Single Lady Spy 01 - The End of Me

no idea it was her . I assumed Steve.”
    I shrugged, “They got the death they deserved, then I guess.” I smirked, “The account is still there right?”
    He nodded.
    My eyes flashed, “Excellent.”
    We landed hours later in smoggy Tokyo.
    I frowned, “Japan?”
    Servario bowed, “Yes, Princess Evie.”
    We climbed into another helicopter. I shook my head, “It’s too much. I need to be away from all vehicles—all. I need a vacation from this vacation.”
    Jack moaned, “Not another flight.”
    We sat in our seats and instantly started for the mountains.
    Servario grinned, “This is going to take about two hours. So buckle up and try to enjoy the ride.” He seemed tense.
    I supposed I would too.
    I, on the other hand, felt a renewed sense of freedom. My marriage had never had confines that I was aware of. Looking back, I could see the sense of freedom I was feeling was stemming from a lack of confines. Ones I had gotten so used to that I didn’t see them.
    The money in the account freed me from worry, guilt, and obligation.
    The kids were mine. I had never considered divorce, seven months without sex and I never considered divorce. I knew why that was. I never wanted to battle it out like our friends had.
    I glanced at Servario and smirked. He was a savage and a complete fiend, and yet he made me feel like a woman. I finally understood the damned song, “A Natural Woman.” Looking at him, I would swear I could hear the bloody lyrics.
    He scared me.
    I liked that. Was there shame in my feelings for him, after everything? I couldn’t find any.
    We would never fall into a routine. We would never go seven months without sex. I would never be truly safe with him.
    I liked that a lot.
    Clearly, he wasn’t the only freak in the relationship that would never be a relationship.
    Looking out over the city, I wondered if he was taking me to my kids? I was scared we were never going to get them back. I couldn’t let myself dwell or I would cry.
    I closed my eyes and laid my head back.
    The next thing I knew, I was being shoved. I opened my eyes with a start.
    Jack grinned at me, “We’re here.”
    I looked around , he was waiting for me . Everyone else was outside stretching their legs.
    I smiled, “Where are we?”
    He beamed, “I could cry. It’s genius. It actually makes perfect sense.”
    I rolled my eyes, “You are such a nerd.”
    He nodded, “I know.”
    I climbed out to see nothing but forest.
    “What is this?”
    Servario gave me a look. I wasn’t sure what it meant. “This is where I leave you.”
    I frowned, “No. What? No. I don’t want you to leave.”
    He nodded, whispering, “I have to. I can never set foot in there. It’s a rule. The Master Key may never set foot in the Princess’s temple, once he has taken on the role. I know I’m safe right now but they don’t know that. They assume I could bring the bad people down on them. I take the role of Master Key and I walk away. Always leading the suspicious people away from this spot. This temple.”
    I looked around, “What temple?”
    He pointed to a small black cave-looking thing, “That’s the entrance. You have to go in there and walk until you see the light again.” He held a hand out, “I need all of your clothes, and phones, and every piece of electronics.” I looked down at the others. When they looked up at me, they could tell something was wrong.
    It didn’t matter that we griped.
    We eventually got naked, one at a time behind the helicopter, and left everything with him. We put on the robes he left us. They were stunning Japanese traditional-looking robes.
    Luce smiled when she came from behind it in the robe. It wasn’t her usual smile, but it counted as effort, after everything we’d been through.
    “It’s nice, huh?” I asked.
    She nodded, “So pretty.”
    “You look pretty.” I read Jack’s lips as he leaned over and whispered it to her.
    I gave Servario a pleading look, “Please just come.”
    He shook his head, “I’ve broken every other rule for you, Evie. This is one I cannot.”
    “I can’t be strong without you.”
    He laughed; it was fake, “You are stronger than you think.”
    “No, I’m not. You have to say that.”
    He leaned in and kissed my forehead, “Consider inviting me to Christmas. Please, baby. I want to see you in all your glory, pajamas till noon and everything.”
    I felt the dam breaking. The tears were winning.
    He kissed each of my eyelids , “Go now.”
    He turned