“Not exactly.” He arose from the chair and crossed the distance between them in fluid strides before sitting on the edge of the bed. He leaned in and caressed her cheek, rippling delicious sensations across her skin. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too. How are you here?” she asked again.
“There was one more piece of the story that I couldn’t tell you before.”
“What?” She wanted to pull the words from him.
“Special Agent Daniel Frank is my handler.”
“Handler?” Her brows knitted together. “I don’t understand.”
He caught hold of her hands. “Don’t be mad at me for not telling you. I couldn’t, no matter how much I wanted to. That was part of the deal.”
“Deal?”
His expression grew somber. “You know about me faking my death and going off the grid.”
She nodded.
“After we met—and you rocked my world,” his eyes held hers in a caress, “I knew that I needed to make some drastic changes before we could truly be together. After I left the Hamptons and delivered the mask to Katia, I went to the FBI.”
Air whooshed out of her lungs. “You what?” she uttered hoarsely.
“I worked out a deal. I agreed to become an informant. Essentially, I promised to use my association with Katia to get them intel on Astor, who’s connected to a crime syndicate.”
Her brain raced with a new hope. “What does this mean? Did you give them what they need?”
“I did. I don’t know when it will happen, but Daniel tells me that they plan to arrest Astor soon.” The corners of his mouth turned down. “I wish I could’ve come to you sooner, but I had to keep playing the game. Those four months I spent away from you were torture,” he groaned.
“Tell me about it.”
He grinned. “Of course, I couldn’t resist coming to visit you from time to time.”
Her eyes popped open wide. “You broke into my bedroom more than once?”
“Only a handful of times.” A teasing grin overtook his face. “You talk in your sleep.”
“You’re such a menace.”
He laughed. “That, I am.” He searched her face. “Do you still love me? I promise you. I’m a better man in all the ways that count.”
“I do love you.” Her eyes grew moist as they shared a smile. Her brain turned to practical matters. “Does this mean that you’re off the hook?” She held her breath as she waited for him to answer.
“More or less.”
Her voice pitched high as she removed her hands from his. “Is it more or less?” she demanded.
“I’m on probation for two years. As long as I mind my p’s and q’s and check in with my probation officer, I’ll be just fine. The FBI was so desperate to get dirt on Astor that they made me a sweet deal.”
A heady relief splashed over her. “That is wonderful news.” She gave him a sharp look. “You will toe the line, right?”
“I’ll be a good little boy. I promise,” he winked.
“You’d better.”
“Especially if I have you to watch over me.”
“Don’t you worry,” she vowed, “I don’t plan to let you out of my sight. Ever again.”
