into my mouth.

Sutton licks her lips as she looks up at me, smiling. “Now can we talk about the plan?”

“Go for it.”

“So, we go in at the same time. I go to the back, flirt with a stupid Murphy. You stay at the bar, watching. What happens when I find something out?”

“Escape. Find me.”

She nods. “Simple enough.”

I can’t believe I’ve suggested this. I can’t believe I’m sending the woman I love into a den of vipers. And Idolove her. All this time between us hasn’t changed a damn thing. When I look at her, I still have butterflies in my stomach.

This could be over. We could figure out exactly when they’re going to strike, and strike back harder.

It’s the only way.

17

SUTTON

I head into the bathroom,changing out of the outfit and letting out a breath I’ve been holding too long. I saw the way Gray looked at me, and I almost wish… it doesn’t matter what I wish.

What I have to do is focus on the plan tonight.

When I come back into the bedroom, Gray’s gone. I spend some time alone, thinking about this plan.

It’s dangerous, and not what I want for myself and Ciara. But it could make us safe at the same time.

I sigh, curling up on my bed to wait for Ciara to get out of school. I didn’t think I would fall asleep, but I do, almost instantly.

When I wake up, my phone is buzzing with an alarm, telling me that it’s time to pick up Ciara. I hurry outside to the car, making it there without incident.

When I arrive, I just go through the drive through to pick her up, and Ciara bounces to the car before pouting slightly.

“Where's Gray?"

“He's stuck at work, honey.”

She huffs out a put-upon sigh but gets in the backseat, buckling herself up in her booster seat.

“And you’re going to go stay with Marisol tonight. Will that be okay?”

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