the same location, she could have assumed I was in danger.”
“The hotel had cameras. It’s possible she found footage of you arriving with us, so she knew you had allies in the hotel.” Owen nodded as if he were putting things together as he spoke. “We can look into the possibility that Joli was tracking the Serbians. That might allow us to try a digital trace for her.”
Devon nodded, then added, “The second option is they tried to contact you before they ran, but couldn’t get ahold of you. They think you’re dead or at least missing.”
“But—”
“If that were the case—”
Devon raised his hand to stop the protests. “I agree. Unlikely, unless we take into consideration the third possibility.”
“Which is?” Luca asked softly.
“Your sister is covering for you.”
Luca closed his eyes. “I think…she shouldn’t risk herself.”
“I think we need to assume Joli knows more than she should, and she’s not telling the Bellator Dei everything she does know.”
“Could your sister access passport records?” Owen asked. “Know you’ve flown back and forth to the U.S. a couple times?”
“I don’t know…I don’t think so. The things she can access are smaller.”
“What do we do next, to find the Bellator Dei? Joli?” Luca asked.
“You?” Owen shook his head. “You do nothing. We’ve debriefed you, and if you think of other things we, the MPF, need to know, you call me. But you’ve done your part. Let us take it from here.”
“But—”
“Trust,” the Grand Master said. “It’s time for you to trust us.”
Luca nodded. The Trinity Masters had stood by him, believed in him, had his back, defended him. The trust she requested was easily granted. “Yes, Grand Master.”
“And with that, I believe your part in this mystery is concluded,” the Grand Master said, looking at Oscar and Selene. “You’re free to return to your homes, to your lives. And, Luca, we will help set you up here in the States.”
The Grand Master stood, so everyone else at the table did as well. Sebastian opened the door as Selene, Oscar, and Luca gathered their things and left. “Your luggage as well as a car are waiting for you outside. It will drive you wherever you wish to go.”
Franco appeared next to Sebastian. “The suite at Boston Park Plaza is available if you need a day or two to…”
Luca forced a smile, then followed Selene and Oscar to the waiting car.
“Hotel?” Oscar asked.
“Hotel,” Selene agreed.
Luca nodded, not sure how he felt about walking away from the hunt for the Bellator Dei. But then Oscar put his arm around Luca’s shoulder, Selene took his hand, and Luca thought that maybe, just maybe, it would be okay for him to find some happiness for himself.
For however long it lasted.
As they took the elevator up to the penthouse, Oscar felt like he was coming out of his skin. The silence that had lingered between him, Luca, and Selene had gone on for too long. He’d fucked up in Rome, telling them they needed to walk away.
He’d been wrong to tell them this needed to end. If he left right now, returned to Charleston without them, or without a plan to see them, it would feel like he was ripping off his own arm. He couldn’t do it.
Once they’d entered the room, he shut the door with more force than he’d intended. Luca and Selene both looked his way, Luca confused, Selene concerned.
“Oscar—” she started.
“No.” He raised his hand to cut her off. “Just hear me out. Forget everything I said in Rome.”
“Everything?” Luca asked, and Oscar shook his head, aware, that as always, he was letting his temper, his anxiety, keep him from saying shit right.
“Not everything,” Oscar said, trying to calm down. “Jesus. I still love you, okay? That’s solid, that’s not changing or going away. It’s all the other bullshit I said.”
Selene sank down on one of the chairs in the living room. “It wasn’t bullshit, Oscar. You were right to suggest we protect ourselves, our hearts.”
“Fuck that. I’m already in too deep. Shit, I don’t think I can fall much deeper in love with you.”
Luca smiled at Selene. “I believe we are in love with a very romantic man.”
Oscar rolled his eyes, but Luca’s joke helped break the tension that had been building up inside him. Oscar’s shoulders relaxed slightly. “Smart-ass. Come here.”
Luca chuckled as he moved closer to Oscar. They kissed deeply, passionately. And when they parted, Selene was there, kissing Oscar, then