Page 114 of When He Lies
“Why? Is this woman some kind of threat?”
“No, I think she is being threatened.” He had to go. He clutched the cat and rushed toward the line of waiting cars.
“Wait!” Charlotte caught his arm. “We have to find Simone!”
He nodded. “I found her.”
“No, you found a cat. One that may have fleas so don’t let him rub on you like that.” She grimaced. “We have no idea where Simone is.”
“Simone is a retrieval specialist.”
“Ah…okay?”
“If Konstantin wanted her dead, she’d be dead. We would have found her next to Harry.” But they hadn’t. “You’ll do anything for family.”
Charlotte’s golden eyes narrowed on him. “Where is Simone?”
“She’s going after the egg. Konstantin wants her to retrieve the egg and the chip.”
“Explain slowly. For me.”
“Jezebel has both items. Jezebel has an off-the-books location she was using here in London. Jezebel isn’t there now because she just rushed to the hospital with Harry. That means this is the perfect time for Simone to slip inside. The place will barely be guarded. All the agents are swarming out here.” He had to haul ass.
“How would Simone even know about the location?” Charlotte chased after him as he rushed toward the waiting vehicles.
“She wouldn’t know. But Konstantin can get all sorts of intel. We know his reach extends nearly everywhere.” It would be easy enough for him to learn about the CIA’s hidden site, a place that technically was shared with MI6. All it would have taken to get the location was the wrong agent speaking at the wrong time.
Ryan yanked open the door to the car he’d used earlier.
“Most of the agents are here,” she mused, glancing around. “There will only be a skeleton crew at the site Jezebel used. It would be the perfect time for an attack.”
An attack or…a theft.
Ryan put the cat in the back seat. “Gonna need you to be a really good kitty and not shred the seat to pieces, got me? A new home and lots of food will be in your future if you can follow orders.”
“I’m coming with you!” Charlotte raced around to jump in the passenger seat.
As he revved the engine and shot away from the scene, she was already on her phone, rushing out instructions about Logan Sterling. Demanding a search in Vegas for his grandmother.
Meanwhile, Ryan’s hands had clenched tightly around the steering wheel. Every breath, every heartbeat, was focused on Simone.
Be alive.
Be safe.
Need you.
Love you.
He sucked in a breath. Let it out slowly. Be alive. Be safe. Need you. Love you.
Be alive.
Be safe…
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“It’s really quite simple.” Konstantin smiled at Simone. “You do your job, and everyone lives to see another day.”
