A Brilliant Deception (26 page)

A
few seconds into my fall, the BASE chute opened.

It flipped out of my parachute pack automatically, unfurling with a snap, and slowing my free fall to a gentle float. My heart pounded in my chest, the image of my near escape from Hendrickx fresh in my mind. The wind rushed through my ears as I spiraled downward. After several seconds, my feet landed on the street below.

The instant I touched down, a black BMW roared up to me. The passenger door flung open and Ethan leaned across from the driver’s side. “Get in!” he shouted.

I wrapped up the chute in a matter of seconds and lunged inside the car. I glanced over my shoulder and out the window, as Ethan peeled away from the curb, to see a platoon of security guards bursting through the front door of the Marina Bay Sands. They’d been alerted by Hendrickx, no doubt. Cars and the local police would soon follow—but we would be long gone.

I made a quick change of disguise as we drove, racing to the airport, pulling on a blond wig and tortoiseshell glasses.

“Everyone out?” I said urgently through our communication channel.

“I just cashed in my chips,” Gladys said. “And I’m walking out right now.”

“I’m off, too,” Templeton said. I could picture him innocently making his way to the front exit and simply strolling out the front door. I knew he’d be climbing onto a bicycle stashed in the back alley and pedaling away.

“Gladys is getting into the van right now,” Felix said. “We’re pulling away. No sign of anybody on our tail.”

I felt a tingling up my spine, the first sensation of relief. Things were coming together.

“Jack—what’s your status?” I held my breath and waited to hear from him.

“Just reached underground parking. I’ll be on my way in a sec,” Jack said.

Then, “Shit,” he hissed under his breath. “They’re all over the Volvo.” That was his getaway car. “Looks like Interpol. And local police, too. I’m turning around. I’ll try the back alley instead, but I’m on foot now.”

I chewed my lip and glanced at Ethan. “We have to go back. We have to get Jack.”

Ethan glanced in the rearview mirror. “Montgomery—they’re right behind us. We’ll be screwed if we turn around. We’ll be lucky to get away as it is.” He looked at me. “
You
have the ring. We have to get you out of here.”

I heard Jack’s breathing in my earpiece, and his quick footsteps, heading out to the alley. And then I heard a car screeching to a stop. “Jack—get in,” said a woman’s voice, muffled in the feed. I strained to hear more clearly. The voice was familiar. Was it—

“
Brooke?
What the hell are you doing?” Jack demanded.

“Helping you get away. What does it look like?”

Ethan and I exchanged bewildered glances. He’d heard the conversation in his earpiece, too.

Was it a trap? There was no way of knowing. Trouble was, Jack didn’t have much choice. He had to get away, and this might be his best chance.

Jack obviously came to the same conclusion, because at that moment I heard him climb in Brooke’s car and slam the door. Next second the engine roared as they sped away.

I let out the breath I’d been holding. That was everyone. We weren’t in the clear yet, not by a long shot, but we were on our way. We would now make our separate ways to the rendezvous spot, the safe house. I glanced down, checking my waistband and feeling the small bulge of the Lionheart Ring in its pouch. A warm feeling spread through my chest. I had it.

I looked forward again, facing the freeway that led to the airport. Ethan reached his hand across and squeezed my knee, sending a shiver through my body. “Almost there, Montgomery.”

 

T
he airport taxi carrying Ethan and Cat pulled up to the resort. It was six thirty in the morning, and the sun was peeking above the horizon, washing the sky with pink and lemon watercolors. On the drive here, Ethan had gazed at the dim outlines of lush hills and terraced rice fields, catching glimpses of white, sugary beaches. He’d rolled the window down and breathed deeply: warm air, rich with the smells of fruit and flowers and the sea.

Even though it was only three hours away, Bali couldn’t be more different from the bright lights and concrete bustle of Singapore. It was like time was suspended here, hovering in place like a hummingbird dipping its beak in nectar.

