Page 80 of Sinner's Salvation

Evan pulled away to check them, but no one was visible.

“Let’s go, Evan,” Baz said, his voice irritated.

He and Anna released each other slowly.

“Take care of yourself,” Anna said softly.

“Stay safe,” he replied.

They nodded at each other. He picked up his gear and rifle and went up the stairs.

Baz and the twin bruisers were waiting for him. All of them had their arms crossed over their chests, looking about as friendly as a polar bear convention.

Evan closed the hatch leading down the stairs into the safe room, then walked out to face them. He studied their faces. This was the first time he’d had to explain himself to the family of a woman he wanted.

But this was no ordinary family, and Anna was no ordinary woman.

“I’ve known about Anna for a long time,” he said. “I observed her from a distance at several events, and had no intention of introducing myself. My grandfather had told me stories about her, and he made it clear that secrecy was a life or death thing for her.”

“Why did he tell you?” one of the twins asked.

“I think he kept track of her through the news and in the last few years, social media. He was concerned that keeping her secret was getting harder and harder. After I’d been in Army Intelligence for a couple of years, and he was near the end of his life, he decided she might need some covert help.”

“This situation has been anything but covert,” Baz drawled.

“True, Ledger’s actions required a fast response, and I had limited resources at my disposal.” He shrugged. “If it hadn’t been me assigned to respond to Ledger’s request, things would have gotten ugly for her and the baby agent.”

Baz stared at him, his gaze narrow. “My Mom is not the kind of woman who does casual, short-term relationships. If that’s what you’re after, you can fuck right off.”

The twins both looked at Baz, their jaws hanging open. A moment later, they snapped their jaws closed and turned to glare at Evan.

“I want to be with her,” he said simply. “Not for a day, a weekend, or a month, but for as long as I’ve got. I don’t care about her abilities or power or politics. She’s a woman with a lot of responsibilities and visibility, but no one is looking afterhersecurity. I haven’t talked to her about it, yet, but I’d like to take on that job.”

“You expect us to believe that?” The twin on his left asked.

“You think no one has professed to love her and promised to keep loving her no matter how old or sick they got?” his brother asked. “They always turned around and betrayed her. Every single fucking one of them.”

“You’re going to grow old and die,” Baz said. “At some point, you’re going to become resentful.”

Evan looked from one man to another and another. There wasn’t an iota of give in any of their faces and body language.

He could understand their perspective. It pissed him the fuck off, but he could understand it.

“Then I guess I’ll have to prove to you assholes that you don’t know everything about everyone.” He gave the twins a half smile, then turned to Baz. “Is there a way for me to end up in the hotel’s underground parking lot using that secret staircase?”

“Where are you planning to go?” Baz asked.

“Ideally, I’d like to walk out of the public elevator in the lobby.” He grinned. “I want to stir up the hornet’s nest and see what comes out.”

“That’s a dangerous thing to do,” Baz said. “You could end up in custody or just disappear all together.”

“Ledger’s claims are crazy. He thinks your kind of vampires can be created and controlled. He has no concept of what you actually are. How rare you are. The difficulties you live with.” He studied each man’s face and saw frustration and irritation on them all.

“If someone doesn’t take the fight out of the shadows and into the view of people with power and influence, he’s not going to stop until you’re all captured or dead.”

“And you think you’re the right person to do that?” Baz asked.

“Yeah, I think I am.”

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