Say It Again (First Wives, #5)(37)

She walked away after shaking the guy’s hand.

“That looked way too easy,” AJ said once she was back by their side.

“Money talks.”

Sasha handed Claire the passport. “Your name is Crystal Smith. Your birthday was September ninth. You’re nineteen. Just remember nine, nine, nine.”

“Got it.”

They’d already bought tickets separately for the same train headed to London.

“The train will stop in Brussels, and that is where we will need to get off the train and pass through immigration. From there, we spread out in line, meet up in the third coach car,” Sasha instructed. “Keep your cool, Crystal. If something goes wrong, I won’t get on that train. You’ll have to trust me to have your back.”

Claire shrugged with attitude. “I got this.”

Sasha grinned.

“And me?”

“You get your ass to London, call Reed.”

“All this and I don’t even know why she is here and why we’re hiding like we’re the ones doing something wrong.”

Claire looked at the two of them. “He doesn’t know about Creepazoid?”

AJ shook his head. “I don’t. Who’s Creepazoid?”

Sasha sucked in a breath.

Claire kept talking. “Just a man who offered Sasha a job to kill people.”

“What?” AJ asked.

“This isn’t the place for this conversation.”

AJ grabbed her arm. “We’re talking about this now.”

It took every ounce of concentration to keep her arm still and not attract attention to them.

She stepped into his personal space. “Do you like that hand?”

His grip tightened. “You don’t scare me.”

Claire backed up.

“I should.”

Their breaths mixed, eyes locked.

“Ah, boys and girls. We have a train to catch.” Claire brought their attention to the present.



Who knew that palms sweating was an actual thing?

Breaking up the pending fight between Katniss and Peeta had been cute and all, but the first leg of their train ride, and disembarking from the train only to be shuffled through security checks and immigration, was nail-biting worthy.

They had spread out per Sasha’s instructions, and Claire was two people away from having her fake passport checked.

And yeah, her palms sweat.

Border agents sniff out fear.

She tried to look bored.

One more person.

I’m going to throw up.

The agent waved her over.

She hiked her backpack over her shoulder and stepped up. She handed her passport and train ticket. “Hi,” she said.

“Hello.” He looked at her picture and then her face. “Where are you going in the UK?”

“London, then maybe Ireland. I haven’t decided yet.”

He looked at her picture again, paused.

Breathing became an effort.

She was fairly certain the man could hear her heart beating.

“Stay away from warm beer. Don’t let anyone tell you that’s the way to drink it,” he said with a wink.

His hand reached for his stamp. Down it went on the passport, and he handed it back.

“Thanks. I’ll remember that.”

Oxygen left her head as she walked away, leaving her a little dizzy. She took a second to tuck her passport into her backpack and catch her breath . . . then headed to the platform in front of the third coach car.

Sasha showed up next, kept her distance.

AJ stood a few feet away, rocking back on his heels.

She’d done it.

Her smile grew until she was certain everyone on the platform could see it.





Chapter Fifteen



A car was waiting for them when they arrived in London.

By car, he meant limousine.

AJ wasn’t a stranger to luxury travel, but the accommodations they were taken to were something else. Even in the pitch-black of night, long past midnight, the silhouette of the estate Sasha had taken them to was impressive.

“Who lives here?” Claire asked.

“A friend.”

AJ grabbed Sasha’s bag and started up the steps. “Some kind of friend.”

The massive front door opened before they reached it.

The man who opened the door filled it with broad shoulders and a thick neck.

“Neil?”

“Reed would have come, but—”

“I didn’t request backup.” Sasha moved past AJ and Claire.

“The fact you requested anything at all gives me a reason to be here.”

Neil gave Sasha a stare that would intimidate the most hardened man.

Not Sex on a Stick. She stared back, her chest rising and falling with short breaths.

Claire brushed past AJ and straight up to the brick shithouse of a man. “I’m Claire.” She put her hand out.

Neil stared at it.

When he hesitated a moment too long, Claire reached out with her left hand, grabbed Neil’s right, and pushed his palm into hers. She shook it twice before letting go. “Nice to meet you, Neil,” she said.

AJ bit his tongue to keep from laughing.

Sasha shook her head and walked around Neil and into the house. “I’ll give you a briefing in twenty minutes.”