Wicked Burn (Realm Enforcers #3)(62)

Nick sighed. “I need you to get close to Flynn. See if he’ll work with us instead of against us.”

Simone leaned back against the door. “Okay.”

Nick studied her. “I know you’re an in your face type of fighter, but strategy and subtlety are what matter right now. Can you do that?”

“Sure. What are you and Bear planning?”

“If I tell you, and Flynn asks, he’ll know you’re lying when you deny we have a plan.” Nick moved forward and grasped her hands in his. “I’d rather you could honestly tell him you don’t know what Bear and I have in mind for tomorrow.”

“So long as Bear isn’t going to shift into dragon form again. It hurts him, Nick.”

“I know. Don’t worry—the second I discovered the weakness, I altered any plan that had him shifting into anything but a badass bear.”

“Good.” She smiled. “Thanks. Now, what’s the plan?”

“I’d rather you stayed in the dark.”

Simone breathed out. “You’re asking for a lot of faith there, demon.”

“If you want me to tell you the entire plan, I will without hesitation.” Nick leaned down and brushed her forehead with a kiss. “But the strategy works better if Flynn, and especially Desmond, believe that we’ve left you in the dark or that we don’t even have a good plan.”

Simone winced. “My approach with Flynn is hysterical, scared female? One going to a newly found brother for help when there doesn’t seem to be any plan.” As much as she hated it, and she really did, she could see the wisdom of the approach.

“Yes. Bear was excommunicated at a young age and never really got to know Flynn, but he believes that Flynn is fairly decent with a strong proclivity for protecting women. Takes good care of his mother, I guess.”

“I’d rather just burn him into submission,” Simone muttered.

“Now that I’d like to see.” Nick smiled, transforming his face from deadly to stunning. “Again, I’m not keeping secrets from you, little bunny. If you want me to detail our entire rather hopeless, crazy plan, I’m happy to do so.”

She swallowed. Secrets, huh? Well then. “No. I understand the strategy behind my being clueless with Flynn. But I will know the entire plan before I have to start throwing fireballs, right?”

“Of course.” Nick ducked his head and pressed a hard kiss to her mouth, remaining a breath away. “Thank you for having faith.”

She kissed him. No matter what, she knew she could count on Nick. “Of course.” She paused. “The door isn’t locked, you know.”

“I know, but Desmond warned me that there would be guards lined up the entire stairwell.”

“What about the other cells or down the tunnel?”

“Apparently the other cells are empty, and I had Bear double-check, so that’s true. The tunnel ends without another exit.” Nick shrugged.

Simone angled slightly to the right and examined the glass wall.

“Nope. According to Desmond, the helpful bastard, if we break the glass, an alarm goes out that sends thousands of volts of electricity into the water. We’d fry.”

“All bases are covered,” she muttered. “Smart dickheads.”

“Your relatives,” Nick said smoothly.

She punched him in his iron-hard stomach. “Not nice.”

He lunged for her and swept her up. “I have never been nice, my little bunny.” Moving slowly, he wandered over to the large bed.

She struggled against him, heat climbing through her. “What in the world are you doing?”

He smiled. “It might be my last night on earth. I’ve given everybody orders to stay the hell away for a few hours while we say our good-byes, and just in case, I think we should do so.”

“No.” Pain rippled through her at the very thought, and she reached up to cup the side of his whiskered jaw. For so long, she’d tried to ignore her feelings for him, but they’d never gone away. Nick Veis had stolen her heart a century ago, and he’d never really given it back. She couldn’t lose him now. “Whatever your plan is, we’ll make it work.”

He sat her on the bed, her legs dangling over. Both hands threaded through her thick hair, and he tipped back her head. Slowly, so deliberately, he leaned down, and his mouth took hers.

Fire and heat and energy flowed through her like a drug.

Her chest exploded with emotion, and she planted one hand on his chest, moving him back. He was giving her trust, and she had to do the same for him.

He studied her, one eyebrow rising.

“I have to tell you something.” The man deserved to know about the baby; she couldn’t keep a secret like that. They both needed to make decisions with all the information. “I’m—”

The door blew open, and Nick jumped up, spinning to place his body between hers and the door. “Bear?”

Bear grimaced. “Sorry, dude, but the big guy has called for a family dinner. I offered to come and get Simone.”

Nick growled low. “I said no interruptions for the next several hours.”

Bear lifted a massive shoulder. “Apparently prisoners don’t get special time to get laid. I’m sorry. This way, Simone can have a nice chat with Flynn during drinks or the appetizers or whatever these fancy dudes do. It’s time she got to know our older brother, don’t you think?”