Single Lady Spy 01 - The End of Me

he pulled away.
    I closed my eyes and let the millions of emotions flood me, until air rushed between us and he stepped back. "The flight to Las Vegas leaves in two hours." He turned and left the room. "You will be outfitted on the plane."
    I followed him back into the light, completely stunned by the fact he had made me want the kiss. I was losing my mind. I needed to switch back to red wine, no wonder the women I knew all drank it. Champagne and tequila were making me a giant ho.
    He walked to the front door and opened it but stood in the way, with his back to me. "If you pass this, I will give you back your life."
    I frowned, "So I do that and I’m free?" I was confused. I thought he too wanted the Burrow thing. I was clearly in over my head, like Coop had said.
    He glanced back at me wickedly, "No. I will own you, I won't need those other things."
    I shook my head, "You’ve preyed upon my circumstances. You already do own me." The sickening truth of it all was killing me inside. He owned me. He kissed me. I had wanted it. The way he had uttered the threat with such confidence was disturbing, and yet, I had wanted it.
    He smiled, but it was bitter and harsh, "Then I guess we won't have any issues." He stepped out of the doorway and let me pass. As I walked by him, he grabbed my arm and held me to the side of him. The heat of his body was intense and yet inviting. I wanted that kind of warmth to cover me. I hated myself for the thought, as it passed through my brain.
    His breath was irregular, like he wanted to say something or do something, but he didn’t. He left it as another awkward moment between us… us perfect strangers. Perfect strangers who acted like old lovers, but without reason.
    He released me and stepped back inside. I noticed, as I walked to the elevator, the men standing in the long hallway. Had they been there when I arrived? My skills needed honing.
    I was obviously out of my league.
    I pressed the elevator button and waited.
    The door behind me opened again. Panic filled me when I heard him cross the hallway towards me. I didn’t look back, I just waited for whatever thing, he was going to do next. He grabbed my arm, spinning me around. He passed me the white envelope but continued to grip my arm for a moment. His eyes sparkled with something, trouble and temptation maybe.
    He smirked and let me go. He walked back to the room and closed the door, as the elevator arrived.
    "Ma'am."
    I turned to see the bellhop. I blushed and stepped inside.
    I pressed my back against the wall of the elevator, and waited for him to call me ma'am once more. I would clip him in the ear with the envelope.
    I struggled to breathe until the elevator stopped on the main floor. I walked across the lobby and tried not to feel like a whore, or have a panic attack.
    Coop was sitting outside in the valet parking with the cab. I climbed in and noticed it wasn’t him, as I closed the door. It was a lady. I had gotten in the wrong cab.
    She was young, not quite thirty, and maybe a little bit butch. She grinned back at me, "Hey, where to?" and winked.
    I shook my head, "What? Uhm, Jericho drive in Weston."
    I didn’t know what to think or do. I didn’t have the money to pay for the cab. I would have to get the Visa from the other envelope and pay with that.
    She drove for a block and then pulled into a car wash. "Mind if I wash the car quick? Hit a bird."
    I shook my head, "No, of course not."
    She winked again, "Supa." It was super, but she said it like a true Bostonian. Was she a real cabbie? I was about to relax, when she held up a piece of paper as we got into the car wash. I read the writing and pulled out the white envelope and passed it to her.
    She fished through it and then held up a small, round battery-looking object. She opened the window a bit and tossed it out into the water. She paused a second and then fired the white envelope out the window.
    "Hey!" I said.
    She laughed, "The first one was the decoy. There was one actually pasted into the envelope seams. They're getting sneakier."
    I smiled, "Oh well, they’ve come a long way in the last few years, I guess."
    She rolled her dark-brown eyes, "I'm Luce."
    "Evie."
    She nodded, "I know. I knew your husband."
    I scoffed, "Yeah, apparently everyone did."
    "Yeah I didn’t know him like that," she laughed and handed me back the picture and the room key.
    I folded the picture and keycard and put them in my purse.
    In between the water and soap cycle, the car