I let out a resigned sigh. “Fine. But no hero antics, all right?”
She nodded fast.
“And you stick with whatever plan we come up with. As soon as we have the hard drive, we get the hell out of there.”
“Deal.”
I pressed my lips together. “You’re right, by the way; I need you as a partner in this. And youarean asset. Maybe it was Shep’s visit and what he said about keeping you safe that set me off. It’s dangerous, and I’m not comfortable putting you at risk, but you deserve to be there. This is your mission, too.”
She nodded. “Thank you for understanding.”
“Understanding? I just don’t want to get my ass handed to me like those fools at Joey’s.”
We both cracked a small smile, neither of us in the mood for laughing. Our dynamic had shifted, and I hated it. My only solace was that Sage looked as wretched as me.
“Can we talk about earlier?” I asked, keeping my voice gentle. I didn’t want to argue with her, but the distance between us was unbearable.
“There’s nothing to talk about.” Her eyes shifted to the floor. “Can’t we just forget it happened and move on?”
“I won’t deny there are certain parts I’d rather forget, but not all of it.” Not her breathless kisses or the way she tasted. Not the sweet sounds she made when I drove my fingers inside her or the way she clenched around them when she came. Those things were imprinted on my soul.
She shook her head. “Brandon, please.” Her pained expression made my chest tighten. “I’m sorry I led you on. It should never have happened.”
I held a palm up. “Don’t apologize, Sage. I’ll give you space if that’s what you need, but don’t regret what happened between us. I never will.”
We remained locked in each other’s stare, and it seemed like she wanted to say something else but held it in. I’d already pushed her far enough. Asking for more would only make her withdraw further.
“Shep made a valid point earlier,” said Sage. “We should focus on our job here instead of being distracted by other things.” She glanced at the wall where I’d held her tight and made her moan my name. “Why does he keep calling you Landers?”
Ah. That. “Because my birth name is Benjamin Landers. Brandon Lewis is an alias I’ve been using for the last two years. When I quit Team Zulu, I needed to dissociate myself from that identity. I’ve been Brandon ever since.”
She frowned at my admission. “I didn’t even know your real name?”
“I’m sorry if that upsets you, but I’m Brandon now. If you called me Ben, it would be weird.” That was the truth. Apart from my family and the Team Zulu guys, everyone knew me as Brandon.
“All right.” With a reluctant nod, she continued. “So, what’s your plan for the masquerade?”
“We don’t have much time, but we need to be prepared. A job like this would usually require months to scope and plan properly, so three days is a tall ask. I need to get hold of an invitation. Plus, I’ll need to source detailed plans of the security system and layout drawings of the mansion. I’ll need intel on Dante’s mercenaries—how many there are, their credentials, how they operate.” I was exhausted just thinking about the mountain of work ahead of us.
Sage sat at the end of the bed. “Tell me how I can help.”