The Crescendo by Fiona Palmer

was implying.
    I’m going to be away for a while, I may not come back, there is nothing for us. Well, she added the bit at the end but she was sure that’s what he was implying. The wall he was building between them was going up at a rate of knots, as if he’d become a skilled brickie overnight. The space beside her was feeling cold and empty and she craved for his warm hands but they stayed by his side.
    Taking in the strong line of his jaw, his full lips and up to his eyes, she tried to memorise it all. She knew the risk he was undertaking and that tonight could be the last time she ever saw him. It made her want to throw herself at him, sob uncontrollably and refuse to let him go. But she didn’t.
    â€˜Of course I’ll do that.’ And her heart was breaking with every word. ‘Please be careful.’

Chapter 9
    Ryan was mesmerised by Jaz’s eyes, always had been and always would be, but today with the dark make-up she was looking hauntingly beautiful. The pain of Pax was still fresh in her eyes; the sadness pulled at his chest, as well as a mingling of other emotions. He could tell she’d been battling with the thought of Salvatore as a father. He still didn’t have his head around it and he wasn’t personally affected like Jaz.
    Seeing her turn up at the wedding, he thought he’d be prepared, he thought he was right in his mind but he was nowhere close to control. She’d stolen his breath, his mind, his body. No woman had ever done that to him. Even now, sitting beside her was hard. He felt like a raging teenager as he battled to keep it on lockdown.
    He’d just told her that he was going deep undercover, he could be away for ages and she knew the risk, knew it could well be the last time they see each other and her reaction had floored him. He truly saw the strength she wielded. A beautiful person who seemed so slight but was a tower of muscle and smart, maybe a little headstrong and seemed to find trouble easily, but it was a heady mix. One he seemed incapable of resisting.
    â€˜Are you sure you’re okay with that?’ Did part of him want a bigger reaction? A hug? Kisses? Her clinging to him in a goodbye embrace? Even though it would just make things harder. He was torn but he knew the right thing to do was to walk away and not lead her on. What happened in the Wicked van was a one-off, it didn’t come with commitment ties and they both knew that. Their line of work made it impossible. The agency work had always come first in his life, even almost before his family.
    â€˜Yes. You need me to help out, I’m here. If there is anything I can do to help with Jamison, you know where to find me. Okay?’
    She fluttered those thick eyelashes and her words drifted away into nothing as he lost himself to her eyes again.
    â€˜Um, so what are you going to do about Salvatore?’ asked Ryan as he forced himself to look at the river instead. He might have half a chance of focusing if she didn’t smell so divine. Like a field of flowers in the spring sunshine, his head was swimming in it.
    Jaz sighed heavily. ‘I don’t know, Ryan. Can I do anything? I don’t want to go to Mum about it. I can’t have her finding out that I’m working for the agency, not after everything she did to go into hiding from those she loved. I want her to have that dream for as long as possible. And I don’t want to have anything to do with Salvatore. Paul is my father.’
    â€˜So you don’t want to find out for certain? Do a DNA test. It would be easy to get a sample from Salvatore.’ Ryan would do it himself if it was what Jaz wanted.
    â€˜Do I really need one? It all fits. My skin, dark hair, Mum being his girlfriend and the dates. I’d just rather leave it be. As long as he doesn’t try to find me, it’s all good. Everything can go back to the way it was.’
    Ryan studied her face. He didn’t think she believed