Red Handed(71)
After Logan and Gracie left with Agent Miller, she turned to Cole. All day, he had been on edge, stuck inside his residence as if it was a prison. They hadn’t spoken much about tonight, but he’d made it clear that he didn’t want her to do this.
“You heard Agent Miller,” she said, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head against his chest. “I’ll be fine.”
He tipped up her chin. “I’ve spent eight years watching over you and trying to keep you safe.”
“And now it’s out of your control, right?”
He walked backward to the couch and sat, bringing her onto his lap. “Yes, damn it. If I felt protective of you before you even walked into Benediction, do you have any idea of how I feel now that I’ve claimed every part of you? You said that you belonged to me, but if that was true, you wouldn’t be doing this. You’d let the FBI find another way to find your stepmother and get Rinaldi.”
“Cole, I meant what I said.” She pressed a hand over his heart. “I do belong to you. But I’m not your slave. I’m free to make my own decisions. And besides, even slaves have a safe word.” She gave him a little smile. “You can’t control everything. Sometimes, you have to have faith that it will all work out in the end.”
“I told you before, I put my faith in science.” He plunged his fingers into her hair at her nape and cradled the back of her head, pushing her toward him. He stared into her eyes. “If something goes wrong tonight, don’t worry about ruining this operation. You do whatever it takes to make it home to me.”
“I promise.”
She kissed him lightly on the lips before she forced herself to walk out his door. Gracie showed her to the garage, and for the first time in days, Danielle left Benediction. They made small talk as Gracie drove, and Adrian followed right behind them in his car.
“I hope you don’t hate me,” Gracie said as she parked in the darkened lot behind the restaurant. “I never meant to lie to you. Master Cole always had your best interests at heart, and so did I. Can you forgive me?”
Danielle clutched her locket between her fingers. “We all kept secrets. There’s nothing to forgive.”
The snow swirled all around, the wind biting and bitter. They strolled into the Spanish-style tapas bar, pretending as if this was really just a girls’ night out. Ceramic tiles colored in blue, gold, and white were used in accents on the walls and floors, and curved arches gave it a Western European feel.
Danielle immediately spotted Kate sitting at a round table with two other women. But like a storm cloud on the horizon, a sense of foreboding hovered over Danielle, chilling her even though they’d left the frigid temperatures outside.
Kate got up from the table and welcomed Danielle and Gracie with hug. “Rachel, Lisa,” Kate said, motioning to each of them with a wave of her hand, “I’d like to introduce you to Gracie and Danielle.”
Danielle sat beside the woman Kate had identified as Rachel, a stunning brunette wearing heavy eyeliner and a blouse unbuttoned enough to show her perfect cleavage. Rachel picked up her glass of wine, and a slight grin appeared on her face. “Are you both attorneys?”
“Uh, no,” Danielle said, catching Adrian sitting alone in a nearby booth. She scanned the restaurant looking for someone who looked suspicious, her knee bouncing nervously.
“Then you’re members of Benediction.” Rachel leaned over, resting her forearm on the table. “Tell me, what really goes on behind closed doors?”
“Uh-uh, Rachel.” Like a mother admonishing her child, Kate shook her finger at her. “You know all members have to sign a confidentiality agreement. Even if I did know them from Benediction—and I’m not saying I do—they aren’t permitted to disclose the details.”
Rachel rolled her eyes. “Spoken like an attorney. One of these days, I’m going to get in there.”
“Rachel’s a reporter,” Lisa said as if it explained everything. She was equally as pretty as Rachel but in a less in-your-face way, with her straight medium brown hair, glasses, and simple makeup.
Rachel straightened in her chair and flashed her a million-dollar smile. “I’m sure they’re aware of that already.”
“Sorry.” Danielle shrugged. “I’m from Arizona, and I haven’t watched any television since I’ve arrived in Michigan.”
“And I don’t watch the news,” Gracie said, chiming in with her usual peppy manner. “It’s too depressing. Now reality TV, that’s another story.”
“It’s so nice to meet you both,” Lisa said, the area around her eyes crinkling from her amusement. “Arizona, huh? What part?”