Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 146417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146417 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
The burner phone that had been in his go-bag buzzed against the small sink where he was supposed to be shaving. The scruff would have to wait. He picked up the cell and answered it. “Yes?”
He wasn’t giving a name or asking for one. If he didn’t recognize the voice on the other end, he would hang up and destroy the phone.
“Are you settled in?” Ian Taggart’s voice came over the line.
He’d thought it would be Damon. “Yes. I’m surprised to hear from you. I thought you would be on a plane. Rene told me you would be here in the morning.”
“I am on a plane. I borrowed it from Mia. I’ll be there in the morning and I’ll be cranky as fuck because the time difference sucks, but I need to get in and get out as soon as possible. It’s freaking eight p.m. my time. If I get a couple of hours of sleep, I’ll count it a win. At least the girls are sleeping.”
“You’re bringing the girls? You’re bringing your six-year-old girls to a Parisian BDSM club when the Agency is likely to be all over this place?”
“I have my reasons. The girls can totally handle it, and I wasn’t about to leave them home to help their mother who is currently taking care of their newest brother. I’d have Seth with me if Mia and Case hadn’t offered to take care of him. The good news is I’m bringing Chelsea, too. If anyone knows how to deal with Agency dickheads, it’s my sister-in-law. Look, I’m coming in on a different project, but it’ll be good cover. I wanted to warn you that Levi’s already looking. Chelsea’s been on the Deep Web.”
Kim had been on the web all night, barely looking up from the laptop. “If you’re talking about the bounty on her head, we know.”
The fact that she’d barely registered an emotion on finding out Levi had put her in the crosshairs of all kinds of unethical hunters was a real problem. She’d shut down. Kim was an emotional woman and she’d always needed an outlet.
He was worried she wouldn’t cry in front of him.
“Good, then you understand that he’s not playing around this time,” Big Tag replied. “Solo’s in serious trouble. Damon sent me a copy of his report. Tell me you understand this is all bullshit and that Levi plays a long, very convincing game. And again, it’s all bullshit.”
“I know she didn’t betray her country. But we have to prove it.”
A snort came over the line. “Did you not understand the word convincing? I’m already trying to give her an alibi, but the very nature of her job is working against us. I’ve got about two hours tomorrow, and Chelsea and I will go over all of this with Solo. If we can prove even one of his claims is false, we can likely bring the whole house of cards down.”
At least someone was working on the problem from the outside. Big Tag still had some Agency contacts. “Good. The faster we clear her name, the faster I get to kill Levi Green.”
Big Tag sighed. “Yeah, I was worried that was what you would be focused on. How is Solo? Not that I care because I barely know the woman, but Charlie worries about everybody and she’s going to ask.”
Sure. Only Charlotte wanted to know how Kim was. Big Tag was a notorious busybody. “Solo’s solo. Her name is more than a nickname. It’s a very good description of who she is.”
But not of who she’d been. It was odd to think about it now. When he’d met her, she’d seemed to fall so easily into his life. She’d been a flower drinking up water and blooming under his affection. She’d been a lonely child, and as an adult she’d desperately wanted to fit in, wanted to build some kind of family since her own had been cold and distant.
They had not approved of him. And yet it hadn’t mattered to Kim one bit that he hadn’t fit in with her parents’ fancy lifestyle. She was the only ridiculously wealthy person he’d ever met who he believed genuinely could have done without the money. Some of the best times they’d had were simple. A picnic in the park. Staying in and ordering sweet and sour chicken and watching TV.
She’d loved Bliss, Colorado. There was nothing fancy about the place, yet it had been plain how much she’d wanted to fit in there.
“Well, I’m sure she’s feeling pretty alone now,” Tag pointed out. “Unless you’ve gotten your head out of your ass.”
He rolled his eyes even though Tag couldn’t see him. “My head is exactly where I want it to be. Look, I got her out. I’m staying with her and protecting her. We’re fine.”