Never Gonna Happen - Cynthia Eden Page 0,80
That was always my worry. It was my mistake because I didn’t get the full situation between them. I didn’t see the real picture.” I didn’t realize how Sebastian really felt.
Winston cocked one eyebrow. “You need a new prescription for those glasses or are you seeing clearly now?”
“I think I finally am.”
“Good. When this investigation is over, when everything settles down, remind me to tell you about Operation Get Into Alyssa’s Good Graces.” He turned away. “You will laugh your ass off because Sebastian has been that far gone for a long time.”
A smile tugged at Antony’s lips. “Operation what?”
***
Two cops were waiting outside Winston’s office. A male and a female. “Thought you were supposed to stay with her,” Sebastian said as he saw them and immediately tensed. He knew the cops. They were two of the best on the force. That was why Winston had sent them to watch Alyssa.
“The special agent in charge wanted alone time with her.” Isla Burgos propped her shoulders against the wall. “But we’re not moving from this position.”
Nico Ricci nodded from his spot on the other side of the door. Then he chided, “She’s been asking about you. Was wondering when you’d show up.”
Guilt twisted inside of Sebastian as he reached for the doorknob. He swung the door open, not bothering to knock because…whatever. Dex can deal with me interrupting.
When the door opened, he saw Dex sitting on the edge of Winston’s desk. Dex was leaning toward Alyssa as she sat in a nearby chair. Dex’s hand was curved under her chin.
“Tell me…” Dex was saying. “Have you ever thought about being a spy?”
“Seriously?” Un-fucking-believable. Sebastian kicked the door closed. “You bring her into the spy world, and it will be the last mistake you make.”
Chapter Nineteen
Five minutes before Sebastian stormed into Winston’s office…
“So…that whole takedown at the safe house didn’t go as planned.” Dex blew out a long breath and angled to half-sit on the edge of Winston’s desk. “My bad.”
Alyssa sank into the chair near him. “Your bad? Is that the best you’ve got?”
He pursed his lips and considered the matter. “My very, very bad?”
“That’s not funny.”
“I know, but see, I don’t exactly get how to handle apologies. I don’t do apologies a whole lot in my line of work. I tend to break rules and plot missions, and I don’t screw up nearly as much as you would suspect. You know, given our history.”
Her eyebrows arched. “They put a bomb in the building.”
“Yes, but I’d like to note that it wasn’t a very big bomb. It was more bang and flash. If they’d wanted to take down the building, they would’ve needed a lot more power. I think it was more about distraction than anything else.”
That didn’t make her feel better. “I was bait, and the entire situation went to hell.”
“Granted, that did happen.” He winced. “But I’m not sure…after a review of the situation…that you were so much the target.”
“Excuse me?” He’d lost her.
“I just came from an interrogation with one of the suspects. Dwight Granger. A real ‘save his self’ kind of guy. And I’d already had a brief chat—back on scene—with another perp, a not-so-upstanding fellow named Marty.”
She waited.
He blinked. “No questions?”
“I figured you would keep talking. Not just stop dramatically.”
“Fair enough.” A nod. “Marty and his little gang didn’t storm the place until after Sebastian arrived.”
She already knew that, but… “Sebastian said he didn’t lead anyone to us—”
“No, I don’t think he did. I believe the perps followed the breadcrumbs I’d deliberately left. But I think they were watching the building, and I think they were waiting. They wanted Sebastian to arrive, and it was only after he got there that they made their move.”
Her heart surged in her chest. Now she got what he was saying. “And one of them tried to kill Sebastian.”
He nodded. “Heard about that. Really nice shooting you did, by the way.” A pause. Then he leaned forward. His hand slid under her chin.
Alyssa tensed. “What are you doing?”
“Planning for an arrival. Should happen in the next sixty seconds or so. I’m usually good at predicting things like this.”
“Uh, okay.”
“But my question to you will be legitimate. Because that truly was nice shooting, and I liked the way you handled yourself when things went to hell. And all in a towel, no less.”
Her eyes narrowed on him. “I will never live that down.”
“No, the legend will live on. At least in my mind.”
Her cheeks flushed.
He smiled. “Tell me…have you ever thought