“You were hiding?”
“Yes. I never stay long in any one place. It’s easier that way. And with the drop going wrong I chose there. It’s not a place I’d normally go.” I’d never been so anxious leaving a job. But then again, I’ve never been shot at before.
“Is Gabriella even your real name?”
“Yes, but I don’t often travel on that passport.”
“For fuck's sake. This is real.” He stands and runs his hands through his hair.
“I’ve never lied to you, Nate.”
“No?” He scoffs, turning away from me.
“No.” My voice rings out with the conviction I feel for Nate in my heart.
He paces up and back, and I let him. His feet stop before he approaches me, looming over me as I force myself not to cower back into the cushions.
“Was any of it real? Us? Or was I just a useful distraction to you.”
I kneel up and risk wrapping my arms around his waist, needing to show him how real everything was—is—for me. “Everything between us was real. It’s about the only thing in my life that is.” He doesn’t push me away, so I continue to snake my arms around him, wishing he’d believe me and let this anger go.
“I’m going to order food,” he mutters, removing my hands and stalking away.
The sight of him leaving has me wondering if the fucking really was his form of punishment, or whether any of this means something to him, too.
He snatches up a phone from the desk and speaks to someone, mumbling a few words that I choose not to pay attention to. Perhaps sharing with Nate was too much. My optimism from the island clouding my better judgement, or the fact that I’ve felt like hell since leaving him and I’d do just about anything to have us back in bed together with the real world locked outside the door.
The adrenaline from earlier has fled my system, and I’m left feeling tired. So damn tired. I may have run to Bora to hide away, but I’ve never stopped running or looking over my shoulder. First my brother, then Mortoni. And now I can’t shake the feeling that I have a shadow or someone looking for me. It’s a gut feeling, and I’ve learned to listen to my gut.
Nate nudges my arm as my eyes drop closed for a moment. So tired.
“If you’re staying with me, you won’t be sleeping.” He looks at me, a world of softer emotions crossing his features for the first time, rather than the anger of moments ago.
“So, what do you propose? You seem conflicted about what I had to say.”
“You barge in here, kick my company out, and tell me you’re a thief?” He pinches his brow and sits back down, looking as tired as I feel. “Give me a fucking break, Gabby, if it takes me a minute to adjust. You fucking upped and left me. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.” He scowls and looks me over again. “You going to explain why you played Houdini on me?”
“I had to go, and I couldn’t tell you who I was or why I was leaving. My brother was in trouble, and I could help. As much as I may hate him, I had no choice. Plus, I thought you were an accountant. I didn’t want you mixed up in my world.”
“The diamonds you wore to the casino—were they yours or did youacquirethem?”
“They were one of my favourite jobs.” Thinking back to that day can’t help but make me smile. “They’ve been mine for over three years.”
“You work alone?”
“Mostly. There’s been a time or two that I’ve worked with a team.” He doesn’t need to know about every job I took. He’s still getting over the shock of me being a criminal. Admitting I was part of a heist team that hit the Brussels airport a few years ago might be too much for him. I turn to face him. His body has softened, and I can tell he’s more interested than he wants to be. “But mostly it’s small jobs. Doing what I do hasn’t afforded me many friends. I haven’t really had time or the ability to live my own life. I wasn’t in Bora for a holiday as such.”
“I guess I was the lucky son-of-a-bitch you happened upon then.”
“Believe me, what I said at the beginning was exactly what I intended. I’ve not had a relationship for over seven years.” And even that would be a stretch of the imagination.
We’ve managed to move closer along the sofa, our bodies pulling like magnets towards each other. “I didn’t mean to fall for the guy I agreed to a holiday fling with. Meeting you allowed me to be me for the first time in a long time. I know we had a connection, so don’t bullshit me now. I’m sorry I hurt you, but we never agreed that things had changed between us. I had to leave, Nate. Don’t you see that?”
His eyes scrutinise me, as if he’s searching for the truth or hoping to catch me out on a lie. I’ve exposed myself, given him all the answers he’ll ever need from me. He knows more about me than anyone else on the planet. Another thought that makes me want to crumble after the last few weeks, but I’ve never crumbled. I may hide and lurk in the darkness, but my life has forged steel into my soul.
There’s a knock at the door and Nate walks off to answer, leaving the tension thick between us. He places a large silver tray on the dining table. “You hungry?”
“Yes.”
