Page 45 of Hawkeye

“Always gonna make sure you have what you need, baby doll.”

I had no doubt he meant that because he’d shown me time after time how important my safety and well-being were to him. “This whole situation is scary, but I have to admit that I’m not mad it brought you into my life.”

“Woulda happened eventually.” He captured my mouth again. “You were always meant to be mine.”

When he said stuff like that, I fell for him even more. But I didn’t get the chance to reply because one of the Black Castle guys knocked on the door so Calder could help inspect the auction house to make sure there wouldn’t be any surprises tonight.

After I finished the fake cross-reference, I put everything in the bag he’d given me. Then I went to see how his part of the plan was going.

I found them in the gallery with the building plans spread on a table. Calder had one hand on the display wall, but he was twisted around to look at the drawing.

“The depth here doesn’t match the plans. I think more space exists behind the display wall than the drawing accounts for.”

Smoke nodded. “The armoire blocks part of the view from the gallery floor, so it’s less noticeable.”

“Give me a minute.” Cipher’s eyes were narrowed as he tapped on his keyboard. “Found it. An older renovation drawing confirms the existence of a passage back there that once connected the gallery to the annex. It was marked closed after the work was completed.”

“Wow, I never even noticed,” I murmured.

“Shit,” Cipher growled. “Tippon cleared the building before the renovation.”

A muscle jumped in Smoke’s jaw. “Then they may know an opening the staff do not.”

Calder’s gaze moved from the mezzanine, the wall, and the open floor where I was supposed to stand at eight. “Annex team doubles. I’ll take a mezzanine position overlooking the sealed passage and Josie’s meeting point.”

“The plan is set,” Stryker confirmed.

I felt better knowing he’d be nearby in case anything went wrong, but a quick glance at the antique clock on the wall brought my nerves back. “I guess I should go get ready.”

Stryker nodded. “You’ve got an hour. Change. We'll wire you before the building goes dark.”

I headed to the staff room with Calder at my side. My dress was already hanging in my locker, brought over with the bag. I washed the ledger ink off my hands and went to put it on, but Calder stopped me.

“Put this on first.”

I turned to see him holding a vest that could only be one thing. “Body armor?”

“Ballistic protection,” he corrected.

“Never thought I’d need something like this.” I grabbed a camisole from my locker and slipped it over my bra before putting on the bulletproof vest. “There, now it shouldn’t be too uncomfortable.”

He finished the last strap. “Not gonna take any risks with you.”

I tugged my dress over it and glanced at him over my shoulder. “Zip me up?”

“Wish we had time for me to pull this off instead.” His breath was hot against my neck as he slid the zipper up.

I turned toward him and rested my hands on his broad chest. “I’ll take one of those rain checks.”

“You got it, baby doll.” His gaze went from heated to serious. “First, I need to get you through tonight.”

He fit the earpiece first. Then the microphone, his fingers brushing the upper swell of my breasts before the wire settled under the fabric. Once it was in place, he tested the connection, his voice coming through crystal clear in my ear.

“I can hear you.” I twisted around to make sure the wire didn’t peek out of my neckline when I moved. “And staying in place.”

“Good.”

I caught him checking the connection again. “It just worked.”