Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 69330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69330 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 347(@200wpm)___ 277(@250wpm)___ 231(@300wpm)
Godfrey exited with a grin, adjusting his clothes.
“Good day, Miss Val,” he said as he walked past. “Be sure to have something of value for me in a couple of days.” He saluted as he cleared the building. “I’ll be in touch.”
The security guard at the door avoided her eyes. Everyone had heard what had happened in Doumar’s office. They waited in tense silence for Doumar to make his appearance.
When he finally came out a long time later, there was a slight limp to his walk. Afraid of his reaction, Sky didn’t acknowledge him or his discomfort. Knowing him as well as she did, he’d prefer to pretend what Godfrey had done never happened. Averting her eyes, she kept busy with the ledger until Doumar had left. Only then did she punch the number into the desk phone.
A ringtone broke the silence.
“Hello?” a deep, sleepy voice said.
She had to have woken him. She hadn’t paid attention to the late hour. “Mr. Black, I need to see you.”
Chapter 4
The café was quiet. Bono chose a table at the back from where he could watch the door. He took off his linen jacket and arranged it over the chair back before sitting down. Pulling the stand-up menu closer, he hid his arms behind it and synchronized the settings of the smartphone with those of the server Maya ran from a van parked nearby. If anything was to go wrong, this was his link to the team. They’d pull him out if the meeting was a set-up. Somehow, he doubted Miss Val was going to assassinate him. Not today, at least. Satisfied that the device was working, he ordered a latte and waited.
A few minutes later, Sky appeared in the door. The sight of her knocked the breath from his lungs. She wore a peach-colored dress that was more see-through than not, revealing purple boy shorts and a bra. Her hair was fastened in a messy bun. There was no foundation on her flawless skin, but black kohl outlined her eyes. Gloss made her lips shine, accentuating the full curve. As the first time, it was the bottomless sorrow in her cloudless eyes that pulled at his heartstrings.
She took her time to assess him where he sat with his arms crossed over his chest and his legs wide. The way her gaze lingered on his crotch made a pleasant heat crawl up his spine. If he’d been born with a fairer skin, she’d see the darkening of his cheeks. It wasn’t embarrassment as much as lust. What this woman did to him. And with nothing but her eyes.
He offered a smile. At the gesture, she moved inside and took a seat.
Opening her fist, she let a joint roll onto the table. “More of typical Amsterdam for the tourist.”
Her waist was narrow and her slender legs long. The desire to cup her hips and feel her between his hands was fierce, but he managed to keep his hands to himself. “You take me for a cliché.”
“Isn’t this what everyone moves to after beer and cheese?”
“I’m not everyone.”
“Keep it. I don’t smoke.”
“Neither do I.” He folded his arms on the table. “What can I get you to drink?”
“Banana-coffee shake.”
“Say please.”
She scowled.
“It’s good manners, Sky.”
Batting her eyelashes, she gave him a pouty-lip frown. “Please.”
He signaled for a waiter and placed the order. When the server was gone, he said, “Why did you call?”
“Why are you still in Amsterdam?”
“My schedule is my boss’s. I work on his time.”
“What is he still doing here?”
“I couldn’t say.”
“Couldn’t or wouldn’t?”
“Are you interested in Joss? If you’re using me to get to him, you should know he’s taken.”
Her lips tilted. It wasn’t enough to go through as a smile, but she looked cute when she tried so hard not to smile. “I know.”
“How?”
“I saw it in his palm.” She took his hand. “I’m sorry I was a jerk the other day when you asked me to read your palm. I can do it now.”
He freed his hand from her soft grasp. “No, thanks.”
Hurt invaded her eyes, but she replaced it quickly with a mask of indifference. “Why not?”
“I don’t want to put you through it.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“I prefer you tell me something other than my future.” More honestly, he didn’t want to risk her seeing what the team was up to or that he was spying for Cain.
She clasped her hands together on her lap. “Like what?”
There were many questions he should be asking, pointers that had been drilled into him by the team, but what came out of his mouth was what was foremost on his mind. “Why did your parents name you Sky?”
“I don’t know. I never got a chance to ask my mother. She died giving birth to me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I hate my name. I wish I was called something normal and pretty like Annie.”