“Truth is, I can’t seem to break away from the idea that this isn’t over.Somehow the Bratva found Luis in Porto, and...”
Nimue’s mouth opened.“You came to check on me.”
“Of course I did.”She met Nim’s eyes.
“You can stop taking care of me, sis.I can take care of myself.”
Emberly watched as Steinbeck raised one of the poles and fitted it into a concrete anchor he’d built.
“Maybe you should be more concerned with yourself and making sure you’re not in for heartbreak.”
Emberly glanced back at her sister.“What?”
“I’m not talking about him—I’m talking about you.Leavinghim.”
“What would I?—”
Nimue gave her a look.
“Listen.I’m not the same person I was back then.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“I just know when I’m not wanted.”
“You are your own worst enemy, sis.Maybe stop projecting all of your greatest fears onto someone and then reacting as if you’re right.”She unwound herself.“Maybe give the guy a chance before you ditch him.”
“I brought him here, didn’t I?”
“So far, so good.I just don’t want you to suffer from the same ailment our mother had and abandon a good thing when it gets scary.”
Emberly glanced out at Steinbeck, who’d set the other pole in place.
“You’re almost all the way to happily ever after,” Nimue said softly.“Don’t spook now.”
Emberly breathed in the words.Turned back to Nimue.The wind stirred the nearby planter of geraniums.“We’ll see who spooks first.”
“He’s a former SEAL.My guess is that you’re in for a fight.”
His words on the balcony filtered back to her.“That’s not my mission, Emberly.”
Oh no.Was she still a project?
Nimue leaned forward.“So, I dug through the dark web, and Tomas has gone silent.I know you’re still worried about what the Bratva is up to.”
“I just can’t figure out how they corrupted that service animal at the fair—or if it was even them.We could be dealing with a global threat.”
“One day at a time,” Nimue said.“Let’s start with tracking down Tomas and his ilk and figuring out their agenda.And that means sleuthing out how they found you in Porto.All I can think is that they picked up Luis’s 911 call to your boss.”
“But how?We have the safe house on its own encrypted server.I updated the entire place a year ago.New server, new equipment.Besides, Luis said he’d created a false trail.”
“How?”
“He logged into their smart TV?—”
Nim sat back.“And left a footprint.”
“He’s smarter than that.”
