“And what? We all become friends? How has that worked for you?”

Stephan didn’t say anything. His words found a fresh wound Stephan didn’t want to acknowledge. Dominic still thought the worst of him. There was a chance he always would. He hoped to God the love he shared with Nicole was strong enough to survive that truth.

Sliver continued. “Imagine your life without Dominic. Wouldn’t it be wonderful? All you have to do is call him and tell him that you’re here. Tell him how you tried to stop me but failed and need him. When he comes—leave. I’ll give you time to save everyone else in the building. I believe there is a sweet woman living just below who has two young children. One is sick and home with her today. What a shame if you choose not to help me and they pay the price.”

“You’re a sick bastard.”

“We can spin this scenario so you win. You get his sister without having to deal with him. The news will credit you for risking your life to save everyone in the building. Hell, you’ll be a hero. So, what’s it going to be? How much is your rival’s life worth to you?”

Taking a deep breath, Stephan made one of the most difficult decisions of his life.

Chapter Eighteen

Dressed in a blonde wig, baggy jeans, and a sweatshirt, Alethea assessed the building Jeremy had directed her to. She stood at a safe enough distance that it was unlikely Sliver would use surveillance cameras where she was. Jeremy had given her the blueprints of the loft apartment building. She studied the surrounding area.

Why? Why this building? This area?

She was so engrossed she screamed when a hand closed over her arm. The sound was quickly silenced by a male hand over her mouth, and she was pulled backward off the street into an alley. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest.

Thankfully, she recognized that touch.

And the strong chest pressed against her back.

Marc.

He removed his hand and turned her. Without stopping to think, she threw her arms around his neck and met his mouth halfway. The kiss they shared was a declaration. An affirmation of what they both knew but hadn’t yet vocalized.

He broke it off and hugged her to him.

“How did you find me?” she asked.

He kissed her forehead. “I talked to Jeremy. He told me you’d be here, so I had my men perform a shrinking sweep of the surrounding area.”

She shook her head in self-disgust. “I should have been watching my back as well as doing reconnaissance. I know better.”

He ran a hand down her back, cupping one of her ass cheeks possessively. “You don’t have to watch your back. I’m more than happy to do it.”

Heart still thudding in her chest, she rolled her eyes and asked, “Did you seriously just go there?”

He tapped her nose with one finger in reprimand. “Hey, no critiquing my sexual banter. I’m working the moment here.” He kissed her deeply again and said, “Promise me one thing.”

After a kiss like that—anything.

“Yes?” she asked huskily.

“Save that wig for later. I love it.” The devilish grin he shot her sent a wave of desire through her.

“This is not helping,” she said dryly, but in fact it was. I’m not alone. He came.

“Right.” Marc shook his head as if to clear it. “Do you have anyone planted in the area?”

Alethea pointed westward. “I have a dog walker if I need him, but I didn’t want to send him in until I knew what I was dealing with. I have a bad feeling about this. It was too easy to find him. He wanted to be found.”

“I agree. Jeremy voiced the same concern. That’s why we’re sweeping inward. I’m treating this area like a minefield because it just may be.” Marc turned his head away for a moment as he listened to his earpiece. “We just made contact with one of Stephan’s men. They were inside the loft when they were separated and somehow Stephan got locked inside. They heard another man’s voice and then Stephan told them to fall back and stay there until he contacts them.”

Alethea leapt out of Marc’s embrace. “Sliver has Stephan.”

Tight-lipped, Marc nodded. “It looks that way. I have enough men to surround the building. And snipers. I can set up a perimeter that he can’t escape and then we’ll lure him out.”

Alethea grabbed his arm. “No. Hang on. Why would Stephan send his men away?”

“Because someone has a gun to his head?”

No, that’s not it. I am way too nauseated for it to be that simple. “A gun would be a direct attack. That’s how you’d go after someone. Sliver is as much a coward as he is a genius. He’s not in that building. He’s nearby—watching. I know it.”

Alethea was used to people dismissing her theories, but Marc nodded in full agreement. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then asked, “Does all that watching require something we could trace? Like an unusually high amount of electrical usage?”

A smile spread across Alethea’s face. “You’re a genius.”

He shot her a humble smile. “No, but I’ve watched spy movies.” Then he pulled her back into his arms. “We’re going to get this bastard.”

Alethea wasn’t quite as confident. Having a hostage definitely gave Sliver an advantage. “What makes you so sure?”

The warm smile he gave her sent her heart beating wildly. “Because Sliver planned for Jeremy and Stephan. He even planned for me.” He hugged her closer and nuzzled her neck. “But no one—no one can prepare for you.”

