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Chapter 14

Charlie's stomach turned. It was Michael. She would recognize his voice anywhere. "I don't know," she lied, not sure why she didn't want to tell him the truth. The door to the van opened and William bounded out.

Sin opened her door, the dog got in the back and Sin helped her into the passenger seat, then went around and got in on his side. "Call Gabriel," he said, as they pulled away.

"Calling Gabriel," a woman's voice repeated through the speaker, followed by ringing.

"Sin," Gabriel answered. "Carmichael lost whoever it was who called out to Charlotte."

"I think it might have been one of Imogen's friends. Maybe someone I met at one of her parties. They were all very artsy." Her breathing was becoming more rapid. She didn't like lying to Gabriel. "I didn't get to see who it was."

"Aye, we'll see what Dougie can pick up on any of the security feeds," Gabriel said. "Sin, all tracking will be turned off. You'll be off the grid for a couple of days until we hook back up. Good luck. Royal Black."

"Royal Black." Sin hung up.

Charlie tried taking a deep breath, but it only increased, becoming shallow. If Michael was here, he would find her. She was involved too deeply now to think of rescue and she couldn't leave until Imogen was safe. What would she say to him? Plus, there was still the possibility the authorities would catch them.

"Hey, relax," Sin said, taking her hand. "You did great back there."

"Wh-what if someone, is…is following us?" She put a hand to her chest.

"No one is following us." He put his hand on the back of her head, pressing it down between her knees. "Take a deep breath and slow it down." His hand rubbed her back.

"Where are we going?" she asked, as her breathing began to regulate, the initial panic at hearing Michael's voice subsiding.

"North. To the cottage." He continued to rub her back. "My supplies are there, and we'll be safe."

She sat back up. They had passed onto Queensferry Crossing, the bridge that would take them over the Firth of Forth toward Fife. The sun was beginning to set and vibrant shades of purple and blue painted the sky, shadowing the iconic Forth Bridge and Forth Road Bridge in the distance. She looked down at the ring on her finger. It sparkled with the last rays of the day, brilliant and elegant. She took it off and pulled the box from her purse, putting it away. "Where would you like me to put this?" she asked. She could still feel the heat of his kiss on her lips and questioned her body's reaction.

"It's yours. I got it for you." He glanced over at her.

"I could never accept it." She set it down in the center console and removed the contacts, blinking several times.

"Look. I owe you an explanation—" he started to say, removing the bow tie from around his neck.

She cut him off, "You don't owe me anything. Neither of us wanted this. And we both have lives beyond it." She stopped. She didn't. At the moment she had nothing, and the realization of it was both terrifying and freeing. She had always been beholden to someone else's wants or needs. Always afraid to rock the boat. The future was hers now. They just needed to find Imogen and she was free to go.

"No, I do owe you. The woman, Maurna, she's not my girlfriend."

"Look, this is really none of my business. When this is over, I'll go to live somewhere else and you can go about your business like we talked about."

"We can discuss that later. Until then, we made vows to each other. Vows I will uphold until we both choose to end them."

"Christ, you sound like Gabriel."

"Trust me, he let me have it, and I have never seen him angry before. But he's right," he said. "Maurna and I had an arrangement. The Watch forbids relationships, but we're not monks. She and I would hook up when I was in town. That's it."

"I don't think that was it for her. I saw the way she looked at you."

A slight coloring of red tinged his cheeks. "If it meant something more to her, then I'm sorry, it wasn't my intention. I know I wasn't the only man she had in her life."

Charlie rolled her eyes.

"Either way, it's over. I ended it with her." He reached over and let his hand rest on her thigh. "I would like you to wear the ring."

"Why?"

"Because whether we like it or not, we are married." He looked over, considering, and cleared his throat. "And with that comes expectations."

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