Total pages in book: 148
Estimated words: 139606 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 698(@200wpm)___ 558(@250wpm)___ 465(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 139606 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 698(@200wpm)___ 558(@250wpm)___ 465(@300wpm)
“Dare actually cares about you,” Brian said.
“Well, he cares about you, too.” She wasn’t the only one who’d screwed over Dare.
Brian’s head shook. “I’m not sleeping with him. I’m his friend. I assure you he’ll take my betrayal better than yours. Also, I’m not betraying Dare. He’s innocent. He has no idea what’s happening.”
“What’s happening, Brian?” Zach asked.
His jaw went stubborn. “I think I’ll keep that to myself. I’d like to speak to your supervisor. You’re too young to have any real power at the Agency. If that’s who you actually work for. You know there are some naïve idiots out there who get played. Did some guy come up and ask you to help out your country?”
He was trying to push her, but she didn’t care if he thought she was a moron. She was in some ways since she’d believed Zach. She should have remembered he was the Agency approved babysitter on this mission. The Agency approved manipulator.
“You can answer my questions here or we can move you to a more…quiet place,” Zach said.
She was sick of Zach’s games. “My name is really Tasha and I do work for the Agency. We’re here on a mission to surveil the meeting between Oakley and Huisman.”
“Then they’re taking his threat seriously.” A wave of relief seemed to go through Brian. “I thought they weren’t listening.”
“I’m not sure Huisman is a threat at all,” Tasha replied. “That’s what I’m here to assess. Now you can give me your credentials and we can sort this out before Dare starts asking questions about why you’re no longer around or… I don’t even know what the or is. What’s your name and what intelligence agency do you work for?”
His head fell back. “I can’t. Let me make a couple of calls, and once I verify who you are, we can talk.”
“Dude, you know Kara’s code name.” Zach’s whole body was tight. “How can you still think we’re not Agency?”
“Because my group hasn’t verified she is. All we know is she’s a player and a rough one. She’s excellent at walking out with the prize and making the rest of us fight to get what we were promised. I’ve been told to make a determination whether she needs to be taken out.”
Fuck. Kala had played some games in the beginning before their dad had sat her down and told her she would be benched if she did it again. She’d been trying to make a name for Kara, and apparently she’d succeeded. “She’s Agency. I wouldn’t try it if I were you.”
“I know you Americans think you’re the best at everything, but we are taught some rules. Number one is to not believe everything I’m told. I talk to my people or I don’t talk at all. You can explain my absence to Dare.” Brian settled back down, obviously ready to wait them out.
She started to argue, but Zach shook his head and moved to the door. That was an argument she couldn’t have in here. It had been a mistake to let Brian see even a hint of a crack in the team.
The minute the door closed, Zach turned on her. “You set us back hours by showing him you were surprised. I know you are pissed with me right now, but that reaction is the reason I’m here.”
The door came open and Kala stood there, leaning against the jamb and looking dangerous in her leather catsuit. “You don’t have to be here, Zach. I can make it so you’re not here.”
“I’d love to see you try, sweetheart,” Zach shot back.
Which brought Cooper to the door. “Lay a fucking hand on her and I’ll take your head off.”
The head Cooper threatened fell back and Zach groaned. “This is why I’m here. You’re a bunch of fucking hormonal teenagers. I don’t care what Tag says. You’re not ready. I should have been able to tell you what I needed without worrying about a fight. Hell, I should be able to not tell you shit and still have you do your jobs. I have no idea why Drake thought this would work.”
Tasha took a deep breath. She often had to be the voice of reason, and Zach was right about a couple of things. They weren’t acting like the professionals they needed to be. They’d taken a simple job and made it infinitely more complex, but Zach needed to acknowledge his part in it, too.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” She moved past her sister, bringing the discussion back to the private room where it should be.
Kala shifted beside Cooper, letting Zach inside. “It sure as hell wasn’t about me. I would have done my job. If he’d wanted me to go after Nash, I would have.”
There it was—jealousy. She didn’t like the thought of Kala trying to seduce Dare. Kala wouldn’t care about Dare. He would be the target.