East Bound by Nana Malone (big ebook reader txt) 📕

"Yup."

"And this is what, the front door?"

"Yep, that's the one."

"Obviously, this has to be done when no one is looking."

"Yeah, which is just about never."

Nyla frowned, chewing the corner of her bottom lip. She always did that when she was thinking something through. "Amelia? Any ideas?"

"No. I was counting on your gut to tell you something."

"I wish my gut was operating like that right now, but it's not."

Emma spoke up. "How important is this?"

Amelia and Nyla exchanged glances. "Well, it's everything."

"There's no way you're going to make it in there without anyone noticing you are in there. So the best we can hope is that nobody notices. Disguise yourself. Dressing up as a maid is a good one. If we need to physically be on-site for this, you would want to be as inconspicuous as possible."

I tried not to bite her head off. I did. No way were we serving Nyla up to Jameson dressed like a French maid.

"Okay, why don't we walk right through the front door?" Nyla asked.

A long exhale escaped out of my lungs as she continued. "Maybe Amelia and I can distract him while, East, you break in and get the photo we need. Hell, this might even be a one-person job. Which I can do. Get into the office. Get a photo you say is there, walk out."

I vetoed that play right away. "The hell you will."

She threw her arms up as if to say, be reasonable. "We have badges, and we will walk right in that front door. Hell, we only need one agent to go in. Better if it’s me. I’m the one known for going off half-cocked. I can go under the pretense of being concerned about missing pieces of artwork he lost during the Monaco museum forgeries. Amelia that could work, right?"

My bestie nodded as she chewed her bottom lip. “It’s simple, and I can cover you better from the outside. In case you get caught or something. I can make calls.”

Nyla rolled her eyes. “I’m Interpol. It would stand to reason I’m following a lead.”

"Are you insane?"

"No. I’ll flash them my badge, and they’ll have no choice but to let me in. East, how long will you need to get in and out of the office?"

"Ten minutes if I want to avoid the cameras inside."

"It's doable. And honestly, we just need to see the photo. Trust me, this will work. You'll see."

I had a feeling that every time Nyla said trust me it was going to take several years off my life.

Chapter 22

Nyla

"What's with the face?"

East had been quiet since we’d left Ben’s. East wanted me to move in with him, even if it was temporarily, which... I still wasn't sure what to do with that.

"Nothing. Nothing is wrong."

"Something is obviously wrong. You're never this quiet."

"I can be quiet," he grumbled

"You’re cheesed off with me."

A moment of silence ticked by, and I watched his hands grip tighter on the steering wheel of the sports car. I’d never seen another model like it, and with its low carriage and modern spaceship-like interior, it was almost akin to riding inside a hoverboard. The crisp apple scent of the leather screamed of its newness. Or maybe he just didn’t drive it often. It didn't smell like him. As I made all my observations, I waited, not so patiently, for him to speak. If he was angry, we needed to talk it out. I’d seen what happened when he didn't talk to me.

"Well, I'm not really thrilled about you and Emma being involved in any of this.”

I tried to think of the best diplomatic response, but opted for directness in the end. "We're grown women, East. We make these choices for ourselves."

"Yes, I know. Obviously, women's empowerment and all that, but I care about you, so I'm worried."

"All right, then tell me you're worried. Don't try to control me, or tell me what to do, or tell me this isn't my fight. Because if it's your fight, it's my fight, right? That's how caring about people works in case you didn't know."

He scowled at me. "You know, if you weren't so bloody gorgeous, I might have something to say about your attitude."

I laughed. "My attitude. You're the one who's been stomping around all night. Grumpy. Uncommunicative. Remember, we were going to start talking to each other?"

"Yes, I remember. But this is hard. Usually, it's just me. I never have to think about anyone else when I make decisions."

"I get it. You have been living a very lovely and convenient life. It must be nice. Welcome to how the other half lives."

He scowled more. "You know what, I'm not talking to you."

"Oh yeah, real mature."

"Just understand where I'm coming from. I want to keep you safe."

"And just understand where I'm coming from. I'm the one with the gun."

His lips pressed into a firm line. "Must you always remind me of that? It's just, what I couldn't do for AJ, is definitely something I need to do for you. I need to protect what’s mine. Call it some kind of primal instinct."

"I hear you. And I'm appreciative. I am. Trust me. I don't want anything to happen to me either. I'm amazing. Or haven't you heard?"

His lips twitched, and I could see some of the tension rolling out of his shoulders. Perfect. Now he might be more reasonable. "I get it. Everything that happened with AJ makes you more aware. More alert. But I'm not someone who needs to be protected. I am a protector myself. So, you should trust that I won't make dumb decisions. When I need help, I'll ask for it. And I trust you. I know that seems weird to you, but I do. I believe that you will protect me in your own way. But also understand I'll protect you. It's a two-way street."

He rolled his eyes hard. "It's not the same, Nyla." Once he parked, he climbed out then