Page 55 of To Love a Monster
“And then,” I lean forward, elbows on my knees, voice dropping a notch.“Then we disappear with him.I’ll call Matteo and give him the green light to prepare our next secure location.Somewhere he won’t be found.Somewhere we can question him for longer without risk of being discovered when the syndicate realizes he’s been captured.”
She nods slowly, absorbing every word.I see the fear there, but I see the resolve too.She’s all in.
Lila exhales and nods, “How do we get him here?”
“You invite him,” I say simply.“Nothing that sounds desperate.Just enough warmth to keep him interested.Later on, you’ll go by and ask him to swing by tomorrow for a drink.Real casual.”She frowns slightly, biting the inside of her cheek.“And if he doesn’t take the bait?”
“He will,” I say.“He’s already invested.They’ve put too much time into this to abandon it now.If he senses any opening, any chance to isolate you, he’ll take it.”
She swallows hard.“And what if something goes wrong?”
I lean forward, dragging a small case from the gear bag at my feet.Inside there’s an earpiece, I hold it up between us.“You’ll wear this, it’s a secure line.If anything feels off, anything at all, you say the code word.”
Her eyes flick to the device, then back to me.“Okay.What’s the code word?”
“Gallery,” I say.“It’s easy enough to slide into conversation without raising flags.”
“Gallery,” she echoes.“Got it.”
“If you say it once, I know to start moving.Twice, I’m busting through the door, no questions asked.If I hear or see anything that doesn’t sound right, changes in your tone, weird pauses, I’ll act.”
She nods.“And if I can’t speak?”
I look her dead in the eye.“I’ll know.”
The silence after that hangs heavy.“Okay,” she says finally, steady now.“What else?”
“You’re going to stay in the cabin during the whole interaction,” I say.“Don’t leave and don’t let him take you for a walk or ask you to step outside.The second he tries to change locations, I intervene.”
“What if it doesn’t work?”she asks.“The sedative, I mean.What if it doesn’t hit him fast enough?”
“It’ll work,” I say, calm but firm.“It’s not just some back-alley blend.It’s a pharmaceutical-grade compound.”
Her jaw tightens.“Okay, I get that but what if he doesn’t drink it all...”
“Then we pivot.”I meet her eyes, steady and unyielding.“We play it longer, wait for another opening to add more to his drink.Or I make a new plan on the fly.Either way, there’s no reason to worry, little lamb.I’ve got you.”
She exhales slowly, dragging a hand through her hair.The fear is still there, buried under the surface, but she’s holding her ground.“Okay,” she whispers.“Let’s do it.”
I lean forward and press a kiss to her head before speaking again, “I need to head back to my place for a bit,” I say.“Pick up the sedative and some of the gear I left behind.I’ll only be gone an hour, two at most.While I’m gone, try to keep yourself busy.Carl won’t strike today, so we’ve got a bit of time to work with.”
She hesitates.“Shouldn’t I come with you?”
My answer is immediate.“No.”I soften it.“If they’re watching every move you make, and at this point, I’d be shocked if they weren’t, seeing you glued to my side might make them dig.Right now, Carl thinks he’s got you isolated.That you’re alone.The second they connect you to someone who isn’t part of your original life, they’ll start wondering who I am.Right now, I can slip in and out unnoticed, but with you beside me it’ll be harder to stay in the shadows.”
I reach for her hands.“If they dig too deep, we lose our edge.They still don’t know who I am or what I was sent to do.That’s the only reason this plan will work.”
I reach out and brush a thumb across her cheek.“This is the last time I leave you by yourself,” I say.“After tonight, we’re not splitting up again.Not until this is all over.I promise.”
She nods again, firmer now.“All right.”
“I’ll be back soon,” I promise as I grab the tablet and slip it back into the backpack.But when I move toward the door, she shifts a little.Barely noticeable, but I catch it.A flicker of tension in her shoulders.A twitch in her fingers like she’s reaching for something invisible.
“Lila.I know you said you’re okay with this,” I say, voice low, “but are you absolutely sure you want to go through with the plan?”
Her lips part like she wants to say something but then decides against it.She just swallows, then nods.Her voice quiet.“I’m fine.Just ...don’t be long.”
“I won’t.”I step back once, just enough to lean in and press my lips to hers.Then I turn and leave.
