Page 47 of No Bones About It

That made her frown. “It’s a very isolated area. That many vehicles nearby would be easy to spot.”

He grinned at her. “Thinking like an agent already. We’ll have the teams wait a few miles out. Once Shirisha hears and sees what she needs to see, she’ll have the group mobilize quickly.”

Garrett leaned forward, eyes trained on Shirisha. “If you have Brandon wired up, why do you need Kimi at all?”

Shirisha nodded. “We don’t want Brandon to stand out. The original plan was to have two agents inside. As Brandon said, we could go without a second person, but any deviation from the original plan means someone is going to notice. In these kinds of situations, it’s best to stay under the radar and avoid any kind of notice or questions. It’s better if they see what they expect to see.”

The woman turned to Kimi. “The final decision is yours.”

“What would my role be if I go in with Brandon?”

Shirisha turned back to let Brandon answer. “As I said, Jason is a rich asshole who is always looking for the next thrill. Marlena Lauzon is Jason’s current companion. Also rich, obviously gorgeous. Marlena’s online presence is mostly of hotspots around the world where she’s visited. She’s not a fan of selfies, and any photos of her are from the back or where she’s obscured. The photos are actually of Olivia, but we’re careful to never show her face fully. There’s never enough for facial recognition to identify her. Her online presence has been carefully curated to portray a rich woman who doesn’t want people prying into her life but one who enjoys adventures.”

Kimi snorted. “I’m not sure I can pull off rich socialite. I’m a jeans and boots kind of gal.”

Shirisha smiled. “You have similar bone structure and coloring to Olivia. We’d provide the clothing and jewelry to go along with the Marlena persona.”

Terese leaned forward. “There’s nothing on the socials to indicate Marlena would approve of dog fighting or animal cruelty. There are some posts showing her with a golden lab, so you wouldn’t have to pretend to enjoy the fight.”

Brandon leaned back, nodding. “We could set it up as if I’m taking you somewhere as a surprise. I think you’ll have fun, but you could be turned off by the whole thing. As long as we don’t descend to full-on arguing and fighting, we should be good. That way, you wouldn’t have to worry about your disgust showing.”

Kimi nodded slowly. “That would make it easier. I’ve never been a good liar.”

They talked it over for a while longer, going over the specifics of what would happen. Then Shirisha smiled. “I think we should leave you to think about it. The operation is set for tomorrow night. We’re staying at the local B&B tonight. Marcus has our numbers. Why don’t you let us know your decision tomorrow morning? Either way, thank you for your information and for considering the plan.”

Soon, the group left, leaving Kimi and Garrett alone with their animals. He took her hand, and they did a walk of their properties, checking on the new goats first and then the rest of their menagerie.

They talked about anything but the FBI request.

Back inside the cottage, they made omelets and talked about adding chickens to the group, especially baby chicks. It would be a great learning opportunity for local kids.

After they’d cleaned up, Kimi wrapped her arms around Garrett where he stood at the sink, drying the last of the plates. She kissed his back and leaned into him. “Thank you.”

He turned and wrapped his arms around her and swayed with her. “You’re welcome. Don’t know for what, though.”

She heard the smile in his voice, and looked up to see that not only did he know what she was talking about, he knew what decision she’d made. “I’m going to do it.”

His eyes darkened with fear, but he nodded with a slight quirk to his lips. “I know.”

She smiled. “And you’re going to be in the group taking down the assholes.”

He nodded. “I am. We’re going to get them, Kimi. And we’re going to keep you safe.”

She reached up to seal the vow with a kiss, desperate for his hands on her, desperate for his heart and his confidence.

The kiss turned nuclear in an instant, and Garrett had them both naked in seconds. Her need for him echoed back at her as he lifted her to the table and kissed her senseless. She wanted to cry out her love for this amazing man, but she held back. If something happened to her tomorrow, she didn’t want it to destroy Garrett.

He’d lost so much and she couldn’t stand to think her choices might have him losing again.

So, she held back the words but nothing else, as he sent her soaring over the edge with his fingers. Then again with his tongue.

When he finally slipped into her, his name fell from her lips like a prayer, and she sent her love spinning out into the universe.

CHAPTER 17

Saddle Up

If Garrett thought of it as a mission, he could stay calm. Well, calmer.

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