Page 17 of The Eagle's Vault

As we got closer, I spotted the woman herself, deep in conversation with Jayce and Declan. Tall, lean Declan, with the impossible-to-read hazel eyes and sexy scruff.

I withdrew my death-grip from Isaac, tucked the handbag under my arm, and rubbed my hands together. Would sweat stain the jacket? Or the clutch’s leather?

Declan leaned back from where Jayce’s head blocked his view and nodded at us. He leaned farther back, blatantly scanning the length of me, a wave of heat following those eyes. He sat forward and whispered something to Scarlett.

“I brought the distraction,” said Isaac as we reached their table.

At the table next to them, Rav, Emmett, and Malcolm looked up from their tablets.

“I’m not a distraction, Isaac.” I lowered slowly into the chair beside Jayce and pulled off one of the borrowed Louboutins, rubbing my toes.

“Too small?” asked Scarlett.

We were practically the same size and measurements, other than the required bra. “I’m not used to wearing narrow-toed shoes.”

Jayce chuckled. “She tried to get me into a pair of those torture devices once. Never again.”

Declan stood and switched to the men’s table. He wore a sleek charcoal suit that highlighted his broad shoulders and tapered form.God, he’s hot. There was something unsettling about how attractive this entire team was. How much confidence of different flavors dominated the space between these two tables.

I didn’t belong here. I ran a hand through my hair, shaking off the thought. This was about my talent and knowledge that could help with the vault. This wasn’t a heist, it was a penetration test. A safety check. Nothing more.

Scarlett pulled a tiny something out of her purse. An earpiece so small it might get lost in my ear. “Pop this in. We’ll be in contact the whole time.”

I nestled it into my ear—far more comfortable than the shoes. Voices assaulted me and I closed my eyes, trying to latch onto one. The men at the table next to us, a female not at the restaurant with me, maybe more, I couldn’t tell. Each time I grabbed one, it slipped away, replaced by at least two others.

“It gets disorienting with everyone chattering. You’ll get used to it.” Scarlett touched my hand, and I opened my eyes. Her voice coming at me from the real world and the earpiece shot a wave of nausea through my stomach. “Whatever you do, don’t take it out.”

Isaac took Declan’s vacated seat. “Do I get one?”

Scarlett shook her head. “We only have one spare right now. We’ll keep you in the loop.”

A female voice piped up through my earpiece. “Hi, Leigh, I’m Brie. I’ll be running tech ops at HQ.”

“And I’m Will,” came a male voice with a slight British accent. “I designed the earpiece and I’d love your feedback once you’re done. New users always have the best input.”

“Thanks, and uh… hi?” My words sounded odd in the bustling café.

Declan sauntered over, radiating confidence that was nearly infectious and definitely inspiring.

Scarlett held up a hand, cutting off whatever remark he was about to make. “We went over everything this morning. Your cover story is simple: You two are Frederick and Georgia Stirling, a married couple. Declan may touch your hand, waist, or shoulder in a professional manner. No PDAs beyond that.”

My stomach clenched—as well as a few other places—at the thought of his hands on me.

Scarlett seemed to sense my doubts. “You don’t have to do this, Leigh. I can still go in with him.”

No. I had to do this. I was the best equipped to evaluate the vault, to deliver accurate feedback to Isaac. But the idea of playing dress-up with Declan still had my heart racing. I pushed my discomfort aside, nodding at Scarlett. “I’ve got this.”

She handed me a sleek smartphone, its surface reflecting the midday sunlight. “Don’t try to unlock it. If you see anything interesting, point the phone’s camera at it. Brie and Will are receiving a constant stream from it, so we’ll have the intel.”

High-tech eyes and ears, an undercover husband, and a mission to penetrate a fortress. This was getting real, real fast.

“Comms check,” said Rav, just as gravelly through the earpiece. One by one, the team confirmed, adding to the chaotic chorus in my ear. I tried to keep a normal conversation going with Isaac, telling him what was going on, but the unending chatter made it near-impossible.

“Time to go.” Declan offered his elbow to me. “Darling.”

I glanced past him to Cassaforte Caetani, two blocks away. The enormity of the challenge ahead settled over me. This was the big leagues. It wasn’t little-Leigh sketching designs in her room, teenage-Leigh sweeping up filings to help around the family shop, or nearly-an-adult-Leigh still working on her degree while working part time. This was woman-Leigh, capable and strong, able to step out in a pair of Louboutins and search for security weaknesses.

“Don’t worry.” Declan’s whisper was so smooth I could almost imagine there weren’t seven other people listening in. “I’ve done this plenty of times. I’ve got you.”

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