When the cab came to a stop in front of the sprawling, grassy-roofed resort, Ethan looked down at Cat, asleep on his shoulder. They had journeyed through the early hours of the morning, flying directly here from Singapore. Everyone on the team was making their way here by different means; they had scattered for security purposes, keeping to small groups. Getting out of the country together would have been stupid and risky. Gladys and Felix had gone by train, through Malaysia to the north, then by bus. Templeton had traveled by boat, and Jack had flown on his jet, but indirectly, via Kuala Lumpur.

If everything had gone according to plan, that is.

They were out of range from one another for their earpieces to work now. So he’d have to wait to rendezvous with everyone to find out if there had been any hitches. But there was no indication that anything had gone awry.

Ethan allowed a small thrill of celebration in the pit of his stomach. They had done it. They had the Lionheart Ring. He glanced down at Cat and knew she had it tucked tightly around herself, safe inside her pouch. They still had to make it back to Yorkshire, take the ring back to its homeland, but for now, they were good.

They were safe.

A porter came out to the car to carry their bags into the resort, although they had none. The driver opened the door and Ethan climbed out, leaving Cat sleeping, for the moment, in the backseat. He stretched and gazed at the resort.

There was an overwhelming feeling of peace here. A fountain splashed gently near the entrance. A flock of birds rose up from the front lawn, and Ethan heard the more distant sounds of tropical birds in the jungle behind him. He felt the last remnants of tension in his shoulders dissolve. It was one of the most spectacularly beautiful places Ethan had ever seen.

The driver agreed to wait while Ethan went to check in and get keys. When he returned he lifted a still sleeping Cat from the car and carried her to her room. He didn’t have the heart to wake her so he placed her gently on the bed and left her there, alone.

As he walked to his own room, past the mirrored reflecting pools and manicured gardens of the resort complex, he became lost in thought. Now that the job was done, what was he going to do about Cat? More specifically, what was he going to do with his feelings for her?

He flipped back through the events of the past several hours. He turned to that moment of danger, when he’d been trapped at the security desk, ready to sacrifice everything for her. He closed his eyes at the memory.

What more did he need to know? He had clearly surrendered himself to her.

Only one question remained: how did she feel about him?

Ethan’s heart twisted. Could she ever truly be his? Even if they found a way to be together, would a part of her always belong to Jack?

He didn’t know if he could live his life in love with a woman who was in love with someone else. But . . . what choice did he have?

I
woke up alone in a strange bed, surrounded by white feather pillows and crisp sheets. Sunlight was spilling in through the blinds. It took me several seconds to clear the cobwebs from my mind and remember what had happened. Vague images soon filtered through the fog—our escape, Ethan carrying me out of the cab then tiptoeing from the room, trying to be quiet. I had slept like the dead ever since.

I turned to the clock beside the bed. It read 4:08 p.m. I had slept most of the day.

Memories of last night’s heist came flooding back to me, sharp and visceral. The vault, the rooftop, flying through the air. Reflexively, I felt for the pouch inside my suit—there it was, the outline of the Lionheart Ring.

I got out of bed, stretched, and took a deep breath—the scent of flowers and sea air filled my nostrils. The beach. I needed to go down to the beach. I quickly changed into a cotton skirt and tank top, grabbed a towel, and tucked the pouch carrying the ring around my waist.

As I walked down the pebbled pathways and bamboo boardwalks to the beach, I thought I should probably find the others; we would need to debrief. But there would be time for that later. For now, I needed to clear my head about everything that had happened, and be alone for a few minutes. Besides, now that the job was done, I had to deal with an issue that was even more complicated, in many ways. I wasn’t ready to face Jack and Ethan yet.

The tiny path I followed opened out into a secluded lagoon. I stepped onto sand like talcum powder, cool and white, and as I looked around my breath caught in my throat. I gazed in awe at the gently curving shoreline and jewel-like turquoise water. Lush palms and coconut trees rustled gently in the breeze, fringing the beach.

