There are so many things to say, but I don’t know where to start. I can’t think. All I can do is listen to the thumping of his heart as we both grow silent.
I don’t know how long I hold him, but I eventually feel restless of the unknown. “When do I have to head home? Do we have time to make a stop?”
“I wasn’t going to take you.”
It feels like I’m punched in the gut. I go to move, but Tobias’s arms won’t let me.
“I can’t be seen, Skye.”
He’s right. The whole plan rides on him not being found.
“I know. You can’t. That being said, are you able to sneak away from here for a bit?”
Please say yes.
“I think we can work that out.”
“Good. Get up.” A smile breaks across my face, and I place my hands on his chest and push up.
“You’re not the boss.”
“No?” My lips spread wide and then I wink at him.
His own smile plays on his face. “You know, that’s how I knew.”
My eyes widen. “Knew what?”
“That it was you.”
His comment shocks me and makes no sense. I shake my head in confusion.
“I don’t understand. I thought you did some crazy background check and that’s how.”
“I did.” Tobias’s hand reaches out and swipes the stray piece of hair that has fallen in front of my face. “I searched for you for years, but I didn’t know you changed your name or that you were adopted. It wasn’t until I got Jaxson Price to look into you that I saw the closed adoption papers.”
“Then how did you know?”
The tips of his fingers move from my hair, trace my jaw, and then settle on my lips.
“You looked at me in the courtroom; you smirked at me with a mischievous smile, and then you winked.”
“I’m not following.”
“You did that as a child. That day.” He drops his finger from my mouth but replaces it with his lips.
We stay entwined in each other arms until it’s finally time to leave. Once we are in his car, he asks me where we are going, and I tell him Reddington.
Thirty minutes later, we are pulling up to the cemetery. I don’t have us park near my parents’ grave, instead, we park beside the tree. The old oak that I have been visiting for twenty years.
Silently, we get out of the car and walk up the small hill. When I stop at the small cross, Tobias moves to stand beside me.
We both look down at the makeshift grave site.
“Who’s buried here?” he asks, and I can’t help but laugh, and he places his hand on my shoulder to turn me to face him.
“You.”
His blue eyes widen. “Me?”
He looks at me like I’m nuts, but I guess from his point of view, I am.
“Yeah, so—This is awkward.”
“I’m dying to hear this story, apparently.” And at least he’s not disturbed to be looking at his own grave.
“After my parents died, and I was adopted, you know how I looked for you and was told . . .” I can’t say it. It still hurts too much. To repeat the lie. “I wanted—I used to come here and talk to you. This was the only place I could think. Where I felt calm. Every day I came here. Eventually, I decided to make a cross because it didn’t feel right to just talk to the air.”
“As opposed to the sky,” he deadpans playfully.
“Exactly, talking to the sky is weird,” I tease back.
“So . . .” He looks around the cemetery, his gaze settling back on the white cross. “This is where I was buried?”
“Yep.”
“And the penitents roses? Were those for me?”
“They were. They were my way to apologize for living when you didn’t.”
From beside me, I see Tobias grin, and then he starts to shake his head with a chuckle. “I stole from my own grave.”
“You what?”
“Nothing.”
I move until I’m standing in front of him and place my hand on my hip.
“Tobias Kosta,” I playfully scold. “Did you steal the flowers I placed for you on ‘your grave’?” I air quote. “Holy crap, you did.” My mouth drops open and then slams shut. “You decorated your office with them to mess with me?”
“Guilty.”
“You’re lucky I love you because you are one sick man.”
“I’ve been told that a time or two.”
“But you’re mine.”
It’s surreal to be back in my apartment. It’s been a few days since I camped out at Tobias’s, but it feels like that’s where I belong. Back in my own space, everything feels off.
From the limited information I have, Jaxson Price has taken the last day to fit my apartment with listening devices. Creepy? Yes. Necessary? Also, yes.
With the plan in motion, I need Felix to come to me. It’s the best way to lure him in. The problem is, since the truce was broken between him and Tobias, he hasn’t been seen in public. If we can convince him that Tobias is dead, missing, or on the run, we think he will resurface.