owned by you and not made to feel special anymore. Because I went into this thinking we were doing something bigger than ourselves...more important than us. If this is what I'm meant to do to make some mark on the world, I'm more than okay with it. And you...you've always been brave and heroic. You don't know what it's like to be scared and insignificant. So I can understand you didn't expect my reaction and are struggling with the truth of how we felt in that room last night, but don't you dare show me what it's like to be yours, then take it away." A tear drips down her cheek, and she wipes it away.
My heart bleeds. I tug her into my arms. There's so much I want to respond to her statement. But all I say is, "No one is more special to me than you, ma belle."
She looks up. "Then don't do this half-hearted. I can't go back and forth. And it's not the man you are. You do everything with certainty and strength. You don't doubt and second-guess. You move forward. It's who I need you to be."
"Nothing I feel toward you is half-hearted. My adoration for you will never waver."
"Then show me. Take possession of me and stop trying to give me back."
"I'm not giving you to anybody."
She grasps my cheeks. "You are. You're trying to pull me back into my old world. But I don't want to go back. I want to be yours and do everything necessary to change the course of what they want to happen. And I don't want to look in your eyes anymore and see guilt about how we go about it."
Ma belle has always been strong. But I wonder how she can be so selfless and want me so much when I have disrupted everything moral in her life.
"Do you understand what I need?" she asks.
My mouth goes dry. "Yes."
"Will you promise you will give it to me?"
The blood pounds hard between my ears. "If you promise me something in return."
"What?"
"When it is time for this to end, you will allow us to go back to being equals."
Her face hardens.
"This arrangement is not for the long term, ma belle."
She finally says, "Okay."
"When I say this is over, it's over."
She nods. "All right." She gives me a peck on the lips and steps back. She reaches into the drawer. "Panties, or no panties?"
25
Emilia
We land in Panama City and are on our way to the embassy when Gustave's phone beeps.
"What in God's name," he mumbles.
Malin's body stiffens. "What is it?"
Gustave holds his finger in the air and reads. The color drains from his face. "The President has ordered a person of interest on Naomi and Emilia. He's claiming it's in connection to the War on Drugs."
"What," Malin barks.
My insides flip. "What does that mean?"
"He's issued an international search and wants countries to turn over Naomi and Emilia."
"He can't do that, can he?" I cry out.
Malin tightens his arm around me. "Over my dead body."
Gustave's phone rings. He answers it. "Louis."
My chest tightens. Bernadette's eyes widen, which only makes me feel more panicky.
Gustave converses in French quickly. I can't follow it and glance at Malin. His eyes are in slits, and his cheeks are red. He watches Gustave intently.
We pull up to the embassy, but Malin locks the doors on both sides. The driver knocks, and Malin yells, "Get back in the car until we tell you otherwise."
Gustave hangs up.
"This is a direct violation of the bylaws," Malin blurts out.
Gustave nods. "The Global Leaders are not happy, and especially not the Prime Minister. Louis said there is a private entrance. William instructed him to tell us to use it."
"What if it's a trap?" Malin asks.
Gustave opens his briefcase and removes a handgun. "Then we go in prepared."
Malin takes his Glock out of his bag and knocks on the divider window. It goes down. Gustave gives the driver directions, and we pull through the parking garage and into a gated area.
"You stay with me at all times," Malin says.
"Has that ever not been the plan?" I tease.
His lips twitch. "Not a time for jokes."
I wince. "Sorry?"
He pecks me on the lips.
Malin and Gustave put their guns in the back waistband of their pants. They step out of the car and put their suit coats on. I get out first then Bernadette.
We step inside, and a tall man with a scowl on his face greets us. In an English accent, he sneers, "That