29. Typhon

29

TYPHON

R ather than meet at Vauxhall Cross, Z asked me to come to his townhome.

"You look like hell," he said when he opened the door to invite me in.

"It's all the worrying I've done over you."

He chuckled but gripped my shoulder. "I'm sorry, Typhon."

"Truthfully, the lingering effects of the last few days are taking their toll," I said, sitting when he pointed at a chair.

"How can I help?" he asked.

"I'm here to give you an update on Verity. But first, you owe me an explanation."

Z stood and walked over to a credenza that held a bottle of brandy and a set of glasses. When he held one up, I nodded. After pouring two, he handed one to me and retook his seat.

"I blame you, in part." He chuckled. "Not really, my friend. However, watching you over these last few months convinced me, at least in part, that I had to end my relationship with SIS in order to begin one with the woman I love."

Before he ended his sentence, Leighton Marietta, code name George, entered the room.

"Hello, my darling," Z said, standing to greet her.

"I'm sorry to interrupt." She looked over at me. "Hello, Typhon."

"George. I hear you're the reason Z broke up with SIS."

She chuckled. "Took him long enough." She kissed him. "I'm off to pick some things up from the house. Be back soon." They kissed again, and George left.

"I'm very happy for you, my friend."

"As she said, it took me long enough. I cannot tell you the relief I felt the minute I sent Coffey my resignation. You should know, George and I intend to marry as soon as possible."

"Congratulations, my friend. I wish you and your bride-to-be every happiness." I raised my glass in toast, and we both took a drink.

"Many thanks. Now, how's Verity?"

"She made me promise I would brief you, O, and Nemesis only."

His head cocked. "Interesting."

"According to Dagger, she and Zeppelin may have been or are in a relationship." Z knew Verity's brother as well as I did, although few others in intelligence knew of his role with Unit 23—his sister included.

"It was my understanding that the two detested each other. But as they say, there's a fine line between love and hate."

"My guess is she doesn't want him to know her condition."

"Which is?"

"Presently, she's unable to walk. However, her physicians are confident she'll be able to regain the ability with intense physical therapy."

"Thank God," Z said, and I concurred. However, before I could say so, my mobile rang with a call from Eliza.

"I need to take this."

"Of course," he said.

I started to get up, but he put his hand on my shoulder. "I'll go."

"El, is everything all right?"

"Saint was here. We had a terrible row."

I scrubbed my face. "I'm so sorry, my love."

"None of this is your fault, Levi. I just don't understand it."

I took a deep breath. "What happened between us is complicated."

"He told me his side of it. Will you tell me yours?"

I swore, if the man was in front of me now, I'd be hard-pressed not to kill him. "I'm just finishing up here. I'll be there straightaway."

"Levi?"

"Yes, El?"

"I love you."

I smiled. "Thank you for that reassurance. I love you too."

I ended the call and opened the front door, where I'd seen Z step out. "Saint showed up at Eliza's apartment. She said he told her his side of the story."

Z raised a brow, and we both went inside.

"She's asking if I'll tell her mine. You should know I love her, Z. Also, I asked her to marry me."

He stepped closer and put his hand on my shoulder. "Confide in her, Typhon. You can tell her enough of what happened without going so far as to accuse her cousin of treason."

"There's got to be someone who can get their hands on that bloody report," I muttered.

Z's eyes met mine. "There is. Rile."

"He couldn't before."

"We have a different monarch now than we did then."

"Good thinking, Z. I, um, have to go."

"Be on your way, Ty. I'll have a chat with Rile and see what he thinks."

"Copy that."

It took me fifteen minutes to get from Z's townhouse to El's apartment. It felt more like fifteen hours. When I let myself in, she was seated on the sofa, holding a box of tissues.

"Can this day get any more emotional?" she looked up at me and asked.

I sat beside her and gathered her in my arms. "I'm sorry, my love."

"Don't be. Please."

"Perhaps my timing was ill-planned. Not that I thought much beyond the moment."

"The only thing I wouldn't change is your proposal. Or meeting your parents. Everything else, I could've done without. I mean, I would still want to pay my respects to Mike."

