He let go of Berger and moved away.
“I don’t like it,” he said.
Bastien sighed.
“I wouldn’t like it either if I was in your shoes. But it is all we’ve got. If you don’t agree, you will be replaced by another agent. You will both pose as a honeymoon couple.”
Gabriel stood with his back to them both breathing slowly, trying to calm his fear for Antonia and his anger. He felt her arms sweep around his body and hold on to him from behind. The tension in his body softened with her gentle touch.
Antonia pressed her forehead against his back. She didn’t speak. The caress of her hands on his arms communicated her need for him and he ached to respond to it. Defeated, he turned around and pulled her into his arms. He stroked her cheek forgetting Bastien’s presence.
“I am just trying to protect you,” he whispered to her suddenly tucking his fingers underneath her chin to raise her face up to him. “If I let you do this, we do it my way or not at all. You stay by my side at all times and do exactly as I tell you. Do you understand, Antonia? Or you will feel the sting of my belt over your ass, just like I promised.”
“I understand.” There was relief and a tinge of fear he would punish her in her tone. “I will be good. I promise,” she smiled. “I let everyone down today and I don’t want to fail anyone again.”
“You didn’t let anyone down. Laraib chose not to listen to you. Why do you feel as though you have to save everyone? What about you? You don’t seem to care about yourself? I am going to make you care.”
It angered him the way she thought of others and never once considered her own needs. He was going to look out for her even if she couldn’t or simply wouldn’t.
His words made her pull away from him. He watched Antonia sit down on the long sofa and become silent. Running his hand through his hair he felt like a fool for speaking out of turn and helping to put distance between them again. He asked the stewardess to fetch a pillow and blanket. Berger sat down shaking his head at him and then smiled. He took a sip of the coffee the stewardess put down in front of him.
“Young love,” he joked shaking his head again.
“How about you get some rest?” Gabriel suggested to Antonia refusing to rise to Berger’s comment. He took the pillow and blanket from the stewardess. “Why don’t you lie down?”
She looked up at him.
“Sit with me, please,” she asked timidly.
Gabriel understood what she was really asking from him and he was more than willing to give it to her. He wanted nothing more than to hold her and be allowed to protect and support her in his arms.
Malinov sat down next to her. Kicking off her shoes she curled her legs up on the sofa. He covered her body in the blanket and then raised his arm so he could place it around her body. She snuggled into his chest seeking his warmth and rested her head against the solid wall of muscle.
Gabriel kissed her head and tucked the blanket around her shoulders. He wove his hand through her silky hair dampened like his own from the sprinklers in the airport. She closed her eyes and softly moaned with contentment. Not long after she fell asleep safe and secure in his arms.
Chapter 13
The Explorer was a large ship but not the biggest in the exclusive Alexander & Pert Cruise Line. However, it was a more controllable size for the terrorists. It was ready to set sail for a cruise around Norway. Security had been through the ship and found nothing, no weapons or anything else. A quick check by Antonia of photographs of the crew did not produce any results either.
The suicide bombers had no doubt entered the country on false passports and had changed their appearance as much as they were able to or they simply weren’t on the ship yet.
“We know this ship is definitely a target but I am surprised we haven’t found anything. We still need you both on there. I can’t work out their plan but I know something is going to happen,” Berger told them glancing through the passenger list again as he did so.
Gabriel and Antonia barely had enough time to wash and change before boarding the ship. In the Terminal building a United Global Defence doctor gave Antonia a quick physical check-up. He spoke to Gabriel on the side to warn him.
“Her body is still weak and exhausted from malnutrition. Make sure she eats and she will hold up. Small amounts and often. But I am concerned about her mental health. When I questioned her about what happened in the Marco Polo airport she closed down and would not talk to me.”
Malinov frowned.
“I don’t want her on this operation. I know she is fragile.”
“Adrenaline, anger and determination are driving her at the moment but very soon she is going to be exhausted by it and possibly break down. If you believe she is becoming unstable you need to bring her out of the operation. It will be your call.”
Gabriel nodded grateful for the control the doctor was giving him over Antonia’s health on the mission.
“She is going to explode at some point. The human body and mind can only take so much and she has been pushing it beyond the extreme.”
“I think she blames herself for not being able to talk the bomber down in the airport and I know she already self-harms.”
“Yes, I saw the marks when I examined her. She is likely to attempt to do so
