Page 122 of Red Flag
“And you don’t want to explain it now,” I finished for him.
“I want to find the correct words,” he admitted. “I want to explain it right. I can always fly to my mum tonight and come back tomorrow—”
“You can’t do that!” I argued, holding on to his top. “Nix, go to your mum. She clearly needs you.”
He nodded, holding my hands attached to him. “I hate leaving you, but… you should stay with your family. I don’t want you to meet my mum when she’s like this.”
“I’ll meet her whenever you’re ready,” I said and reached on my tiptoes to kiss him.
He gripped my chin to drag me back and kiss me for longer. “God. What did I do right to get you?”
“Must have been something pretty spectacular,” I joked.
His grin was breathtaking. Damn it, I really wanted to go with him.
“Can you do me a favour?” he asked. “I’ll tell my manager to call you if he needs to up the amount of money for the deal… whatever it is, do it. I don’t wantCallyto have to go through any more shit than she has to right now.”
Well, that answered my question. It wasn’t forhimbut forher.
“Just don’t give anything away about the two of us to him. I don’t want him to know.”
Before I could question that, he continued, “I’ll get a taxi back to ours. You go back in the car.”
“Will someone come and grab it from the garage?”
He shook his head. “Livid, it’s ours.”
Ours? He’d only hired it for the rest of the week.
“You…”
He ruffled my hair. “I thought you liked this one?”
I gave a nod.
“You think I’m going to have somewhere to live in a country but not something to drive?” He pressed a kiss into the mess he had made. “You’re cute.”
And then we went inside, packed his passport, phone charger and wallet and — just like that — he was walking out, thanking my mum and telling me, “I’ll call you the second I land.”
I nodded and he pulled me to his chest, planting another kiss in my hair.
“I’ll see you soon, Livid.”
When I looked up at him, he kissed my forehead and then my mouth. “And we’ll talk about your French eavesdropping skills.” He rolled his eyes fondly and got in the taxi.
And I already missed him.
Chapter 25
I hated the thought of going back to the flat without Nix. I knew that was the point of the place but I missedSalihaand my newfound family atStormSprint. I was inundated with work in preparation for the release of the investigation, andLucawas not happy about not being able to comment on it, so, with an air kiss sent my mother’s way and a hug to Ben and Griff, I left the next afternoon for my flight. With just enough time to run by the flat, repack a suitcase and get the tube to the airport.
Driving Nix’s new car. Orournew car, as he’d said.
I knew it was moving too fast, I wasn’t delusional. But I couldn’t help but almost squeal at how much he cared.
Fucked. I was fucked.
I needed to take a step back.
