Cleopatra's Necklace (Devlin Security Force Book 3) (30 page)

Arlington, Virginia

CLEO’S HEAD STILL
ached when the red-eye landed in D.C. but she’d slept in the cushy first-class seat. And her talk with Mimi had cheered her. She promised to visit as soon as the doctors okayed visitors. The specialist saw no reason after therapy her cousin shouldn’t make a full recovery. The good news slid away some of her guilt.

About Andie as well. She’d bounced back, her triumph over the bodyguard reviving the confidence dormant for such a long time. The drugs Zervas had administered seemed to have no lingering effects, and Andie’d already spoken twice with her therapist.

At Andie’s insistence, Cleo would stay in his condo until they could visit Mimi in Toronto. It seemed to be her only option. Her carryon contained her only possessions including her last seventy-five dollars. With so little to show for her Grand Tour of Europe, she couldn’t,
wouldn’t
go to her parents in Annapolis.

But living with
him
was an option fraught with complications. Since leaving on the flight to D.C., she’d had no moment alone with him. Andie made it an inconvenient threesome. Now that the series of events that threw them together and kept them together had ended, what about Thomas and her?

The need she’d had to make him lose control had faded, replaced by a deeper understanding of the man. His innate mode was leading the way because he was usually the dominant one in the room. And heck, he was usually right.

She had no idea if his feelings went beyond desire and friendship. If he might not want her after their intense thirteen days together— not that she was counting. If returning to his office and his social life would change how he saw her. If he was feeling awkward about ending it between them. And worst of the worst, if he hated her because of what her impulsive actions had caused. She ached so much she might split apart.

Whatever, she would put on a brave face. Thomas had saved her life more than once and either he or the admiral had paid for everything. If the affair ended, they would always have Paris. And Venice. And London. And New York. And Las Vegas.

Maybe not Vegas.

She shook off her funk as they walked into the condo.

“Having you here is
so
outrageous!” Andie tugged her through the foyer into the living room. “We can talk again later. I have to rush out.”

As Cleo shed her jacket, she had only a vague impression of the room—deep-pile cinnamon carpeting and a chocolate sofa—very masculine and so Thomas.

He set down their bags and laid their jackets on top. Shoulders squared, he turned slowly toward his sister. His expression scared Cleo. Stone chin and thousand-yard stare.

When Andie’s words sank in, she panicked. She’d be alone with him. “
Out?
Already?”

“Got a text from Dr. Olsen. She’s in her office doing paperwork, who the hell knows what. She wants a full report, not the Twitter version. I’ll see you guys later.” She grabbed car keys from a tray on the hall table. After a whirlwind of kisses and hugs, she slammed out the door, rattling the wall mirror.

“She hugged me. Kissed my cheek,” Thomas said, breathless. “Who
was
that girl?”

Cleo barely registered his astonishment. She was staring at paintings leaning against either side of the kitchen arch.

A gondolier hawking rides beside the Rialto Bridge.

An accordion player serenading tourists in the trattoria beside the San Paolo bell tower.

And three more.
Her paintings.

Her eyes burned and her throat felt tight. Damn, tears had puffed up her eyes the past couple days more than in years. The doctor had said a concussion intensified emotion, but jeez if she could only dam the waterworks. “Thomas, my paintings. How did you do this?”

His hands were warm and steadying on her shoulders. He pressed a kiss on the back of her head. “The gallery owner was willing to part with them for a reasonable cost when my attorney persuaded her she couldn’t claim ownership of a dead artist’s works, especially one who still lived. One of my people uncrated them yesterday.”

She turned into his arms and flattened her hands on his chest, taking care with his bruised ribs. “This is
outrageous
, like Andie said. Way beyond possible.”

“Devlin Security Force specializes in the
im
possible.” He chuckled, a rumble against her palms. “Besides, I wanted an original Cleo Chandler. I know a gallery owner who’ll be interested in the rest.”

“Of course you know a gallery owner.” Her head was reeling. She shook off the shock and drew a deep breath.

“Thomas, we haven’t talked.” When he opened his mouth, she held up a hand. “Let me do this, please. I’m proud of some of what I did. Secretary Vinson seemed to think that posting my picture wearing the necklace helped in the search. But Zervas suckered me into his trap, so I was the bait after all.” No the tracker buttons, not texting Thomas, nothing made up for her stupidity and the tragic outcome. The weight of it ached in her chest.

“Hush, Cleo. Yes, you did a lot to be proud of. You got us out of some tight situations in Venice and Paris. You did what you had to because I was so bullheaded, not listening to you and shutting you out. I owe you a big apology for my uncalled for, shitty behavior.”

“Shitty is close. Controlling and dictatorial. Overbearing and high-handed.” She brushed a hand down his arm. “And terrified.”

His eyes widened. “What?”

“I should’ve realized the truth when you went into commanding officer mode. You were scared for me, scared for Andie.”

“Afraid? You have no idea. Fear for what Zervas might do to you nearly paralyzed me. All I could think to do was push you away.”

“Lock me away, you mean. I was pissed off and called you every name I could think of. The taxi ride to the wax museum gave me time to think. To reflect on the man I know. You understood Marco Zervas, but that knowledge went both ways. He knew you’d do whatever it took to rescue your sister. And to keep
me
safe, you’d stash me somewhere. Then he could call me using Andie’s phone.”

“He would have two bargaining chips to help him get away with the necklace.”

“You like to be in charge, but the only time you’ve ordered me around was when you were scared for me. At heart you’re not a control freak. You’re a protector. Zervas knew that and so do I. Now. You’re sensitive and honorable.”
Some of the reasons I love you.

“If you hadn’t gone to the museum, Zervas would’ve gotten away with the necklace.” He brushed fingers across her throat. “And you’d still be carrying the explosive chip in your locket.”

