Page 66 of Trick's Trap

He shook his head. “No. We’re checking out. I’m having the Caislean jet meet us at the airport. I’m taking Tahlia back to Boston.”

“What?” Tahlia’s ice-blue eyes blinked at him.

“I know you were worried about bringing trouble home, but if this wasn’t an accident, then we’re better off back there.”

“I don’t th—”

He stopped her with a few fingers to her lips. “It won’t be forever. I kept telling you to join a think tank as a job. After this, I realized we already have one. Between my family and friends and yours, we have the collective brain power of a small country. We’re going to figure out what the hell to do next together. And while we’re at it, we’re going to get married because fuck your family.Fuckthem.”

“It could have been an accident,” she protested half-heartedly.

He scowled at her, probably for the first time.

She held up a hand. “All right it wasn’t. But what about Gina and Jenny? How do we keep everyone safe?”

Trick bent to kiss her forehead. “We’ll figure it out.”

They had to.

Tahlia watchedthe falling snow from the suite’s living room window. The snowstorm had been going on for days, blanketing the city with a pristine white powder. At least that was how it appeared from a distance. Except for the roof garden, she hadn’t set a foot out of doors since they returned a few weeks ago.

The traffic on the streets below was crawling at a snail’s pace to avoid spinning out on the slushy streets.

Large swaths of Boston were on lockdown because of the weather.Kind of like me.

Staying indoors was part of the concierge doctor’s advice. Their unintended dip in the Mediterranean in winter had given her a terrible cold, one so bad Patrick was convinced it was pneumonia. The illness had knocked her out for weeks. She was still a bit shaky and tired easily.

A ray of sunlight broke through the clouds, bathing her in warmth and light. It caught the massive stone on her right hand, making it sparkle and shine. Fingering the engagement ring, Tahlia closed her eyes, soaking up the bright rays before the clouds moved again.

She turned at the sound of the electronic door lock whirling open. A wave of dizziness came over her and she swayed, her vision momentarily darkening.

“Hey.” Tahlia glanced up to see Ethan rushing toward her. He cleared the couch in a jump and was at her side in a flash. He grabbed her arm, ushering her to the couch with a murmur.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“I’m fine, thanks. It’s just taking forever to shake this cold.”

Ethan frowned but nodded anyway. He gestured to the kitchen area. “Can I fix you some tea? Or soup?”

She smiled weakly. “I ate with Maggie and Peyton a little earlier. Was there something you needed?”

At this point, Tahlia felt safe in calling the FBI agent a friend, but he wouldn’t have come into the suite she shared with Patrick alone unless it was important. Ethan wasn’t big on hanging out and chatting when he could be chasing down Peyton.

Ethan put his hands in his jean pockets. He pursed his lips. “I was looking for Trick…”

She tilted her head back in understanding. “But it’s about me, or rather about my family, isn’t it?”

“Uh…yeah.” He shuffled on his feet. “We were wondering why things were so quiet since you and Trick got back from France, so I pumped a few contacts and they dug up a possible reason.”

She leaned forward, her chest tight. “What is it?”

“Your uncle Lucas is being treated for cancer. He’s been flying back and forth to Pennsylvania from the Florida estate. There’s a pretty good cancer center at the university there.”

Tahlia’s lips parted. “I see.”

What did this mean? Her family prided itself on their good fortune. No member had ever been diagnosed with cancer before.

“There’s more.”

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