The Deception (15 page)

Terrified and confused, I start shouting for his partner. “Mr. Jones!  Help us.” A dam bursts inside of me and suddenly, I’m sobbing so hard that my chest feels like it’s breaking apart. “Roman, wake up...
Please.
Mr. Jones, help us.”
Don’t be dead. Don’t be dead.

The heavy weight of Roman’s body is lifted off me and I blink up at two men, my tears making my vision wavy. I only recognize one of them—Mr. Jones. His dark eyes are sympathetic.

“I’m sorry you had to be a part of this, but Roman was a double agent. He’s also known as Nikolai Romanov. We suspect Nikolai is his real name and Roman Smith is an alias.”

I feel faint.
Let’s play a game. I’m a Russian assassin. Call me Nikolai.

Mr. Jones grabs me before I fall to the floor. “We have reason to believe Nikolai was going to kill you once his mission was over.”

“Why? Why me? I know nothing...
nothing
at all.” My gaze slices back to Roman. There’s a gun in his hand, lending credence to Mr. Jones’s statements.

“What do I do? I don’t know what to do?” I’m rambling now. I’m losing it all together.

Mr. Jones rubs my back. “Come with me to the Embassy. We’ll get you sorted.”

I nod, shaky and nauseas. For some reason, I try to turn, to get one last glimpse of Roman, but Mr. Jones shakes his head. “It’s best not to look back. My men will dispose of the body.”

“So he’s really dead?”

“One shot to the head.”

“And he’s really a double agent?”

A grim look covers the agent’s face. “The very worst. He’s killed and tortured so many, including women. They were his specialty.”

I wrench away from him, stumbling out into the hallway, and then puke in a potted plant. Tears stream down my face. I can’t comprehend what’s happening. I don’t know who’s telling the truth, not really.

The only thing I’m sure of is...

The Roman I know and love is dead.

***

R
oman and Everly’s story comes to a stunning and explosive conclusion in THE CONFESSION, releasing September 17th. Preorder it
now!

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I
have so many people to thank while writing this trilogy, and therefore my acknowledgements remain the same.

Special Thanks to Autumn, Andrea and Amanda—The Triple A-Team. I don’t know if they know I think of them like that, but I do. You guys are awesome and amazing and out of sight (wait, that didn’t start with an a, but you have to know what I’m talking about, right?!)

Big Breakout the Handcuffs Thanks to Andris Bear and her husband for schooling me on police procedures while

being the best crit partner evah.

Like Whoa Thanks to Carly Phillips for her uncanny ability to nail characterization every flipppin’ time. You are inspiring!

Thanks to my fans for being the best fans evah. I couldn’t do this without you.

Last, but never least, I have to thank my family for putting up with me and supporting me. I love you guys! xo

N
ew York Times Bestselling Author, Marquita Valentine, writes sexy heroes and sassy heroines that make you swoon and laugh. She’s the author of the bestselling contemporary romance series, Holland Springs, and the new adult romance series, Boys of the South.

Marquita met her husband aka Hot Builder at Sonic when they were in high school. She suggests this location to all of her single friends in search of a good man—and if that doesn't work, they can console themselves with cheesy tatertots. She lives in North Carolina in a very, very small town with Hot Builder and their two children.

www.marquitavalentine.com

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