Page 101 of Dangerous Rhythm

“There is a difference, Curtis. Nobody put a bounty on my head,” she snapped. “I need to go to the Stilettos’ territory to stake out Sofia. I don’t want you to be anywhere in the vicinity.”

“When we decided to come home, we agreed to deal with this together. This is my problem, not yours. I got myself into this mess. I need to get myself out of it. But I know I can’t do it by myself. I need your help, but I don’t want you going all hero-mode to protect me and go out there alone.”

“Who says I’m gonna be alone? I’m not stupid,” Lina retorted. “Of course I’ll have backup. But if you come, then my focus is gonna be on you.”

“You know I can take care of myself. You train me so I can.”

“If it comes to that, Curtis. It doesn’t mean putting yourself in harm’s way.”

“What harm’s way? You said it’s a stakeout. We’ll be just observing in a car, right? Cheap coffee, maybe a cigarette and a pair of binoculars?”

Lina scoffed along with an eye roll. It’d most likely go that way—minus the cigarette.

“Yeah, and it’ll be boring. You can’t keep still for over five minutes,” she pointed out. “How will you survive boring hours ina car? And no, you can’t just get out and walk around. We’ll be in enemy territory.”

“Any hour I spend with you can’t be boring, my love.” He plastered his best grin on his face.

Lina mimed a gagging face that made Curtis laugh.

“I’m serious, Curtis,” she told him. “We are not some teenagers crazed in love.”

“Maybe not teenagers, but we are—”

“We need to be practical, strategic, and safe about this,” Lina talked over his muttering. “I can’t be worrying about you when I’m doing this. And if I get a chance for a face-to-face with Sofia, she’ll most likely talk with another woman. She might see you as a threat.”

“I’m a threat? When her mother wants me dead?”

“There are too many variables we don’t know yet about Sofia. We can’t risk you being spotted,” Lina said firmly. “This is not a negotiation. You’re staying here.”

Curtis’ lips flattened into a straight line.

Lina walked to him and took his hands to soothe the blow. “I’m not being a hero, I promise you. I’m just gathering information.”

His tight jaw loosened as he looked at her. “I’m not happy about this.”

“I know. But you’re a smart guy. You know I’m right.”

“Who are you going with?”

“Kate.” Lina explained, “She’s been studying the Stilettos. She knows them better than any of us.”

“Is she a ninja like you?”

Lina laughed. “She can handle herself. I trust her to cover my back.”

“I’m supposed to cover your back.”

Lina wrapped her arms around him and, with a smile, suggested, “You can covermy backwhen I get home.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Well, that’s an enticing offer.” Cupping her face in his hands, Curtis kissed her. “Promise me you won’t risk yourself for me.”

Lina sighed at the request. “Curtis, there’s always a risk.”

He looked her in the eyes and asked again, “Promise me.”

She met his gaze. “You know I can’t do that.”

“Lina—”

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