Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 136425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 682(@200wpm)___ 546(@250wpm)___ 455(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 682(@200wpm)___ 546(@250wpm)___ 455(@300wpm)
“We were supposed to observe in the beginning, but it became clear he was looking for someone, and he was doing it in our direct orbit.” Lucy took up the narrative. “Due to the nature of his ops, we couldn’t exactly look into his Agency records, though we suspected he was using his position to do whatever he was trying to do. It wasn’t until I made direct contact that he told me what he was doing, and even then it was months later before I got what I suspected was most of the story.”
She could feel him stiffen behind her.
How hard was it for him to stand here and take all the judgment?
She leaned back against him as Lucy talked about how she slowly befriended Zach.
“None of this is going to save you, sweetness,” he whispered, and his arm tightened around her waist.
A thrill went through her because she could feel the hard length of his erection against her backside. “Save me?”
“From the spanking you’re going to get before we go to bed tonight,” he promised.
Her ass already ached.
“I was the one who helped him find The Jester,” Lucy was saying. “There are a lot of interesting people in the kind of groups I run in. Everything from genuine believers like my mom to people like Dr. Huisman, who basically want to break the world because it doesn’t suit them. They often have connections. So I used some of them to find The Jester, and we put together the history between the Reeds and the reclusive arms dealer. He was the connection to Huisman. The Jester, that is.”
“Did I know everything? No. Was I aware Zach had an additional agenda?” Her uncle took another long drink. “Yes. Would I have told you if I thought any one of you was in real danger? Yes, but that asshole kept nearly dying to save the team. He’s a terrible bad guy. He didn’t even read the handbook. He should have known getting shot for my eldest daughter would endear his ass to me.”
The words hit her like a slap meant to wake her up. Oh, she was sure that wasn’t how her uncle meant them, but it reminded her.
“I would have done it for any member of my team.” Zach said the words so they could all hear. “I was happy to save Tash, but it could have been any of you, and we know how far I’ll go for Devi.”
Her uncle turned, his eyes narrowing. “It better be the distance, son. I’m not fucking kidding. If you are not serious about her, I’ll kill you myself.”
She was about to protest when he cuddled her close.
“I’m serious. I just shouldn’t be.” He kissed her hair. “I can’t help myself. But we should think about getting her to a real safe house. With many guards, because she’s sneaky.”
That was not happening. “I’m staying. I’m literally surrounded by people who know how to protect me better than anyone at McKay-Taggart, and I don’t want to put anyone else at risk.”
Zach rubbed his cheek against her hair. “Well, then she stays with me, but when I go meet my mother tomorrow, I’ll need someone to watch her.”
“It’s a public train station.” She’d heard the whole plan but suspected they were about to go over it again.
Henry sat up straighter and looked to her uncle. “Nell made contact with Shannon Reed over a year ago. She’s scared of her ex-husband and terrified of Huisman. We’ve finally convinced her to come to the UK, but she wants to meet in a neutral spot. The train station has plenty of CCTV cameras we can lock into, so coverage won’t be a problem. Nell thinks once she verifies it’s really her son, she’ll calm down and come back here with us.”
“It’s the Liverpool Lime Street Station,” Lucy said cheerfully. If she was tired, she didn’t show it at all. “There will be tons of people. It’s the central hub for the area. Mom’s bringing her in from London because…” Lucy sighed. “It was less of a carbon footprint to fly to London direct than two planes from Buenos Aires to here.”
“I prefer meeting her here. If we were in London, we would have to involve MI6 because Damon wouldn’t be able to pretend he knows nothing.” Her uncle was talking about Damon Knight, who ran the London branch of McKay-Taggart and also had a few spy kids of his own. “He’ll tell us if he hears anything and try to give us cover, but we don’t want to alert the Agency, and that’s what bringing in MI6 would do.”
“What is the point? Are we bringing her in? Protecting her? Asking her to make a couple of fun bombs for us?” Kala did look tired, but then she’d always needed her beauty sleep.