Page 100 of Secret Weapon

Emmy had already vanished, and Black walked away too, followed by Ana.Alex picked up my bag.

“Okay?”

Nothing can be as bad as Pavel.

“Da.”I kept my tone light.“Why wouldn’t I be?”

Maybe I deserved the “Do you think I’m stupid?”look.

“The guest house is this way.”

He led me through a cavernous living room, past a trio of couches that clearly weren’t designed to be sat on and out a sliding door at the back of the house.A covered terrace played host to a bunch more seating, this stuff made from wicker, and an outdoor kitchen at the far end looked as unused as the rest of the property.Beyond the terrace lay a pool, the rippling water bathed in the soft glow of a thousand fairy lights strung overhead.A twinkling waterfall tumbled at one end, but even over the splashes, I could hear waves breaking against the shore nearby.

Alex skirted the pool and stopped next to a two-storey building on the far side.Tropical gardens stretched toward the ocean, blanketed by a sky full of stars, and I caught a glimpse of water sparkling between waving palm fronds.The guest house matched the main building—starkly modern, all white walls and metal and glass.Too much glass.Were Emmy and Black insane, owning a place like this?

“Don’t worry; the glass is bulletproof,” Alex explained, as if he could read my mind.“And also…” He fiddled with a panel beside the front door, and the nearest wall frosted.“Magic.Black’s a paranoid son of a bitch.”

Downstairs was open plan with a sitting area that overlooked the pool and a dining table at the ocean end.A small but functional kitchen sat against the back wall, and an open door in the corner led to a bathroom so guests could go for a swim and then shower with ease.A twisted glass-and-steel spiral staircase led skyward under a glass ceiling, a piece of art in its own right that shimmered under the spotlights Alex flipped on.

Okay, I could grudgingly admit the place was nice.

“If I lived here, I’d never leave.”

The words just slipped out, and Alex smiled.“It’s the staircase, isn’t it?Everybody loves the staircase.”

And maybe the company too.He still had my bag, and we headed for the second floor.

“Ladies first.”

“Because you’re a gentleman or so you can admire my ass?”

Okay, I’d been planning to do the same to his.In my situation, I had to make the most of the small pleasures in life.

Alex’s smile grew wider.“One of those.”

Upstairs, two bedrooms opened off a central landing, each with an en-suite bathroom and dressing area.They called this the guest house, but it was bigger than my regular house.

“Pool view or ocean view?”Alex asked.

Decisions, decisions… I’d never had to make choices like this before.The ocean-view room had a balcony with steps that led down to a beachside terrace—a good escape route if I needed one, but conversely, a method of ingress for any undesirables who might pay me a visit.The view on the pool side wasn’t so good, but I still didn’t trust Emmy completely, and at least I’d be able to see her coming.

“What’s perimeter security like?”

“The property is covered by motion sensors and cameras.”

“How do we find out if there’s been a breach?”

“The LA control room monitors the place twenty-four-seven, and they’ll send an alert.”

“To who?”

“To the Blackwood team.Want me to get you added to the list?”

“Yes.”

“So… Which room?”

“I…”

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