She raised one eyebrow and leaned back. “I believe you just gave me a compliment.” When he smiled down unabashedly at her, her confidence rose. I hope to hell I’m half as good as he thinks I am. She took out her phone and called Jeremy. “Jeremy, I need you to hack into Con Edison for me.”

Jeremy instantly began typing. “We definitely need to start speaking in code. Okay, I’m in. What are we looking for?”

“Someone using enough electricity to power a command center in one of the nearby buildings.”

“Gotcha. Brilliant.”

Alethea looked up into a watchful pair of blue eyes. “It was Marc’s idea.”

Jeremy’s typing didn’t pause as he answered, “I like him.”

“Me, too,” Alethea said, then blushed when amusement filled Marc’s eyes and she realized he’d heard Jeremy’s comment.

“Found one,” Jeremy said with enthusiasm. “It’s across the street to the left. It has had at least two complaints from Con Edison regarding excessive usage.”

“We’ve got him,” Alethea said, and threw her arms triumphantly around Marc.

It took everything in Marc to resist picking Alethea up and carrying her as far away as he could from Sliver and the very real danger he posed. Over the years, Marc had stood proudly as the front line of Dominic’s security. He’d faced rebels, foreign police forces, and hired assassins.

Negotiating the deals Dominic and Jake had made over the years had taken them all into dicey situations, where the fact that they’d survived, had often been an inexplicable miracle. It was how Dominic had made his fortune. There wasn’t a country he wouldn’t deal with. No toppling government was too dangerous to bargain with. They’d checked their morality at the door and done whatever was necessary—short of murder—to achieve their goals.

Marc didn’t regret a moment of it. His loyalty to his boss had always come first. Without question. Without hesitation.

But he wasn’t as generous when it came to Alethea’s life. She had the heart of a Marine and the kick-ass attitude to be an honorary one, as far as he was concerned. He thought back to the men he had fought beside and lost, and closed his eyes briefly. He couldn’t lose Alethea, too.

But he also knew she wouldn’t leave, no matter what he said. She understood the risks and yet she wouldn’t leave this battleground willingly. He held her closer and breathed in her perfume.

Sophisticated.

Bold.

Just like her.

Oblivious to Marc’s inner turmoil, Alethea continued to direct Jeremy as she put him on speakerphone. “Are you able to cut off the electricity to that apartment? The one across the street?”

“I can shut off the whole building. The street, if you need it,” Jeremy answered.

“Good. Marc has men in the area. We can surround him where he is and, if we take away his eyes and ears, Marc can extricate him. But we’ll need to time this perfectly.” She met Marc’s eyes. “If Sliver has that loft rigged somehow, we’ll have to make him believe that keeping Stephan alive is his bargaining chip.”

Her eyes held the answer Marc feared. “While you . . .?”

Alethea met his eyes boldly. “I’m going to free Stephan. I’ve never met a security system I couldn’t breach.”

Except mine.

She flashed a smile at him, acknowledging that she knew exactly what he’d been thinking. “Honestly, I didn’t try that hard with yours.”

Jaw tight, Marc demanded what he knew she couldn’t promise. “You get in. Get Stephan and get out.” Then he surprised even himself by saying, “Because I won’t lose you now. I have every intention of marrying you.”

Alethea pulled back with irritation rather than the rosy, pleased flush he’d expected. “Marry? Are you seriously picking this moment to ask me?”

“Who said I’m asking? We belong together.” His smile became more confident as he said it out loud.

“No.”

His smile dimmed. “No?”

She put a hand on either hip. “This is not how you are going to propose to me. I want flowers. I want you down on your knee. All that hokey romantic stuff. And a ring. Something tasteful.”

There’s the woman I love. Tough as nails on the outside, but on the inside, wanting to be loved and cherished just as much as any other. It was a heady combination for him. She would indeed be a real partner to him in life, but she also needed him—just as much as he needed her.

Marc kissed her until the anger left her, and then teased, “How about I just toss you in my trunk, marry you quick, and make it up to you during our honeymoon?”

Before Alethea could answer, Jeremy’s voice rang out from the phone she still held in one hand. “Uh, guys? I don’t want to interrupt, but this is getting awkward. Do you want to call me back when you have a timetable?”

Back to business. Marc took the phone. “Jeremy, I may need a direct link to Sliver’s phone, in case we need to negotiate with him.” He quickly kissed Alethea’s upturned nose, then set her back from him.

He’d said what he needed to say, and although she hadn’t said yes, she’d given him an answer he could work with. “Once we do this, it has to go down fast. Sliver’s too smart to be kept off balance long. We don’t want to give him time to come up with plan B.”

Jeremy said, “I can’t imagine this failing. Not with the two of you working together. Is there anything else you need?”

Marc held out a hand to Alethea.