Page 81 of The Gentleman

“Really?”

Leo nodded. “First light. I’ll handle Gage around nine—that’s when shift change happens at most stations. Less attention.”

“You and Gage in the same space without me as a buffer?” Kat studied him.

“I can handle your brother.” Leo shot her a side-eye. “Besides, you need to be the one to talk to Jane. She trusts you—or did. There’s history there.”

Something flickered across his face—a fleeting crack in his usual composure. Not doubt about his abilities, but vulnerability about what was growing between them. About what they might lose if tomorrow went wrong.

“You’re right. And we’ll have more manpower if we divide and conquer. We’re running out of time.”She reached for his hand again. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For being willing to face my brother’s particular brand of charm without backup.” A smile tugged at her lips. “That might require more courage than everything else we’ve done.”

Leo’s fingers intertwined with hers. “We should get some sleep. Tomorrow could determine everything.”

“Yes.” Exhaustion hit her suddenly, like gravity had doubled. The adrenaline crash was coming, but she welcomed it. Sleep would reset her mind, and she needed to be sharp tomorrow.

Everything was simple in theory. Dangerous in execution.

As Leo held her, headlights briefly illuminated the ceiling before fading away.

Tomorrow waited on the other side of darkness.

But for tonight, she allowed herself to believe they might actually succeed. That there might be anafterfor them to figure out together.

35

Leo parkedhis new rental on the far side of the street and then crossed the pulse of London’s morning traffic to Holborn police station. The air tasted of wet stone and diesel exhaust.

He was here alone. Kat had gone to see Jane, to find out if she would take their discovery about the Royal London public.

He squared his shoulders, tugged his jacket straight. The sleeves pulled tight across his biceps as he rolled his neck, trying to shake the tension. It clung stubbornly—not operational edge, but the residue of the woman who’d slept in his arms last night.

Get a grip, Bychkov.

Last night’s sleep had been torture. Kat curled against him, her scent filling his lungs, her warmth seeping through the sheets. Every shift of her body had sent desire storming through him, but what he wanted wasn’t what she’d needed.

So he’d lain beside her, aching and motionless, containing the heat in his blood.

He’d held her through the night, watching shadows crawl across the ceiling until her breathing slowed and worry for her brother smoothed from her face.

Now, approaching the police station, her absence was like a physical ache. He hadn’t wanted to separate, but dividing their forces made strategic sense. Still, his entire body itched to be where she was, to shield her from whatever was coming.

He pulled open the heavy glass door and stepped into the station’s fluorescent glare. The front desk officer barely looked up.

“I’m here for Gage Landon.” He placed his identification on the counter. “Bail’s been processed electronically.”

The officer scrutinized his documents. “Wait here.”

Leo scanned the room. Two uniformed officers hunched over paperwork. A woman dabbing at her eyes as she filed a report. A teenager with green hair slumped in a plastic chair, looking both bored and terrified. Nothing that raised alarms.

From somewhere beyond the security doors came a voice—cocky and all too familiar.

“Careful with the shoulder, mate. That’s my throwing arm. Never know when you’ll need to lob a grenade, right?”

Leo ground his molars.

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