“Then it was a different Maria that hired me. She looked like this one, but it wasn’t her.” I frowned. “Are they a cult?”

Vitz grunted. Either he didn’t know or they weren’t sure.

“You can explain later. We’ve got to go.” Danny leaned back into the room. “I hear people coming this way.”

“Wait, where is Tess? Is she really safe?” Ava looked at the thief.

“Yes, she’s monitoring me with a GPS from the basement of a building near-by. I locked her in so she wouldn’t follow me.” Danny grimaced. “She’s probably going to divorce me.”

“How did you know to come tonigt?” I asked. “You showed up at just the right time.”

“We’ve been following the casino since Tess got Ava’s email. I figured that if she was with someone that could help her, you would eventually end up at one of them.” Danny rubbed the back of neck. “I couldn’t find Ava. We searched all of London. I thought of just sending the painting to Maria but I worried she’d kill Ava either way. I’d hoped presenting it in person would up our odds of surviving.”

“That was a big gamble.” Vitz frowned. “You should stick to stealing and leave the strategy to someone else.”

“Right.” Danny frowned. “I’m really sorry, Ava. Tessa is going to be so relieved you’re okay.”

“Those people are getting closer, we need to split.” Mavis nodded at Vitz.

“I have help waiting outside.” I managed to haul my sorry ass off the desk and stand. Ava slipped under my arm. I was determined to keep her tucked against me for a very long time.

“Can you tell us a way out?” Danny looked at Vitz.

“Yes. My cover is shot.” Frustration laced his words. Without another look he took off in the opposite direction of the way we had come.

“I guess we’re moving.” Mavis looked at me with assessing eyes. “You can make it out. Don’t run into any other bullets, got it, cheese boy?”

“Got it.”

“What kind of cheese?” Ava glanced up at me.

“Swiss.” I sighed and leaned over to kiss her head. We were alive.

“So you’re Swiss Cheese? It works.” There was that smile I loved so much.

“Yes and you’re my American turkey.”

“I can handle that.” Her laugh helped distract me as we made our way down the dark hallways.

We ran into very little resistance. Mavis and Vitz took care of it quickly and quietly each time.

Outside there was a boy in black clothes leaning against a wall. He pressed something on a phone and said a few short words in French before a van turned the corner. He walked over and opened the door for us.

“Owen?” Mavis called.

“We’re good.” I let Ava help me into the van. I could have managed without her, but it was nice to have the help. The man in the front passenger seat turned to look at me. “Where’s John?”

“He’s getting a physician. Derek said you were bleeding.”

“Thank you.”

Ava was looking at my shoulder, her face worried. “Are you going to be okay? Mavis, is he going to be okay?”

“Yes, he has more blood than brains.” The slender woman leaned over the seat and lifted the material from my shoulder. “He got lucky again.”

“Did you want a matching bullet scar on the other shoulder?” Ava’s smile wobbled.

“It’s manly to have matching scars.” I pulled her closer to me.

“Don’t get any more, okay?”

“I’ll try.”

She sighed. “And don’t lie to me again.”

I lifted my hand and extended my pinky finger.

Her eyes filled with love, she wrapped her finger around mine.

“You’re stuck with me, now.” I leaned forward the best I could and she met me, her lips pressing to mine.

“Like you could get rid of me.”

I wondered if she would ever be the same. Or maybe she hadn’t changed at all. Maybe she’d had a little assassin to her the whole time.

“You wanted to shake things up.” I pulled back and looked in her eyes.

Her smile was wide. “I think I’ve officially figured out how to do that. It just took a few lessons from an assassin.”

“The world is your oyster. What do you want to do now?”

“After you’re patched up and I’ve yelled at Tessa and Danny? I think we should explore Paris. Visit a bakery.” She shrugged. “Maybe I’ll design jewelry for Kenny to put little transmitters in. Designer watches with hidden tools.”

“Very James Bond.” I shifted in the seat, unable to find a position that didn’t hurt.

“Hm.” She frowned. “I’ve never wanted to be a Bond girl.”

“So true.” Mavis said. “We really needed better spy role models.”

Danny leaned forward. “Can you drop me off at the next street? Tell me where to meet you and I’ll bring Tessa. She’s going to want to see Ava right away.”

I looked at Ava. “What do you think?”

“I think if he doesn’t show up with Tessa we’ll go looking for him next.” She turned and narrowed her eyes at Danny.

“That’s more than fair.” Danny frowned. “I really am sorry, Ava. I’ll find a way to make this up to you.”