Ruby gasped and pushed him away. “That’s insane.”
“No, it’s perfect.” And it was, so much that he couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of it earlier. It was the perfect solution to everything. “You’re smart. You’re a survivor. You’re determined. You’re stubborn as hell. You’re perfect for me and for the Silver Knights.”
“Just like that? And no one would object to the crime boss’s daughter becoming one of the good guys?” she scoffed, but she couldn’t hide the excitement in her voice.
“They took me, didn’t they?” He tugged her close again, brushing his lips across hers. “Say yes. Say you’ll marry me.”
…
A month later, Ruby was once again in a house populated by armed liars and skilled manipulators of the first order who’d do just about anything to accomplish their mission—but unlike her experiences on Fare Island, they were all doing it for the right reasons.
Just like the first time she’d been in Lucas’s office, the Queen of Elskov was on the giant screen taking up a huge chunk of the wall next to a long table. It was a sight Ruby wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to. Saying she had nervous butterflies doing the conga in her stomach was putting it lightly.
Unlike before, each seat was taken by a Silver Knight, including Talia Clausen whose long red hair was pinned into a tight bun at the base of her neck.
“Well then,” the queen said from the video screen. “If there’s nothing else to cover concerning Gregers Henriksen’s arrest and upcoming trial,
let’s move on to the last item on the agenda. I understand we have a new Silver Knight with a rather unusual resume.”
Every set of eyes at the table turned to her, including a pair of aquamarine ones that belonged to the man who’d been crazy enough to think this whole thing could work.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Lucas said, squeezing her hand under the table. “You’ve met Agent Bendtsen.”
The queen arched an eyebrow. “I wasn’t aware you’d decided to change your name, agent.”
“It won’t be official until the wedding in a few months,” Ruby said, unable to stop the giddy grin that appeared on her face whenever she thought about the fake wedding that was turning out to be real. “But I decided to go ahead and try it on for size now.”
“Looks to me like it fits you perfectly,” the queen said before giving her a wink. “Now then, if there’s nothing else, I’d say we’re done here. The people of Elskov may never know all that you’ve done to keep them safe, but I, for one, am eternally grateful. Thank you.”
Everyone at the table stood and bowed toward the screen.
“Ugh, I will never get used to that,” the queen grumbled, an embarrassed pink tinting her cheeks. “Go off and do something fun. Royal orders.”
The screen flickered and the livestream of the queen was replaced by a static image of the Elskov State Seal.
The other agents around the table gathered their folders and electronic tablets before heading to the door. Talia let out a quiet yawn as she followed the pack, the action emphasizing the dark circles under the woman’s normally alert eyes.
She paused in front of Ruby and Lucas. “Three weeks?”
Lucas nodded decisively. “Not a day less.”
Talia shot him a glare, but didn’t argue. Instead, she followed the rest of the agents out the door.
None of the Silver Knights were what she’d describe as soft touches, but Talia seemed cynical and hardened even for the secret protectors of Elskov. The woman was an uber type A with extra rigid on the side and a generous helping of “don’t fuck with me” sprinkled over the top. Ruby couldn’t help but feel sorry for the resort staff who’d have to deal with a grumpy Talia on a forced vacation.
“So you’re really making her go?” she asked once all the agents were gone and the office door was closed once more. “Can you do that?”
“I’m the head of the Silver Knights, I can do anything,” Lucas said, as cocky and sure of himself as ever. “Anyway, she hasn’t been herself since the last mission.”
She suddenly became very interested in sorting the reports in her folder so he wouldn’t see the smile she couldn’t hide. For all the gruff, no-sense-of-humor, alpha-ness of him, Lucas sure did have a gooey, soft center for the people he cared about.
She cleared her throat to get the giggle out of it. “My brother can drive a person to drink. Being stuck with him twenty-four seven for as long as they were, I’m not surprised she’s out of sorts.”
“I told her it was either vacation or she’d have to act as the human guinea pig when Osborn needs to test out one of his inventions. I’m sending her to the Bahamas. I hear a certain newly minted crime boss is taking some R&R there.”
Ruby whipped her head up and dropped the reports to the table.
There wasn’t a trace of shame on his face at returning once again to his old tactics. In fact, he looked pretty damn proud of himself, and she couldn’t blame him one little bit.