After finding a shady spot under a palm tree I spread out my towel and sat down in the cool sand. I reached into my pouch and pulled out the Lionheart Ring to inspect it carefully. I’d only had a moment to look at it in the vault. There was no rush this time.

I had done it. Which meant many things, not the least of which was:
I was in
. I had passed the test put forth by Felix and the League. If I wanted to, I could join them. It was my way out of this illegal life. It was my way to a more honorable path.

It felt completely right.

I gazed at the ring in my hand, my key to a better life. Then, I noticed carvings around the band. I brought the ring closer to my face and squinted. They were letters, a word. Was it . . . Latin? My father had insisted I take Latin in high school—in case I ever decided to go into medicine (“keep your options open, kiddo”)—but I remembered very few words from that class.

I did, however, recognize the single word inscribed on the band:
Vigilate.
Something tugged at my brain, something I was supposed to be remembering. I stared more deeply at the ring.

Then I heard a sound in the jungle behind me.

I crouched lower and turned my head in the direction of the sound, a blast of adrenaline signaling danger. I cursed myself for being so careless and stupid.

Ethan stepped out of the trees. “Montgomery, it’s okay. It’s just me.” He strolled toward me, looking refreshed and relaxed in linen trousers and a white T-shirt. He gave me a huge grin.

I sat up again and shrugged. “I knew that,” I said casually.

“Did you?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

I scowled and tossed a handful of sand at him. “Oh, give me a break. It was a long night. Maybe I haven’t quite recovered yet.”

He nodded and his forehead knotted in concern. “Well, that’s why I came to find you. You deserved your rest today. Are you feeling better?” He kneeled down beside me in the soft sand.

“Like a new woman,” I said. I gazed at our surroundings and took a deep breath. “This place is amazing.”

He sat back. “It sure is.” I watched him as he looked away over the water. The sight of him, the wind ruffling his hair, his forearms flexing under him as he shifted his weight back to recline, stretching his legs out in front of him in the sand, sent a warm tingling through my body.

He turned to me then, pinning me with those deep green eyes. “So, can I see . . . the ring?”

I held it out for him and he leaned closer. He took it in his hand and I watched him turn it over, staring at it carefully. My insides continued to melt, a side effect of his closeness.

“We did it, Montgomery,” he said, lifting his head again.

“I know.”

“Against all odds.”

I nodded solemnly. Tears began to spring to my eyes and then I laughed, unexpectedly. He smiled, evidently not confused by my emotional flip-flop. “The victory feels good,” I said. “But it’s more than that . . .”

“It feels good to do the right thing
and
get away with something highly devious, at the same time,” he said.

“Exactly.”

The breeze stirred, warm and fragrant. The late-afternoon sun had begun its descent, hovering languidly in the sky, like low-hanging fruit. I dug my bare toes into the soft sand. The air felt heavy and sweet.

“You were amazing, by the way,” he said.

A flush warmed my cheeks. “Thanks, Ethan. You weren’t too shabby yourself.”

There was a pause. Then he said, “We make an incredible team, you and me. You know that, right?” I nodded. It was true.

The air felt charged, like it does just before a lightning storm. In an instant, Ethan leaned forward and kissed me. His hand went up and tangled in my hair and he pulled me closer, kissing me more deeply. His scent filled my brain and the warmth of his mouth became the entire world. The beach, the jungle, the lagoon—everything else faded to a blur.

He pulled away from my mouth and began kissing my neck, traveling in a line down my throat. I let out a soft moan. We were all alone on the beach, tucked away in a deserted lagoon.

In one swift movement, he pulled my top off over my head, then I did the same to him. He kissed me again, and I ran my hands over the bare skin of his shoulders and chest. His strong arms went around me and he rolled me back, pressing me into the beach. The sand felt cool under my hot skin. I pulled him down onto me with a desperate urge to be even closer. His kisses grew more urgent.

