Page 76 of Hidden With You

“Yeah?” My smile is painfully wide. I hadn’t realized until this moment just how much I wanted his approval. “I’m glad you liked it. You remind me of King.”

“Must be why you love me,” he says, making me laugh. Though he’s probably not wrong.

“Oh,” he adds. “We found a motive.”

I lean back. “Really? For Sandra and Bonnie?”

He nods, his expression heavy with sadness. “I killed a mole about fifteen years ago on a mission. Apparently, he was The Maestro’s most reliable and trusted source for black market intel. I didn’t know, as that wasn’t my mission.”

“It was about payback.” I stroke his cheek. “I’m so, so sorry.”

“I know. Me too. But the closure helps. At least I have an answer.”

“And it turns out Sandra and Bonnie were right,” I say. “The truth was hiding in plain sight all along.”

I bend over to kiss him. “I know it’s cold comfort, but at least you have some answers.”

“It helps,” he agrees. “And I have you, too.”

“You do,” I say. “Forever.”

He takes my hand and kisses my fingertips. “Forever,” he repeats.

I sigh happily. “I love you. And I’m hungry. I’m going to grab my robe, then I’m going to read the menu, then I’m going to order us a buffet.”

He laughs. “I could eat.”

I practically dance to the closet, then start to pull it open. I pause to turn back and ask Jasper if he wants a dessert when I’m yanked off my feet and into a strong pair of arms.

“Lovely to see you again,” Owen says. “And how special that you’ll die in your birthday suit.”

“You fucker,” I hiss, my heart pounding with so much fear I’m surprised it doesn’t break a rib. “You really are evil.”

“Me? Your boyfriend’s the one who’s destroyed my mentor. But I’ll destroy him.” He bends down and stage whispers in my ear, loud enough for Jasper to hear, “I’ll destroy him by destroying you.”

I can’t breath. I’m terrified that this time it really is the end. Owen has a knife in his hand, and I’m confident he’ll use it.

Then I see Jasper, and my fear evaporates. “It’s okay, baby,” he says, shifting on the bed. “We’re just going to do what Owen says. He’s in charge, right?”

“Right,” I say, getting ready. I keep my eyes on him, and the moment I see him thrust his hand between the mattress and the headboard, I jerk hard to the right, wrenching myself from Owen’s grasp.

I drop to the floor even as the crack of the gun echoes through the room. I hear a thud, then roll over to find Owen on the floor, a bullet through the brain and the knife clenched in his hand.

“You knew,” I say, climbing to my feet and racing to the bed and into his arms.

“Of course, I knew. I checked the second I got on the bed. I figured it would be there. After all, in every hotel, King hides his spare gun between the mattress and the headboard. And there’s always one last bad guy at the end.”