Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 145091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Brad was the one who didn’t understand. “This isn’t going to be a normal op. It ceased being normal the minute Taggart agreed to help. We’re in his world now. The good news is the man usually gets things done. The bad news is how he does it. Should we hide you from your mom, Kyle?”
The operative who’d legit stared down death on numerous occasions suddenly looked like a kid who’d gotten caught with his hands in the cookie jar. “I think she would find me.”
He got a good look at the expression on Grace Taggart’s face as she glanced up at the building. That was a serious mom face. “Oh, she’ll find you.”
“Damn it. I thought they understood. It’s not like I told Ian he couldn’t let them know I was alive. I would never have done that to them.” Kyle stalked toward the hallway.
He was glad his mom didn’t know what he did.
“Well, this is going to take way more than a lemon pie,” Kyle said as he turned and walked out.
Brad frowned, watching the door close behind Kyle. “I did not expect to have to deal with an operative’s angry mother. I’ve never had to do that before.”
Likely because for the most part the Agency tended to recruit people without strong family ties. It was precisely why they did it. So they didn’t have a bunch of Graces running in trying to protect their baby boys.
Would his mom do the same? Or would she see what he’d done and turn her back on him?
Would she blame him for what happened to Julia?
“Like seriously, Drake, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.” Brad huffed as he sat back down. “This is a classified operation, and now there’s a Taggart family reunion? Am I supposed to call this in? You’re having trouble with the most important piece of this op. It feels like it’s going to blow up in my face, but I don’t even know who I would call since I can’t get you fired because of the president thing.”
Poor Brad. He liked things to run smooth and easy, and this mission would be neither of those things. “You go back to DC and let me handle it. Brad, you don’t have to be here. I can make this whole thing go away for you.”
He felt a little guilty. It was Brad’s career on the line, too. Though he wouldn’t be out in the field, it could be his life on the line since Julia was so tricky.
“I’m not going to leave you on your own. I know what this means to you,” Brad said and then frowned and sat down, his gaze going back to his screen. “And don’t try to get me kicked out. I have friends, too.”
He wasn’t sure he would call the current president of the United States a friend, but the dude did owe him a couple of favors.
“What is going on?” Taylor stood in the doorway. “Is something happening? Kyle looked like the world is ending.”
She was so fucking pretty. Blonde hair. Red hair. Long. Short. She looked good no matter what.
Or maybe his eyes saw her differently. Maybe when it came to her he saw with something else. His heart.
Shit. His stomach churned.
“Now you look like the world is ending.” Her arms crossed over her chest. “What is happening, Drake? I have the right to know.”
Well, Taylor, I just had the sappiest, most romantic thought I never thought I would have, and while I consider myself a relatively modern man, I’m wondering if I shouldn’t hand in my man card and maybe check my balls to see if they’re still properly functioning.
Yeah, he wasn’t going to be that honest with her. But at least he had a great distraction. He waved her over. “Come here. This is going to be good. You remember how I told you Kyle faked his death and shit?”
Her lips started to curl up. “Yes. Is he going to do it again?”
“No, but he might wish he’d actually gone through with it. His mom is here.”
Her eyes widened, and she hustled right over to the window. “Are you serious? I thought his uncle was supposed to be protecting him.”
“Oh, Big Tag is a total asshole.”
Taylor gasped. “Is that… That is the Sarge. I’ve seen him on the Food Network. Why is there a celebrity chef here? And that’s his wife, Grace. She’s even prettier in person. I’m confused.”
“Grace Taggart used to be Grace Hawthorne.”
Kyle strode out of the bar, jogging down the steps, and his mother flew across the yard, wrapping her arms around him.
“Oh, that’s so sweet.” Taylor put a hand to her heart as though she could feel Grace’s relief.
Taylor didn’t have a family. Taylor was all alone in the world. There was no mom out there worried about her. No father to protect her anymore.