Page 75 of Cooper

When she turns, I swallow.

There’s a long, gold chain around her neck and a red-colored stone—that matches the dress—is now nestled in her cleavage.

I let out a low whistle.

“You’re killing me,” I say quietly.

“I’ve never been able to afford things like this,” she admits. “And I’ve also never been overly girlie. But I want to be.”

“You only need to be you,” I reply, “but I like this too.”

“Do you?” She seems momentarily unsure. “You’re falling for a tomboy who’s building muscle, not a diva in a red dress.”

“I’m falling for a strong, beautiful, diverse woman who can be more than one thing at any one time. Tough and beautiful, focused and vulnerable, resilient and insecure… you can be those things, baby, and I love them all.”

She slowly walks toward me again. “I like being vulnerable with you. And when you say I’m beautiful.”

“I’ll never stop telling you how beautiful you are.” I reach out a hand, and she takes it, letting me pull her onto my lap. “And now I’m going to show you.”

TWENTY-SIX

Natalia

The security briefingthe next morning is frustrating.

“As for the man we caught yesterday afternoon,” Joe says, shaking his head. “We brought in an Arabic translator, but the guy isn’t giving us anything. He’s not in any terrorist database, here in Limaj or anywhere in the world that we have access to so far. Ace is reaching out to some CIA contacts to see if they can tell us who he is.”

“Most of our issues are domestic,” Sandor says thoughtfully. “And theBojovnik Brat, who comes from Russia and Georgia. I don’t know what this could be about, but we’re digging in. Until then, we’ll let him simmer in a prison up north for a few weeks. See if he changes his tune after he spends some time cold, dirty, and hungry.”

“It’s June,” Cooper says. “Is it still cold enough to be a deterrent?”

“Up in the mountains where we have our nastiest prison? Yes. It’s not well insulated, plumbing is rudimentary, and electricity is hit and miss. It’s June, as you say, so it’s not cold enough for anyone to actually freeze, but hopefully, he’ll be miserable enough to talk.”

“What would you think about a little road trip?” Joe asks me.

“I’m game. What’s the mission?”

“Escorting our prisoner to the hell he’s going to be living for the next few weeks.”

I frown. “I’m happy to do anything you ask, but why me?”

“Well, you haven’t been home in a while. I thought maybe you’d like to stop and see your parents.”

“Oh.” I don’t know what to say. I have an okay relationship with my mom, as long as she’s not trying to marry me off, but my dad and I butt heads and my grandmother is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s so it’s almost impossible to communicate with her. I’d like to see my sisters, though. “Whatever you need,” is all I say.

“Sandor and I were talking about the logistics of the trip up north a little while ago and agreed it’s a good time for you to see the prison. Both you and Cooper, since it’s a good opportunity for him to see that part of the country. Marcus is going too, for that very reason.”

“Won’t we be short-staffed here?” I ask.

He shrugs. “We’ll make do. Marcus will head back as soon as you drop off the prisoner, but if you want to go see family for a day or two over the weekend, we can handle it since no one has to be at the school. That was our thought process in the timing. But you’d have to leave tomorrow.”

A road trip and change of scenery sounds good, even if we’re just escorting a prisoner. But I’m not sure about going to visit my family. My parents won’t be happy about me having an American boyfriend, since I denied it when I spoke to my mother, but I’m not sure what to say or do about that. I’m sure she knows I was lying.

Anyone who isn’t one of us, at least in their minds, is unacceptable. Plus, we’re sleeping together. Another big sin from their perspective. And living together? My father will probably stroke out on the spot.

It’s a lot to think about, especially since I still don’t know if Cooper is going to stay.

If he’d made up his mind, it would be different, but the way things are now, I’m not sure it’s a good idea.

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