Page 48 of Sanctuary

We sat in companionable silence, scanning the area for anything suspicious. The street was relatively quiet—a few pedestrians, mostly locals going about their morning routines. Nothing that triggered my internal alarms.

“There,” Connor said suddenly, nodding toward a woman approaching the café. “Is that her?”

I squinted, then shook my head. “No. Elise is shorter, with red hair.”

“Just checking if you were paying attention,” he said with a hint of a smile. “You seem distracted.”

“I’m thinking about what comes after,” I admitted. “If we succeed—if we take down Matheson—it doesn’t end there. His die-hard followers will come.”

“One problem at a time,” Connor said firmly. “First Matheson, then we’ll deal with whatever comes next.”

I turned to him, suddenly needing to make him understand. “Connor, there might not be an ‘after’ for me. The best I can hope for is to disappear completely. New identity, new country. I will always be looking over my shoulder.”

His eyes hardened. “That’s not acceptable.”

“It’s reality,” I insisted. “Even if we take out Matheson, I’ll always be a liability to you and your family.”

He sat there, staring at me for a few seconds. “Doubtful. What’s Matheson’s connection to my family? You never said.”

The question I’d been dreading. I took a deep breath. “I don’t know everything. But from what I pieced together, your father refused to partner with him on something big—something illegal enough that Tomas could have exposed him. Matheson doesn’t forgive, and he never forgets.”

“He did realize he was working with the most notorious man of his time, right? Tomas… my father was a ruthless bastard.” He turned to me, and I could see the hurt in his eyes as he continued. “One time when I was a kid, I saw him shooting a man between the eyes for stealing a loaf of bread out by the pond at the estate. After three days of him laying there, they finally buried him. I made a cross out of sticks and stuck it in the ground where he’d lain. He was a stable hand for Christ’s sake,” he said, his knuckles whitening on the steering wheel. “Like he would turn Matheson over to the cops. So now this is revenge. He’s trying to destroy my family because my father said no to him.”

“Connor, I’m so sorry you had to see that. But it’s more than that,” I said carefully. “Matheson believes your clan has something he wants. Something valuable enough to risk exposing his operation.”

His brow furrowed. “What could we possibly have that would interest him?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know. Everything with Matheson is classified. All I knew was my target.”

We lapsed into silence again, the implications hanging between us. Finally, he spoke.

“After we meet your contact, we’re going straight to Declan. He needs to know what we’re facing.”

I nodded, not looking forward to that conversation. “He’ll want me dead when he finds out who I am.”

“Probably,” Connor agreed, not sugarcoating it. “But I won’t let that happen.”

His simple declaration warmed something in my chest, despite the coldness of our situation. “Why?” I asked, turning to study his profile. “After knowing about everything I was sent to do—why protect me?”

Connor was quiet for so long I thought he might not answer. Then, without taking his eyes off the café across the street, he said, “Because I believe there’s more to you than what they made you. And because...” he hesitated, then continued, “because when I look at you, I see the woman I want, not the assassin they sent.”

Chapter 23

Mia

The raw honesty in his voice left me speechless. Before I could even think of a response, movement caught my eye.

“There she is,” I said, spotting a petite woman with vibrant red hair approaching the café. “That’s Elise.”

Connor immediately tensed, his hand moving instinctively toward his waistband where I knew he kept his gun. “How do we play this?”

“Warily,” I replied, already opening my door. “Follow my lead but stay alert. If anything feels wrong—”

“We’re out,” he finished, nodding.

We crossed the street together, my heart pounding with each step. Elise was already inside, seated at a corner table with her back to the wall and a clear view of both exits. Classic agency positioning. She spotted us immediately, her green eyes widening slightly at the sight of Connor beside me.

“Amelia,” she greeted as we approached, using my real name with an ease that made me flinch. “And this hottie must be the husband.”

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