Page 42 of The Eagle's Vault

Adrenaline spiked in my veins, instincts kicking into overdrive.

“Shit,” I muttered, yanking Leigh to the side, pressing us both against the wall. If it was danger, I’d protect her. If it was someone with questions, we’d be a couple making out in the wee hours.

A man stepped out of the elevator, his face obscured by a sweatshirt hood. He didn’t spare a glance our way, walked past us, fumbling with a keycard. I studied him, my senses on high alert. A guest, nothing more. From the smell of him, he’d been out drinking all night.

Once he’d disappeared into his room, I turned back to Leigh. “Just a guest. He’s not a danger to us.”

Leigh was pale, her breath coming in shallow gasps. “I’ve never been… this… before.” She pressed a palm to her forehead.

Panic splintered through me. The headaches Isaac was always asking about. We didn’t have time for this. “Are you okay?”

“Fine.” She looked up at me, her pinched cheeks a mix of fear and embarrassment. “I’m not usually like this.”

“Oh, you mean, being brave and facing danger head-on?” I quipped, feigning ignorance, hoping that teasing her might help break some of whatever was going on in her brain. “Yeah, I can totally see that.”

Her eyes widened a fraction, but I saw the hint of a smile. We held each other’s gaze for a beat, my body still pressed against her, unspoken words hanging heavy in the silence. It was just us, and the world outside had ceased to exist.

The logical part of my brain said run for the stairs, but every other part saidKiss the fear out of her.

Rav’s voice came from down the hall. “Thanks for waiting, lovebirds, but we’re good now.” He headed in our direction with Isaac in tow.

I stiffened. “We weren’t—”

But Rav had already brushed past us, the hint of a smirk on his face.

“Come on,” I said, another moment lost. “Let’s get to the van.”

Chapter 16

Declan

St.Peter’sSquarelookedlike an oil painting under the dawn’s light. Scarlett, Rav, and I lingered behind the massive pillars at its periphery, their shadows long in the early morning. A sweeper here, a trash collector there, their shifts over as the blush of sunrise arrived. A handful of tourists—too few for comfort, their wide-eyed gazes pinballing between the square’s marvels and us.

The world was still half-asleep, and all I wanted was a pillow. The night had been too long and we hadn’t slept since running from the hotel.

I strained to pick out movement in the shadows at the edges of the square. Anyone could hide there, from Edoardo’s goons to the morning breeze playing tricks on my mind.

Scarlett’s sigh was soft, blending in with the distant sound of traffic. “Never thought I’d get homesick in the middle of a job.”

Malcolm, on the other side of the square, said over our earpiece, “Soon enough, honey lips. We’ll be out of here once this is over.”

A chuckle caught in my throat. Scarlett and Malcolm were the last people I needed reminding me of their couple status. Every knowing glance, every time Malcolm’s hand found the small of her back. His plan was to move in with Emmett when we got home, but I had a feeling Emmett’s spare bedroom would remain just as empty as it was right now.

“Just a few more hours and we’re out of here.” Rav, his gaze as sharp as his words, scanned the scene with binoculars. “I’ll be happier when you’re home, and we can deal with these photos.”

“Don’t worry about me. The photos aren’t an issue. They only show my hand near the ring and don’t provide evidence I took it. Besides, it didn’t belong to the Albrechts, so what legal ground do they have to stand on?”

I checked Scarlett’s shoes, watching for the telltale sign she was scrunching her toes, releasing her emotions in the way her mother had taught her. There it was. She was evading the truth. She was at least as worried as we were.

“When I get my hands on whoever thought they could blackmail you…” Rav trailed off.

“Get in line, Rav,” said Malcolm.

“Focus, guys,” said Scarlett.

I checked the square’s edge again, the sneaky shadows playing hide-and-seek.

God, how had I let things go so far to shit?

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