Page 60 of Don't Look Back

Kira marveled at Rand’s comfort behind the wheel as he navigated the dark and twisting roads of a foreign country. She imagined finding his way in a foreign land was part of SEAL training, but still, he drove with the same relaxed air he’d had in DC—and while she could navigate Dupont Circle like a boss, she wasneverrelaxed while doing it.

“I’m glad you’re here,” she said, surprising herself when the words slipped out.

“Me too. And I know you know this, but it’s worth repeating, you were incredible back there. I can’t believe you took down an FSB agent like that.”

“Chase made it clear that the first few seconds would be critical for catching an attacker off guard. And Andre—or whatever his name is—really only saw me as a twit. He feared you, not me. I’m sure he saw you leave the hotel, then waited just long enough so I’d believe it was you coming back.”

“I’ve heard Chase is a good teacher. After tonight, I’m a believer. I’m going to see if my sister will take classes from him. When did you start taking classes?”

“Once my doctor cleared me after the concussion. I was so scared on that roof that night. I never wanted to have ‘retreat and call for help’ as my only option again.”

Rand took her hand in his. “You did what you had to do that night. And tonight, you did what you could do. I think you’re pretty fucking amazing.”

“I’m not a Valkyrie, but I’m trying.”

“I see no reason why you couldn’t be a Valkyrie.”

“It’s actually something I very much want. But until a few months ago, I couldn’t get a passport. Without that and a security clearance, it wasn’t possible. Now that…well, if my dad really was a spy, I’ll never get any kind of security clearance.”

She gasped and slapped a hand over her mouth. “Rand. Shit. My father. He sent you away.Droveyou away with lies about a boyfriend. If I told you about Apollo when I was out of it, I could very well have told him about you. And the strawberries. And that you’re a SEAL. If we got involved…at some point, that could have triggered a background check on me, and he couldn’t risk that.”

He squeezed the hand he still held. “That makes sense. He was worried about his own secrets. But Kira, you still haven’t explained the strawberries.”

She pulled her hand from his and twisted in her seat so she could see him in profile. Her heart beat steady and loudly as she made her confession. “That night, right before I heard the men outside my apartment door, I was in my kitchen eating strawberry ice cream. And I fantasized about licking it off your chest. But then I worried you might be allergic. I imagined asking you in a text, so I could be sure my sex fantasy did you no harm.”

“I am definitely not allergic, and you can use me as an ice cream dish anytime. Real or imagined.”

ChapterTwenty-Nine

The apartment in a city on the coast north of Valletta was a small one-bedroom, but unlike most of the places they’d seen so far, very modern with marble countertops, stainless steel appliances, and a not-enclosed balcony that overlooked the sea.

It was on the fifth floor and had a state-of-the-art security system that included ironwork on the exterior doors that wasn’t just decorative. Freya knew how to find a vacation rental for the paranoid traveler. Or ones with Russian spies on their heels.

Kira was dizzy on her feet after the day she’d had. It had started with a visit with Cousin Andre in his hotel room and ended with his invasion of her room.

Now she was in an apartment in Sliema, having left the trussed-up spy in her lovely room with a view of the Grand Harbor. “I think I liked the view of the harbor and Fort St. Angelo better than the dark sea.”

She felt Rand’s stare as he said, “The view is beautiful from my perspective.”

She smiled and carried her bag into the bedroom. Today had been a roller coaster, and it wasn’t over yet. She shouldn’t act on the impulse she was feeling, but honestly didn’t know if she’d be able to restrain herself.

Still, she’d try.

“I’m going to take a shower, then we need to read the notes.” It was wild to think she’d had two letters—actual communication with her father’s secret “friend”—forhours,but hadn’t read them yet. She might as well take a shower. What was another twenty minutes?

“I’ll make sure everything is secure while you shower.”

“Thank you.”

She was practically in a daze as she stripped and stepped into the hot spray, but within a few minutes, she felt rejuvenated. It was nearing eleven p.m., and she had no clue what time it was in the US, which told her the long day had dispelled all traces of jetlag.

She wondered how Rand coped, being a day behind her, but knew SEAL training had probably given him some kind of magic control of his body clock and sleep schedule.

A few hours ago, she’d been prepared to never see him again. Now she couldn’t imagine being here without him. In the immortal words of Ferris Bueller,Life moves pretty fast.

Had her father tried to run Rand off because he feared a background check would reveal his and her mother’s secrets? It made sense. Her father had always wanted her to be happy, and she couldn’t imagine him trying to sabotage a potential relationship for any other reason.

But he’d put his needs above Kira’s, and she was fairly certain that day at the hospital and his interference in the weeks that followed were far from the first time he’d prioritized his secrets over Kira’s happiness.

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