multitude of sins.
Maybe not dumping a body in the garbage sin, but certainly the slept through the alarm kind. What did it say about her that right now she was more concerned with the latter than the former? She decided not to judge herself too harshly. If she stopped too long to think about the situation her stomach started doing backflips.
Alex slipped his hand into hers. Her nerves must have been showing. "Everything is going to be okay," he said.
She wanted to believe him. She really did. But she couldn't. Nothing was okay. Everything had changed, and there was no way she could go back to the person she had been. The one who bumbled through life, uncertain of where she was going or what she was doing.
Now people were depending on her, not only for their safety, but for their very lives.
She realized with some sadness that she had never taken a close look at her life until it was in danger. Maybe not being able to go back wasn't such a bad thing—if she lived through this.
She clenched Alex’s hand as the lobby bell sounded and the doors slid open. There was no machine gun welcome committee. She sighed in relief.
Beth looked around the lobby. She didn’t see anyone she recognized. Of course not. Everyone she knew was already at the party. There were a few people on the couches, some with drinks in their hands, some with magazines and computers. No one looked their way.
At least a couple of them had to be federal agents. Alex’s expression gave nothing away.
Beth jumped a little as her phone went off in her purse. Alex squeezed her hand. She wasn't sure if it was reassurance or a reminder to play it cool. Either way, she thought that she was doing pretty well under the circumstances.
She pulled her phone out. There was a message from Isobel.
Seriously. Where the hell are you?
Alex read it over her shoulder. "Remember, even though you're with people you trust, you don't leave my side. Not to go to the bathroom. Not to the bar. Not even for a second," he said.
“Isobel isn’t trying to kill me,” Beth said, annoyed. Still, she didn't complain when Alex stayed a step ahead of her as they walked into the lounge.
Beth glanced around the packed lounge. It was filled with wedding guests, most of whom she knew. Every unknown face stood out in the crowd. Was it her imagination or were people paying more attention to her than usual?
Alex gave the place a quick scan as well. He nodded casually in her direction when he was done, and led her deeper into the crowd.
“I think we’re all right,” he said. “Salvatore isn’t here. He probably just found out about Staal’s failure.”
"Okay.” She didn’t know what else to say.
Alex let go of her hand and dug into his pocket for his phone. She drew in a long, steady breath as he checked the screen. She was going to be okay. Everything was going to be fine.
"Do you want a drink?" he asked.
Hell, yes .
"No, thanks," she said. Whatever was coming, it would be better if she faced it with her facilities intact.
He nodded. They stood outside the huddled groups of guests. Panic started to build inside her in earnest. Back in her room, it had been easy to make her decision to stay. But now, out in the open, she felt like a target. Beth fought the frantic instinct to drag Alex back up the stairs, lock the door to their room and never come out again.
“Shall we mingle?” Alex asked.
“No, thanks.”
“Why not?”
Beth shrugged her shoulders, trying to look casual. She had the feeling that she looked anything but. Alex discreetly pulled her to empty spot along the wall and leaned in close. More that a few heads turned, and people whispered behind their hands. They must have looked like a couple of besotted lovers sharing a moment.
If only.
"You doing all right?" he asked.
"I'm fine."
"No, you're not. You're stiff as a board, and you don't want to talk to your friends."
"I'm—I’m fine," she insisted.
"I'm right here, Beth. I'm not going to let
Maybe not dumping a body in the garbage sin, but certainly the slept through the alarm kind. What did it say about her that right now she was more concerned with the latter than the former? She decided not to judge herself too harshly. If she stopped too long to think about the situation her stomach started doing backflips.
Alex slipped his hand into hers. Her nerves must have been showing. "Everything is going to be okay," he said.
She wanted to believe him. She really did. But she couldn't. Nothing was okay. Everything had changed, and there was no way she could go back to the person she had been. The one who bumbled through life, uncertain of where she was going or what she was doing.
Now people were depending on her, not only for their safety, but for their very lives.
She realized with some sadness that she had never taken a close look at her life until it was in danger. Maybe not being able to go back wasn't such a bad thing—if she lived through this.
She clenched Alex’s hand as the lobby bell sounded and the doors slid open. There was no machine gun welcome committee. She sighed in relief.
Beth looked around the lobby. She didn’t see anyone she recognized. Of course not. Everyone she knew was already at the party. There were a few people on the couches, some with drinks in their hands, some with magazines and computers. No one looked their way.
At least a couple of them had to be federal agents. Alex’s expression gave nothing away.
Beth jumped a little as her phone went off in her purse. Alex squeezed her hand. She wasn't sure if it was reassurance or a reminder to play it cool. Either way, she thought that she was doing pretty well under the circumstances.
She pulled her phone out. There was a message from Isobel.
Seriously. Where the hell are you?
Alex read it over her shoulder. "Remember, even though you're with people you trust, you don't leave my side. Not to go to the bathroom. Not to the bar. Not even for a second," he said.
“Isobel isn’t trying to kill me,” Beth said, annoyed. Still, she didn't complain when Alex stayed a step ahead of her as they walked into the lounge.
Beth glanced around the packed lounge. It was filled with wedding guests, most of whom she knew. Every unknown face stood out in the crowd. Was it her imagination or were people paying more attention to her than usual?
Alex gave the place a quick scan as well. He nodded casually in her direction when he was done, and led her deeper into the crowd.
“I think we’re all right,” he said. “Salvatore isn’t here. He probably just found out about Staal’s failure.”
"Okay.” She didn’t know what else to say.
Alex let go of her hand and dug into his pocket for his phone. She drew in a long, steady breath as he checked the screen. She was going to be okay. Everything was going to be fine.
"Do you want a drink?" he asked.
Hell, yes .
"No, thanks," she said. Whatever was coming, it would be better if she faced it with her facilities intact.
He nodded. They stood outside the huddled groups of guests. Panic started to build inside her in earnest. Back in her room, it had been easy to make her decision to stay. But now, out in the open, she felt like a target. Beth fought the frantic instinct to drag Alex back up the stairs, lock the door to their room and never come out again.
“Shall we mingle?” Alex asked.
“No, thanks.”
“Why not?”
Beth shrugged her shoulders, trying to look casual. She had the feeling that she looked anything but. Alex discreetly pulled her to empty spot along the wall and leaned in close. More that a few heads turned, and people whispered behind their hands. They must have looked like a couple of besotted lovers sharing a moment.
If only.
"You doing all right?" he asked.
"I'm fine."
"No, you're not. You're stiff as a board, and you don't want to talk to your friends."
"I'm—I’m fine," she insisted.
"I'm right here, Beth. I'm not going to let
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