her. That was part of it, but there was more.
When Micah was with her, feelings deeper than he’d anticipated stirred within him. Moving on wouldn’t be so easy, and he wasn’t certain that he wanted to. Once the danger passed, if they both survived it, Micah didn’t know where he’d go from there.
With Gisele in his arms, the world seemed right. She was different, special, and he envisioned her as part of his life, at least for a while. The prospect of letting her go, even when it was safe to do so, was unsettling. Micah would need to ponder the situation, but for now he had more urgent matters to focus on.
When the cab pulled up in front of his hotel, Micah paid and got out. As he walked toward the entrance, he was lost in thought. He struggled to predict the mob’s next move, and failed to come up with anything solid. They were a ruthless, unpredictable bunch.
Anything could happen, and Micah didn’t like that. It was one thing to be in the ring and face an opponent. There were warning signs, indications of the enemy’s next move. But with a clandestine group like the Russian mob, a group who operated under the radar of law enforcement, there might be no forewarning of their next action.
*****
Gisele had to work Friday night, so Micah didn’t hear from her until Saturday. Since her phone had been tracked and was probably monitored, she called from a disposable phone when she was outside the walls of the complex.
Micah had slept late, recovering from the recent trip. He was just out of the shower when the phone rang. “Hi, honey…how are you?”
“I’m hanging in there,” Gisele said. “I put on a good performance yesterday. When I got home, I lounged by the pool for a while, making a show of relaxing.”
“Did Alek buy it?”
“I think so. He hasn’t come right out with anything yet. But I know my brother, and he’s unusually tense. I’m sure the pressure has escalated.”
“Is he behaving?” Micah said.
“Mostly, but he is aggravated. I can hear it in his voice,” Gisele said. “He’s caustic, almost rude, and finds ways to annoy me.” She paused. “I get the feeling that he hopes I’ll break down and spill the truth.”
“It’s only the element of doubt that’s keeping him at bay.”
“I know that,” Gisele said. “If Alek was sure I had the information he wants, he’d wring it out of me. But we’re at a stalemate.”
“And he isn’t arguing over you leaving?”
“Oh, he’d like to.” Gisele huffed. “But he knows I wouldn’t let him get away with it. I’ve put up with him, and stayed much longer than I had to. What can he say? He has no legitimate reason to hold me back.”
“That doesn’t mean he won’t try.”
“Of course, he will maneuver if he thinks it will work,” Gisele said. “But I put him in his place this morning.”
“How did you do that?”
“He made one too many annoying comments, so I turned to him and said, ‘Soon I won’t have to put up with your aggravation.’”
“I would have liked to hear that,” Micah said.
“It felt good to tell him to back off. I’ve put up with too much, and I’m over it.” Gisele took a breath. “Sunday is my last night on duty. I don’t care if he’s found a replacement or not. I’m done, and I told him so.”
“I can’t wait to get you out of there,” Micah said. “Are we still on for tonight?”
“Yes, I wouldn’t miss it. Abby’s expecting us.”
“Luke and I will meet you in the lobby,” Micah said. At that evening’s performance of Zarkana, they would be in the audience. Abby was unaware of any danger lurking, and they intended to keep it that way.
When Abby invited Luke to see one of her performances, he’d accepted, and suggested that Micah come along. Gisele was excited about going to see the show as a way to support her friend in her career, adding, “Also…I think Luke is smitten with her.”
“No argument,” Micah had said.
That night, Micah and Luke showed up
When Micah was with her, feelings deeper than he’d anticipated stirred within him. Moving on wouldn’t be so easy, and he wasn’t certain that he wanted to. Once the danger passed, if they both survived it, Micah didn’t know where he’d go from there.
With Gisele in his arms, the world seemed right. She was different, special, and he envisioned her as part of his life, at least for a while. The prospect of letting her go, even when it was safe to do so, was unsettling. Micah would need to ponder the situation, but for now he had more urgent matters to focus on.
When the cab pulled up in front of his hotel, Micah paid and got out. As he walked toward the entrance, he was lost in thought. He struggled to predict the mob’s next move, and failed to come up with anything solid. They were a ruthless, unpredictable bunch.
Anything could happen, and Micah didn’t like that. It was one thing to be in the ring and face an opponent. There were warning signs, indications of the enemy’s next move. But with a clandestine group like the Russian mob, a group who operated under the radar of law enforcement, there might be no forewarning of their next action.
*****
Gisele had to work Friday night, so Micah didn’t hear from her until Saturday. Since her phone had been tracked and was probably monitored, she called from a disposable phone when she was outside the walls of the complex.
Micah had slept late, recovering from the recent trip. He was just out of the shower when the phone rang. “Hi, honey…how are you?”
“I’m hanging in there,” Gisele said. “I put on a good performance yesterday. When I got home, I lounged by the pool for a while, making a show of relaxing.”
“Did Alek buy it?”
“I think so. He hasn’t come right out with anything yet. But I know my brother, and he’s unusually tense. I’m sure the pressure has escalated.”
“Is he behaving?” Micah said.
“Mostly, but he is aggravated. I can hear it in his voice,” Gisele said. “He’s caustic, almost rude, and finds ways to annoy me.” She paused. “I get the feeling that he hopes I’ll break down and spill the truth.”
“It’s only the element of doubt that’s keeping him at bay.”
“I know that,” Gisele said. “If Alek was sure I had the information he wants, he’d wring it out of me. But we’re at a stalemate.”
“And he isn’t arguing over you leaving?”
“Oh, he’d like to.” Gisele huffed. “But he knows I wouldn’t let him get away with it. I’ve put up with him, and stayed much longer than I had to. What can he say? He has no legitimate reason to hold me back.”
“That doesn’t mean he won’t try.”
“Of course, he will maneuver if he thinks it will work,” Gisele said. “But I put him in his place this morning.”
“How did you do that?”
“He made one too many annoying comments, so I turned to him and said, ‘Soon I won’t have to put up with your aggravation.’”
“I would have liked to hear that,” Micah said.
“It felt good to tell him to back off. I’ve put up with too much, and I’m over it.” Gisele took a breath. “Sunday is my last night on duty. I don’t care if he’s found a replacement or not. I’m done, and I told him so.”
“I can’t wait to get you out of there,” Micah said. “Are we still on for tonight?”
“Yes, I wouldn’t miss it. Abby’s expecting us.”
“Luke and I will meet you in the lobby,” Micah said. At that evening’s performance of Zarkana, they would be in the audience. Abby was unaware of any danger lurking, and they intended to keep it that way.
When Abby invited Luke to see one of her performances, he’d accepted, and suggested that Micah come along. Gisele was excited about going to see the show as a way to support her friend in her career, adding, “Also…I think Luke is smitten with her.”
“No argument,” Micah had said.
That night, Micah and Luke showed up
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