She shuddered, thinking about what would’ve happened if she hadn’t removed the locket for the Met Gala because the simple piece didn’t look right with her gown. “Thank you for that. During this whole—” she held up a hand, frustrated at not finding the right word “—
thing
, I’ve learned a few things about myself, but apparently I haven’t grown wiser.” A sigh slipped from her throat.

How could he possibly want her after what she’d done? She steeled herself. “If I hadn’t rushed out in the middle of the night… those men… would still be alive. Because of my stupidity and impulsive actions, those two security guards died.”

“No wonder you’ve been so quiet, thinking you had something to do with those deaths. You’re wrong. Their deaths were not your fault. It’s all on Zervas. He phoned you from the museum after he killed the guards and disabled the alarms.” Thomas pulled her into his arms.

Because it might be the last time, she didn’t fight the embrace. “You’re sure?”

“Right. Checking on Andie’s phone records gave us his locations and times of calls.”

That weight lifted, but what about Thomas and
her
? “How can I ever thank you?”

He clasped her hand and pulled her down the hall. “I have a few ideas. I’ll show you.”

An acre of bed sat in the middle of a five-acre room. Done in forest green and woodsy tan, it could only be the master bedroom. “U.S. Army colors.
Really?
”

“The decorator was so thrilled with the idea I didn’t have the heart to tell her I’d prefer something else. Makes me feel like I’m always on maneuvers.” Arms around her, he two-stepped her closer to the bedside.

“Maneuvers are what you’re up to now, mister.” He still wanted her. A good sign.

“You’re on to my subtle stealth. He peeled away the plush quilted spread and turned back the sheets. “Want to test how comfy the bed is?”

“Tsk. No stealth at all.” She kicked off her flats and shimmied out of the yoga pants she’d worn on the flight, then lay back on the stacked pillows.

The strain carved into his face shifted to relief. And a more potent emotion— hunger.  He shed his khakis and pullover and stretched out beside her. Her head pillowed on his biceps, he tucked her against him.

She absorbed his achingly familiar scent, the warmth and strength of his hard body.

“On the plane you and Andie gabbed or slept. We haven’t had a chance to talk.”

“You were the one who insisted Andie and I sit together. Don’t complain. I noticed you cutting Z’s the whole flight.”

“Yeah, okay.” A sigh growled through him and his arms tightened around her. “That night in Vegas, I was afraid I’d lost you.”

“Your little tracking buttons worked. You found me.”

“Thanks to the extra ones you used. Damn clever how you got out of the suite. The man guarding the door may never live it down. The others are riding him hard.”

“I’m sorry about that. But I had no choice. You reached me in time, Thomas. Then I was afraid you wouldn’t catch on about the explosive chip.”

“You blew me away.” Muscles flexed beneath her head. “Sorry. Bad choice of words. But as soon as I realized what your gestures meant, it made sense. Moreau must’ve hidden the chip when he fixed the locket’s clasp.”

“If Gram’s watching, I hope she forgives me for losing her locket.”

“She’s proud of you, babe. And so am I.” He turned her so they were face to face, body to body. “Our choices form the patterns and courses of our lives. Things happen for a reason, not fate exactly, but something in each of us acting when we face crossroads and challenges. Disasters and death. You made the best decisions you knew how. Those bad guys are done for. My sister’s fine and Mimi will be.” He kissed her forehead.

“There’s one thing we never sorted out— why René made two trips to the Tussauds workshops.”

“I have a theory on that. Not one I like because it puts Moreau in a good light.” She looked up to see a knowing look in his eyes. “After he hid the necklaces on the wax figures, Zervas threatened not just his wayward forger, but his girlfriend—
you.
Probably saw your picture on Facebook.”

As she thought about it, relief washed through her that René might not have deliberately endangered her. She rubbed her aching temples. “He tried to retrieve the necklaces to protect me. When he was dying, he even reached for the locket, but I didn’t understand until Zervas demanded to know where the chip was.”

She lay quietly in his arms, her mind flipping through the good images of the past weeks and locking away the bad. Comforted by the incense of his hot skin, she let the rest of her guilt drift away on a tide of acceptance. “And now it’s finally over.”

“The danger’s over,” he said, tipping up her chin. “But
we’re
not over. When I said I was afraid I’d lost you, I meant more than at the hands of my enemy.”

His mouth rocked over hers, cutting off words and thought, leaving only the feeling they’d always been heading to. “What happened to telling me you’re too old for me and all that crap?”

“You told me that was cover. It took me awhile to look deeper, but you were right. When Mom died, I closed off my emotions. Dad retreated to his work, and I had to be strong for myself and for Andie. I held everyone at arm’s length, even her.” He brushed a finger down her cheek. “But not you. With your sass, you never once let me keep up walls. You scared me, so I resorted to the age difference excuse.

“I’m done fooling myself. I need you, Cleo, more than I ever believed I could let myself need anyone. I want your light and laughter in my life. I’ve been too serious, not letting myself think beyond work and getting Andie straightened out.”

“Not
too
serious. You went out with a lot of women.”

“And you know that how? Ah, the BFF network. Andie must’ve also clued you in on more than my social life. You knew about Devlin Security Force before I sat down at your table on the cruise ship.”

“You’d just invited yourself to dinner. I needed time to process, to adjust. But no side-tracking. All those women
?
”

His hand continued down her neck, then her shoulder, along the curve of her hip, and fanned her pulse with every caress through the thin cotton tunic. She felt him hard against her belly.

“Not that many. I haven’t been celibate, if that’s what you’re asking, but they weren’t important to me.
You are.
When you agreed to stay here, we said it was only until we could go see Mimi. But that’s not good enough. Stay with me. Andie’s moving out.”