“You could stay in Westchester while we go,” he finally said. “But with everything that’s going on, I don’t love the idea of you in NewYork.”
“I don’t love it either.” Her reasons were different from his, but that didn’tmatter.
“Locke said you could stay here,” he said. “You’d be well protected. One of the women on his team used to be with the FBI. And she’s not the only one — she’s with another ex-agent who works withLocke.”
Aria craned her neck to look up at him. “Both of them were with theFBI?”
“Crazy, isn’tit?”
Crazy was an understatement. Primo had informants in the NYPD. Damian did too, and some of his best hackers were former FBI and NSA. That was dangerous enough, but sleeping with the enemy was a whole other level ofrisk.
“How does Locke know he can trust them?” Ariaasked.
“How did Nico know he could trust Angel? How did the Syndicate know they could trust me? Or you for thatmatter?”
He had a point, but taking a chance on someone else in the criminal underworld seemed a lot less risky than taking a chance on a couple of former federalagents.
“I’m not staying here,” she said, sinking back into him. “I’m going with you, and I imagine you already knowthat.”
“I suspected.” He hesitated before continuing. “But Greece will be dangerous, and Malcolm probably isn’t there anyway. Locke and I can deal with Anastos and you andNora— ”
“Nora?”
“The former FBI agent,” Damian said. “You can work together on locating Malcolm so we can hit him when we get back. Locke’s woman will be back tomorrow night. She can help,too.”
“Locke has someone?” She didn’t know why it surprisedher.
Damian nodded. “Apparently, she runs a bookstorenearby.”
Aria tried to imagine the kind of woman who could capture the heart of a free spirit like Lock Montgomery. She couldn’t, and she returned her thoughts to the possibility of staying in California while Damian went toGreece.
It would be more efficient, but there were more important things thanefficiency.
Like seeing Stefanodie.
Like knowing her child would be safe fromhim.
Like staying withDamian.
“No,” shesaid.
For a moment there was nothing but the sound of the waves rushing the beach, the feel of his breath moving through her own body as she leaned againsthim.
“I had to try,” hesaid.
“Iknow.”
He tightened his arms around her, like it might keep her on the beach in California. “Jesus, Aria… You scare the fuck out ofme.”
“I’m sorry,” shesaid.
She meant it. Damian had saved her life more than once. He’d been her anchor when she was adrift at sea, the touchstone that reminded her she was real andhuman.
He didn’t deserve this, didn’t deserve to worry abouther.
But she’d hidden herself for too long. Had pretended to be docile and accommodating to pacify Primo. Had pretended even toherself.
She wasn’t going to pretendanymore.