Page 46 of Undercover Infidel
As the plane climbed through the cloud cover, I pulled out my mobile and dialed Viper’s direct line. She answered on the second ring.
“Infidel,” she greeted. “I wondered when I’d hear from you.”
“Where is she?” I demanded, dispensing with the niceties.
“I don’t believe Lex would approve of my sharing her location with you.”
I closed my eyes, counting to five before responding. “Bellamy, I’ve received credible intelligence that Lex is being targeted by the consortium.”
A pause followed. “How credible?”
“Kestrel.”
“I see.” Her tone shifted to business. “She’s here at VX.”
“I’m landing at Biggin Hill in ninety minutes. I’d like to speak with her.”
“That’s not my decision to make.” Her voice cooled. “She’d throttle me for saying this, but you hurt her, Conrad. Not just professionally.”
The accusation stung more than I’d expected. “I know.”
“Do you? Because from what she’s told me, you’ve demonstrated a remarkable talent for keeping people at arm’s length while simultaneously drawing them into your orbit. It’s quite a gift.”
“I was wrong,” I confessed, the words unfamiliar on my tongue. “About many things.”
Viper sighed. “I’ll tell her you’re coming. The rest is up to her.”
After the call ended, I stared out the window at the clouds below, contemplating the mess I’d made. My father had been exactly the same—brilliant, driven, utterly convinced of his own correctness. It had cost him his marriage and relationship with me. Now, I was repeating his mistakes, driving away the one person who understood both sides of my life.
My private mobile buzzed with a message from Tag.
Picked up Scottish police chatter. Gunfight reported at estate near Aberdeenshire. One casualty. Russian national, believed to be security personnel. No sign of Orlov.
I read the message twice, my pulse quickening. A security breach severe enough to result in casualties would explain the frantic relocation. The consortiumwould be moving Orlov and his work to safety. If rival interests were making bold moves, it made Lex’s knowledge exponentially more valuable—and her danger more acute.
I rang Tag rather than messaging. “Send everything you have on the Aberdeenshire incident to my protected network. And contact Ash—I want firsthand observations from the scene ASAP.”
“Already done. Gus is examining the shipping manifests from London ports. Equipment matching what we observed is being loaded onto a vessel registered to yet another shell company.”
“Keep me updated.” I ended the call and leaned back in my seat, pinching the bridge of my nose.
The pilot’s voice came through the cabin speakers, informing me we’d encountered unexpected air traffic at Heathrow, requiring us to circle. We’d be delayed approximately thirty minutes.
I nearly put my fist through the bulkhead.
Unable to reach Lex directly and trapped in a metal tube, thousands of feet above ground, I did something I rarely allowed myself—I acknowledged I was afraid. Not just for her safety, but that I’d destroyed something irreplaceable before it had truly begun.
My fingers found the small object in my pocket—the silver brooch with Scottish river pearls I’d shown Lex in the family archive room. I’d grabbed it on impulse before leaving, thinking it might serve as a peace offering. Now, it felt like a talisman, connecting me to what mattered most.
Elizabeth Carnegie had worn this while protecting Jacobite soldiers. She’d done so because she believed in the cause, regardless of the risk. It struck me that Lex possessed that same courage—the willingness to stand her ground, even against me, when principles were at stake.
As the planebegan its descent toward London, I made myself a promise. If—when—I reached Lex, I would lay my pride aside. For once in my life, I’d put someone else’s opinions before my own, not because it was expedient, but because I trusted her judgment. Because I respected her as my equal.
Because I was falling in love with her.
The realization hit me with unexpected force. This wasn’t mere attraction or professional admiration. Somehow, amid the danger and discovery, Lex had slipped past the barriers I’d maintained all my life.
I needed to tell her. If I wasn’t too late.
