exit. They have the information we need, we’ve been successful.
“Where is he?” the bodyguard demands.
I offer an innocent look. “He ran into the bathroom and hasn’t been out since.”
“He seemed uncomfortable but we didn’t know what to do,” River offers as the bodyguard stares at us for a moment before slipping into the bathroom. I hear him grunt and I nearly smile.
He steps back out with a thin smile. “I’m sorry the boss is currently unavailable.” He adds, “He will have me contact you about continuing the piece at a later time.”
“Oh of course.” I frown. “I hope he’s okay.” I obviously don’t.
I happily relax as we slip from the room. River’s smile grows as we walk further and further away from the scene of our crime. I look up at my boyfriend and whisper-yell, “How much did you give him?”
He winces. “Way more than a few drops, probably more than I should have. But the way that motherfucker was looking at you and putting his goddamn hands on you was making me fucking twitchy. It was either knock his ass out or put him completely out of his misery. And since I couldn’t carry a gun, or you know commit murder, without blowing our cover …”
Breathing out I nod. “Good choice, you’re right.”
As we near our hotel room and walk in, I feel a chill roll up my spine like I’m being watched. I look around but don’t see anything. River takes my shiver as a sign that I’m cold. When we reach the living room, all three men look up from where they are looking at a laptop. I feel panic hit me as I have a feeling something bad is coming.
“What did you find?” I ask quietly.
Kaden offers a slight unsure look, “I think we have a problem.”
Fourteen
Doppelgänger
Pierce – Earlier that day ...
I need to stay calm I think as I look up at the almost sixty foot long whale skeleton that hangs above my head in the Oceanographic museum.
Sloane almost saw me the other morning at the hotel and for as much as I’d like nothing more than a tearful reunion with the love of my life—tearful because the second I have my hands on her, the little bitch is gonna cry, begging for my forgiveness—I have to wait and bide my time for my master plan to come to fruition.
So in the end, I won’t just get the girl, I’ll bestow a painful death to all my enemies and deliver VDB and Kronin to the FBI, earning a promotion. There’s only one way this can end and it’s with my victory, so I can’t squander the advantage of ‘being dead.’
I look at my watch and scan the room again but I don’t see her: this is her first strike. Punctuality is of the utmost importance in life. God knows how many times I’ve had to try to teach Sloane that lesson.
A class of middle school students storms into the room, making a lot of noise. Fuck I hate kids, they’re such an inconvenience. I shoot the teacher an annoyed glare, she’s useless if she can’t keep those heathens under control.
I’m about to check the app for the umpteenth time just in case she canceled but that’s when I spot her entering the room. For a second my heart stops: it’s Sloane. She’s here.
But when she comes closer, I see how she’s all wrong. Her eyes are a dark brown not Sloane’s jade green and her nose is the wrong shape. But other than that, from far away and from behind, she could totally pass for Sloane. I spent days scouting all the main escort services for a girl that looked like the love of my life and she’s as close as I’ll ever get.
“Bonjour, je suis Corinne.” I walk her to the museum’s cafe and notice how she doesn’t move with Sloane’s same innate grace.
“You’ll do,” I say after evaluating the small mole on the side of her upper lip. That can be covered with makeup but if she’s even remotely good at following instructions, Vance and his buddies will never get close enough to know that Corinne isn’t Sloane. Corinne is just a decoy, so that I can grab my little bitch and disappear with her into the night.
“Alors?” The woman asks arching a perfect brow.
“Yes you’re suitable for my needs, Corinne. Your nose is wrong but the rest will just do. Finish your coffee and let’s go, we have some shopping to do.”
My