"Yes. But I don't want to talk right now, ma belle. We have an hour until we need to be in the car. There are things I need to do with my time." He kisses my collarbone.
Flutters erupt in my belly. "Like what?" I whisper.
He switches to French. "Make you claw my back and scream my name at least a dozen times."
We spend the next forty-five minutes lip-locked and sweaty. We take a quick shower. I take my purse, a lingerie outfit I like from the new collection he had delivered, and my Malin collar.
I haven't worn it since we got married. The only scheduled event was the party the night I was sick.
Malin leads me through the embassy and into the car. The driver takes us to the private airport, and we get on the plane.
"After you, my bride," Malin says and motions for me to go up the steps.
I get inside and round the corner. I stop. Malin puts his arm protectively around me then looks around.
"No one else is on, except the pilot. Shut the door so we can get out of this country. I've had enough of this city for a while," the man grumbles.
Malin snorts and kisses the top of my head.
The man stands. He scratches his bald head. "Don't worry, ma'am. I won't bite you."
I glance at Malin.
"Ma belle, meet Tinker. Tinker, my wife, Emilia."
"You're...oh... Hi!" I exclaim.
Tinker's forehead wrinkles. "Your what?"
"My wife," Malin says proudly, and I beam.
Tinker stares.
Malin shuts the door of the plane and knocks on the cockpit. "All ready."
"You look like a younger version of your sister," Tinker says. "But your hair is curly."
I step forward and sit in the seat where he was. "You saw Naomi?"
"Sure. I saw all of them."
Malin and Tinker slap backs and sit.
"You want to tell me what the hell is going on now?" Tinker says.
"Why don't you tell me how you got on this plane?"
"Gustave."
Malin nods. "Should I ask what you were doing for Gustave?"
"Probably not."
Malin sighs. "Fair enough."
Tinker scratches his chin. "Now, why have you dressed all fancy like you're rich?"
I nervously glance at Malin.
"Do you want a drink? I think you might need one," Malin says.
"There's no flight attendant. Start talking."
By the time the plane lands, Tinker tells us about how everyone got to his house, except us. He informs us Dirk was shot but recovered and rescued Zoe. He gives us the address of Andre's brother's house in Bermuda and hands me a piece of paper. "Put that in your purse if you would. You both need to memorize the address. Then tell Gustave to destroy it."
"Have you heard from my sister?" I ask.
"Yes. Andre said she's trying to figure out a way to release her story."
"Tell her not to. Not yet," Malin warns.
"I will have Andre talk to Hunter, too."
Malin furrows his brows. "What does Hunter have to do with this?"
"Vanessa is pushing Naomi to run the story. They just got to Australia and Andre said she and Naomi were going back and forth over the phone about what to do."
"They cannot run anything until we get to Bermuda and tell them to. There is a time for it. Right now, if they do it, it will destroy everything we are working toward."
"What would that be?" Tinker asks.
Malin's face hardens.
Tinker scowls. "You want to fill in the pieces for me about what's happening?"
Malin carefully chooses his words and fills in the cracks for him.
Tinker sits stunned. "Gustave and you are brothers?"
"Yes. I'm sorry I had to lie."
Tinker's jaw clenches. "We all do what we have to do, brother."
Malin sighs in relief. "Thanks."
I didn't realize how much keeping his secret from the guys has eaten at him until now. I lean into him more and look up. He pecks me on the lips.
We land. Tinker stays on the plane and we go to get off.
"Emilia, it was nice meeting you," Tinker says.
"You, too."
He kisses my cheek, and I embrace him. "I hope to see you again soon."
"You, too, ma'am."
That's strange. My skin didn't crawl.
He and Malin slap backs and say goodbye.
I turn to Malin. "Where are we?"
"In Colombia. We're staying here until Gustave calls."
"Then what?"
"Hopefully, Axel will have Millie."
30
Malin
Every day, more things are falling apart with the Global Leaders' plans. The heads of all the drug cartels are dead. The only major threat remaining before there is a complete collapse of the system is for Evandro Torres, Jonas's brother, to go down.