Page 109 of The Blonde Identity

“You deserve to move on,” his father answered slowly.Without Zoe.“It’s hard to do this job if your heart’s not in it.”

Sawyer brushed off his father’s hand. “You’re only saying that because you never loved my mother.”

“No.” His father’s voice was ragged, like he was barely brave enough to admit, “I’m saying that because I did.”

Sawyer wanted to turn and gape but he couldn’t look away fromthe woman who was almost to the plane. She might stop. She might turn around. And he didn’t want to miss it.

“The world is full of bad guys, son.”

“I know—”

“So when one of the good guys gets a chance for a happy ending, he should take it.”

Sawyer started to lash out—to rage. He wanted to make someone bleed, but then he heard the words. “What?”

“You should take it.”

“What...” Sawyer was hearing things—seeing things. From the moment he saw his father in that chopper he’d known this moment was coming—that he’d have to let Zoe walk away. Make her leave. Keep her safe. He’d known that love and covert operations don’t mix. He’d known it his whole life, but his father was standing there, looking at him in a way he never had before. Somber and pensive and... wistful.

“I thought she was better off without me.” His father’s voice cracked. “Your mother. But if I could do it all over again, I’d do it differently, son. I’d do it all differently.”

Sawyer’s blood went cold. “You don’t mean that. You can’t...”

“I didn’t appreciate either of you until it was too late.For me.” He looked down at a watch that was way too flashy for a secret agent. “But by my calculations,youhave about two minutes...”

Sawyer didn’t say another word. He just ran.

Her

How to Walk Away

A List by Zoe Sterling, Acclaimed Author and Known Idiot

Move right foot.

Move left foot.

Start a new book about the Duke of Hottington, anotorious rake who is still in love with the woman he met years ago while working as an agent for the Crown.

Don’t get bangs.

Keep breathing.

Keep moving.

Don’t look back. And don’t even try to remember.

“Zoe!”

The jet was twenty feet away now. She could make it. All Zoe had to do was climb those stairs and look out the window and wait for the credits to roll on her grand adventure. She could do her crying later. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind she’d cry for the rest of her life.

“Hey, lady.” Zoe heard the words on the wind and felt sure she must have dreamed them. “Zoe, wait! Stop!”

And then she did stop even though “keep moving” was right there—it was number six on the list.

“Zoe?” And there he was, tall and dark and dangerous. He was so dangerous in so many ways she’d never expected.

“Did you... uh... forget something?” She tried to make her voice sound normal. She tried to force a smile.

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