He pulled away from me slightly and nuzzled my ear, nibbled at my neck. “You are going to be the death of me, Montgomery,” he murmured. I laughed softly.

He propped himself up on one arm then, and gazed deeply into my face. “It’s true. Not only do I want you . . . I also
need
you, here.” At this, he pointed to his chest. Something flickered across his face. Was it—sadness? “I’ve never felt like this about anyone before. It’s like I can’t get enough of you. Even though I always seem to get crushed in one way or another, I always want to come back for more.”

I didn’t know what to say. His words took my breath away. I felt a spasm of sadness and guilt—I knew I had hurt him. I didn’t want to do that ever again.

“You’re intoxicating. You’re like a drug.” His eyes glimmered as he said, “It’s almost like you’re doing something illegal to me.” He looked at me with a wry smile then and a wicked tilt to his eyebrow. “But that’s not like you. You would never do anything . . .
criminal
, now, would you? A nice, innocent girl like you . . .”

I laughed again and he did, too. A moment later he tugged my skirt down, slipping it right off my legs. I felt a tremendous need to rip off all his clothes, too. My fingers tugged gently on the waistband of his pants, and with a wink he nudged my hand aside and took care of them for me, pulling his pants off and tossing them aside.

He rolled on top of me and kissed me deeply, pressing me farther into the sand. I was down to just my bra and underwear, and he only wore his boxers.

I arched toward him. We moved in perfect sync. He deftly unhooked my bra with one hand. Now there was nothing between us, and the feel of his hot skin on mine quickened my breath. I thought of nothing but Ethan, and all the amazing things he was doing to me.

This felt so right. Completely and entirely perfect.

 

Later, we lay together on the sand in afterglow, and watched as the sun dipped below the horizon. I was stretched out along the length of Ethan’s body, both of us naked. Our skin glistened faintly with sweat and the beach shone with burnished light.

“I could really get used to that,” Ethan said. “A lot more of that, in the future.”

I smiled and drew a lazy finger over his bare chest. “What do you see in the future? You know, for us?” I glanced up at his face.

The sun was setting but it wasn’t yet dark and I could still make out his features. A cocktail of emotions crossed his face.

I tried to laugh it off, suddenly realizing how ridiculous and clingy I sounded. “I’m sure you don’t think about that—”

“No. I’ve thought about it a lot, actually,” he said. “I see an amazing future together for us, Montgomery.” It was the most serious I’d ever heard him.

“And?”

“Well, like I said—I see there being a whole lot of...
this
.” He raised an eyebrow meaningfully. “But what else . . .” He sighed and put his hands behind his head, gazing up to the sky. “We could travel the world. We would learn new things together and have all kinds of adventures. We would eat all the best food, and drink wine, and explore . . .”

I closed my eyes and exhaled. It sounded incredible. Although I felt a small twinge of concern. How would that jibe with the idea of having a family? “And what about work? Do you see us continuing . . . the profession?”

“Of course,” he said. Then he hesitated. “Well, I suspect things wouldn’t stay the
exact
same. We’d have to adapt our routines a little. Other things might become a priority. But . . . you know, while we’re scaling buildings I’ll be sure to carry the baby nice and safe in one of those Baby Bjorn things. And, let’s face it, a lot of surveillance can be done while pushing a stroller. You know?”

I opened my eyes and gave him a look. In the last rays of the setting sun I could see his characteristic smirk. I laughed and swatted at him.

But I knew what his words meant. I blinked, not daring to believe what I thought he was telling me underneath all the joking.

Ethan propped himself up on one arm, facing me. “Bali looks good on you, Montgomery. Have I mentioned that?” His eyes focused on my naked body and I felt beautiful under his gaze. Warmth rushed through me and I stopped thinking about anything other than Ethan, and how I was feeling.

Under a sky on fire, we joined together again. The urgency had melted away this time, and there was no hurry whatsoever.