Page 20 of Lethal Salvation

“Nothing, just my lip palette.”

As he watched, she ran the device over his furniture, moving from room to room as he followed like a lost child. As he moved closer, he could guess what it was and why she was checking, but it had never occurred to him to check his home for bugs.

As she pushed open the door of his bedroom, she glanced at the bed and he had the deepest desire to see her sprawled out there, her hair spread out across the pillow, lips swollen from his kisses.

“You have a wonderful view of London. Do you use the terrace a lot?”

He frowned, confused by the small talk until she pointed at the flashing light, and he saw it blinking, and his eyes widened.

Son of a bitch. “I do. I love being out there, especially at night, it helps me relax.”

“I bet. I’d live out here if this place were mine.”

As she reached his bedside clock and flipped it upside down, she pointed to the small bug that looked like a microchip, and he balled his fists in anger.

As they moved through his home, they found another in his home office, one in the gym, and another under the light of his outdoor lighting panel.

As they passed the bathroom, she pulled him inside by his sleeve and switched on the tap.

“What do you want to do, leave them in place or get rid of them?”

Gideon was a little shocked by the turn of events and his gut reaction was that he wanted them gone. He felt violated by the thought of someone listening in on him in his home. How long had they been there and who had planted them?

“I don’t know. What should I do?”

Nadia pursed her lips and he saw a different side to her than the woman who ran his life at work like damn clockwork.

“Well, if you leave them you have to know someone is listening at all times or at least recording and monitoring, but they won’t realise we’re onto them. If we get rid of them, you’ll rest easier knowing you can speak freely in your home, but they’ll know we found them and are potentially on to them.”

“What would you do?”

“It’s different for me, Gideon. I live a very different life to you. I’m always guarded about what I say and to whom. If you’re asking me what you should do, I’d destroy them. They clearly suspect you know something, or they wouldn’t be monitoring your home and the chances of slipping up are high.”

“Okay, let’s do that.” He was surprised by his own capitulation. He was letting her lead and that was unusual for him.

Nadia nodded and went to turn the tap off, but he caught her arm. “What about the office?”

“I check that every morning and evening, so far it’s been clear.”

Gideon nodded, his gut churning with the realisation that this was getting very real now, or perhaps it was always real and he was just late in figuring it out.

He once again followed Nadia around and she dealt with the bugs, popping one in her purse so she could have her people look at it and see if they could source it.

“My bag is lined so it won’t work inside there.”

“I see.”

“I need to call Bás and the team in on this.”

“Fine, but I need to talk to you about my father’s visit.”

Chapter 7

Nadia watched Gideon’s face twist as he said the words. He’d been unusually placid the last hour and she knew some of it was the shock of finding bugs in his home, but it had started before that.

“I thought you might.”

He held his palm out, gesturing her towards the sofa and she sat, angling her body towards him as he took the seat beside her, his arm thrown over the back of the couch. It was supposed to reflect an open, honest posture, but she could practically feel the tension radiating off him. “Talk to me.”