Page 30 of Licence To Howl
He raised an eyebrow. ‘You were out buying a sex toy?’
She tossed her head. ‘You wish.’ She grinned at him easily, however, and pressed an invisible button on the side of the device. A small light glowed green and Scarlett wasted no time in waving it around the room, from one wall to another. It emitted a tiny, high-pitched whine that was annoying in the extreme. But that was all it did.
Scarlett checked the curtains, the light fittings, and under the bed. When she was finished, her expression was satisfied. ‘Hotel Condotti has better security than I’d have given them credit for. Thus far anyway. The room is clear of listening devices and we can speak freely.’
Excellent. Devereau nodded towards the wand. ‘Where did you get that from?’
‘I’m one of Lord Horvath’s most trusted vampires,’ she said. ‘I’ve got useful contacts ready to spring to my command all over the place.’
‘Must be good to be you.’
‘It is.’ She paused. ‘Mr Motorbike is still hanging around outside. Solentino is keeping a close eye on us.’
That pleased Devereau far more than it dismayed him. It meant that he wasn’t being dismissed out of hand and that could only be a positive thing. ‘Could you see who he was? Is it Vissier? Or Rospo?’
She shook her head. ‘Nope. Could be either of them or neither of them. He’s definitely male but beyond that I can’t tell. Whoever our mysterious follower is, he still has the helmet on.’
He might be hiding his identity but he definitely wasn’t attempting to be inconspicuous. Interesting. Devereau put aside the motorcyclist’s identity for the time being and watched Scarlett silently for a moment or two. ‘I’ve been thinking about our problem,’ he said eventually.
‘You mean the one where you’re supposed to chop off my head in order to prove yourself as a good little wannabe terrorist?’
He shifted uncomfortably. ‘Yeah, that one.’
‘Did MI5 offer any useful suggestions?’
‘Let’s just say,’ Devereau replied, ‘that I left out one or two specific details when I contacted them. They don’t know about your involvement.’
Scarlett looked more relieved than he’d expected her to. ‘I’m pleased to hear it.’ She spread her arms out wide. ‘Go on then. What’s the big plan?’
‘You have to leave Rome. I’ve checked and there’s still plenty of time to get to the airport and catch the last flight to London.’
Scarlett folded her arms and looked at him.
‘What?’ he asked, attempting to feign nonchalance.
‘Are you kidding me, Dev? Are you fucking kidding me? You seriously expect me to run away?’
‘I rather thought you might take a taxi and then fly. You don’t have to run.’
She gave him a long look to inform him that she was wholly unimpressed by his weak humour. ‘You know me well enough to know that I don’t run.’
Devereau was prepared for this. ‘And I thought your argument was that I don’t know you at all.’
‘Now you’re being facetious.’
He shrugged, the very picture of angelic innocence. ‘Am I?’
‘Piss off, Devereau.’
He swung his legs off the bed and stood up. ‘You’re a hot mess of contradictions, Scarlett. I don’t know you. I do know you. You want me. You don’t want me.’
She flashed her single, white fang at him. ‘We’ve been through all this.’
He splayed out his hands in a gesture of peace. ‘Yeah, we have. You made a good call by ending things between us.’
Scarlett glared at him. ‘Pardon?’
‘We’re completely different people. We have next to nothing in common. I’m independent. I like my freedom. You’re wholly loyal to another man and you jump to do his bidding.’ Devereau shook his head. ‘I can’t work like that.’