I brushed her lips with mine. "I know what you meant, my love." I held her for a few more minutes. "Are you certain you want to have this conversation tonight?"

El looked up at me. "If we don't, I doubt I'll sleep."

"Very well."

"Shall I get us both a drink?" she asked.

"Go ahead if you'd like. This won't take long."

She remained seated.

"Eleven years ago, I participated in a mission to liberate a group of people who were imprisoned as enemies of the state of a foreign country. That mission, as most are, was divided into a series of operations. Each op, as they're called, was successful until we reached the final step and went under fire from opposing forces. Six operatives were killed in the attack, as were the five people we were tasked with liberating. There were only two survivors."

"Go on."

"Prior to the deployment of the mission, the commander of the unit—the man who held the position I do now—had reason to believe we had a mole. While every precaution was taken that day, somehow, enemy forces discovered us just as we were about to be evacuated. An order was issued to escalate the evacuation into an immediate rescue mission. That never happened. Instead, the op went on as initially planned. The transport arrived at the original targeted time."

"How was Niven involved in this?" Eliza asked.

"He was issued the order to deploy immediately."

"And he did not?"

I shook my head.

"Do you believe he was the mole?" El asked.

I scrubbed my face with my hand. "For a long time, I did."

Her eyes opened wide. "You don't any longer?"

"I have doubts."

"Based on?"

I had to tread carefully and think through every word I was about to say. The easy answer was that Saint's threats didn't make any sense. If I were to divulge how that alone drove my current skepticism, I'd also have to disclose her cousin's threat. I couldn't do that. Not because I wished to protect him. It was to protect her.

Her eyes bored into mine. "There's something you're not telling me."

"There's a lot I cannot tell you, El."

"About Niven?"

I nodded solemnly. "Yes, but there is much else I cannot divulge."

"I understand." She closed her eyes and rested her head on my shoulder. "There's something I don't, though."

"Go on."

"Niven said you want to kill him."

"There are times I've thought about it."

"He threatened to kill you the night we were in the hospital parking lot. You said I misunderstood. Why?"

"Everything I say and do is with the best of intentions where you're concerned. I will not pit you against anyone, least of all someone so important to you."

She raised her head to look at me. "He's convinced you're going to devastate me."

I eased away from her so I could better see her face. "What do you think, Eliza?"

"I don't believe you ever would. I trust you, Levi. I wouldn't have agreed to marry you if I didn't." She sighed. "Do you trust me?"

"Implicitly," I said without any hesitation.

She nodded. "Niven's lack of happiness for me—for us—hurts." She motioned to the box of tissues. "That's why I was crying. Not because I doubt you."

"I will not be an easy man to be married to."

She smacked my arm. "You'll not have any success trying to dissuade me from doing so."

"There will always be things I cannot share."

The smile left her face. "I do have experience, although limited. Most recently, Niven asked me to stay with Harper when he was called away on a mission. I was terrified for him and for her. But, Levi, never in my life have I felt so cared for, so cherished, or so understood. I can't give that up because of fear." She took my hand in hers. "I want us to marry as soon as possible. I want to be your wife, Levi."

I felt the same way and said so.

"You're certain?" she asked.

"I would do so today if we could."

"In that case, we need to register."

I wasn't exactly sure of the process, given that until I met El, I'd found the idea of my marrying ludicrous. "And after that?"

"Actually, before that, we need to decide where we'll marry."

I could marry her literally anywhere. Would she want a grand affair? It didn't seem likely.

"I had a friend marry at the Kensington and Chelsea Register Office in Chelsea Old Town Hall. It was simple and lovely," Eliza suggested.

The following day, we made a reservation to marry at the old town hall on the day immediately following the required waiting period. Next, we filed our intent to wed. We talked at length about how public we wanted our union to be and decided that, for now, we'd keep it between us and our witnesses.

When El asked how I felt about my parents not being with us, I honestly assured her I didn't mind. Having them with us would only serve as a painful reminder that hers were not.

In one month—God willing—Eliza would be my wife and I would be her husband.