Page 36 of Wicked Ambition

But if Oz turned out to be someone their bosswasinterested in, and Petrova found out his men gave up that easily, he’d be furious. Angering Petrova was as dangerous as aggravating Ivanov, the big boss.

Oz did another scan, but he didn’t spot anyone suspicious. Leaning over, he said softly, “Baggs followed the woman who came over to our table. That’s why he left earlier than us. When we meet up with him, he’ll fill us in on what he learned about her.”

Ayla came to full attention. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

He shot her a look. “Because you would have spoken loudly like you did just now, and the enemy was sitting a few tables away. That’s why.”

“Sorry.” She tempered her voice. “I didn’t think. He left a while after her. Do you think he was able to find her and follow her?”

“Probably. We’ll know for sure when we meet up with him.” Oz could nearly hear the questions rolling around in her head. “Not now. Ask everything once we’re in the car. I need to keep my attention on who’s around us. I don’t want to risk picking up the Russians again.”

Her hand tightened on his arm. “That’s why it’s taking us so long to reach the car. We’re not taking a direct route, are we?”

“Stop, Pollita. I told you. Hold on till we’re in the car.”

She huffed out a breath, and he nearly grinned. If only she’d hung around in Los Angeles and not cut out while he’d been in the shower, they could have spent a few more days together before he returned to Tampa. He would have liked that, and not only the sex part. Oz enjoyed her and her reactions.

He continued his circuitous route until he was confident the Russians really had broken off surveillance. Only then did Oz adjust course for the rendezvous point. The flunkies weregambling that he and Ayla were nobodies and that it wasn’t worth the trouble of following them.

That was a choice.

Not one Oz would make, but then his risk aversion was stronger. Contingencies to his contingencies.

Baggs leaned against the fender of the sedan. When he spotted them, he straightened, rounded the front end of the car, and got behind the wheel. As Oz opened the back door for Ayla, his teammate cranked the ignition. When she was settled, he closed the door, got in the front passenger seat, and fastened his seat belt.

The car pulled away from the curb and edged into traffic before Ayla lost patience. She did better than Oz expected.

“Well?” she demanded.

“Well, what?” Baggs asked.

“I told her you were following the woman from the café,” Oz explained. “What did you learn?” Ayla leaned as far forward as her seat belt would allow and Oz had to hide a smile. The urge to grin didn’t last long.

“I didn’t learn a damn thing,” Baggs growled. “She made me and lost me in minutes.Minutes.”

Chapter 15

Ayla slumped back in her seat, disappointment deflating her. She’d been hoping that Baggs would have learned something that would help her find her sister. A spring from the ancient vehicle poked her shoulder and she shifted to avoid it.

“Did you half-ass it?” Oz demanded.

“I didn’t half-ass anything.” Baggs sounded irritated, and maybe insulted, too. “I knew it was important to be careful, so I was careful. I wouldn’t risk your Pollita’s twin.”

Something in his voice changed as he said that, and Ayla knew he was speaking the truth. He’d done everything he could. She was certain of it.

“Then how the fuck did that woman make you? Not only make you, but elude you?”

Baggs pulled to a stop at a traffic light and turned to give Oz a hard stare. “Personally, dude, I’m putting my money on her being more than she seemed—a hell of a lot more—but that’s just me. Maybe you have a different read.”

Sitting upright, Ayla leaned forward again. “What do you mean bymore than she seemed?”

It was Oz who answered. “He’s saying she has training. Likely some heavy-duty training.”

The light turned green, but vehicles blocked the intersection. It was another moment before Baggs was able to accelerate. It wasn’t rush hour—at least Ayla didn’t think it was because it was Saturday—but traffic was still bumper to bumper. They were moving at a snail’s pace and no one said anything that made sense.

Ayla was tired of not understanding what was going on. Maybe she sounded stupid, but she wanted more information. “What isheavy-duty training?”

Neither man spoke.

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