“Back a little early,” he said. “You still up for shopping?”
“Sure.” I flashed him a smile. “Just need to freshen up a bit.”
“Great. I’m ready to go whenever, so meet me downstairs when you’re ready.”
“Will do.”
I wasn’t sure if it was my imagination or what, but I could’ve sworn his eyes lingered on me again as I lay lounged on the bed. He flashed me a small smile before leaving, shutting the door slowly behind him.
I didn’t have much freshening up to do, really. After washing my face and grabbing a cute pair of walking shoes I went downstairs and was greeted with the familiar sight of Jason at the kitchen bar, his iPad in front of him. He was dressed surprisingly casually, wearing a pair of dark blue jeans, some white sneakers, and a gray T-shirt that was tight enough to show off his muscular frame, the sleeves hugging his bulky, toned biceps. Even in an outfit as simple as that, he looked hot as hell.
Minutes later, we were in the back of his Mercedes, the driver taking us through Manhattan.
“So,” he said. “Are you ready for tonight? Mentally, that is.”
“Hmm, can’t really say for sure.”
I scanned him quickly, trying to pick out any sign that he’d known what I’d done. Jason was clearly the type to not let a thing happen without his knowing. If he didn’t suspect anything about the office, it was because he trusted me.
He trusted me, and I was breaking that trust. Nothing to be done—I had my mission, Michael’s life on the line.
Jason grinned. “Can’t really say for sure? Now that’s a noncommittal answer.”
I’d been putting the ball on the backburner in my head. But truthfully, I was more than a little nervous.
“I don’t know,” I said. “It’s going to be all rich people, right?”
“To put it mildly.”
“You know that’s not exactly my scene.”
“It’ll be fine,” he said. “You’ll handle it great, I’m sure.”
I wondered how true this was. I knew that Jason was hardly “harmless,” and neither was Anton. How many other criminals was I going to be around tonight?
“And you’re sure showing up with your nanny won’t raise some eyebrows?”
“Like I said, it’s no big deal. Not like we’re going to be pretending to be engaged or something, like in one of those cheesy romance novels.”
I laughed. “OK, fine. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to feel out of place.”
He placed his hand on my leg and gave it a reassuring squeeze. My pussy clenched at his touch—sure, he was only being supportive, but that didn’t mean I didn’t love his hand on my body.
“You’ll be fine. We’ll dance, mingle, have some overpriced finger foods that make you wish you were eating a burger instead. Add a couple glasses of champagne on top of that, and you’ll have more fun than you’re expecting.”
Despite knowing Jason was a criminal, there was something about the way he spoke that was…I don’t know—comforting, reassuring. Then again, he was the man on top. You didn’t get to that position without being good with people.
“Anyway,” said Jason. “I’m thinking we can hit up some boutiques along Fifth Avenue.”
I stopped short at hearing the words “Fifth Avenue.”
“You do much shopping there?” he asked.
“Are you kidding? Not exactly in my price range.”
He gave me a once-over. I thought—maybe hoped—he was checking me out. But he wasn’t paying attention to my body. Instead, it dawned on me that he was looking over my clothes.
“I see that doesn’t stop you from being stylish.”