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)
“No, only until we take care of the situation,” Kyle replied. “And in this, I’m with Drake. We need to shut this op down the minute she finds Julia. Then we take over and handle it.”
“Or we can use the work Taylor’s done and send in an operative who knows what she’s doing.” It was good to know Kyle was on his side, but he would go further. “Taylor can handle tech if she wants. I can keep an eye on her that way.”
“I don’t think that’s going to work out for you.” Taggart’s brow had risen over his icy eyes. “Any more than this bullshit he’s pulling on Mae is going to work out for him. You’re fucking up with her. The same way Kyle already fucked up the best relationship of his life.”
Kyle’s hands came out, shoving his chair back from the table. “Yes, I did it the minute I gave in to the attraction I had to that woman. I should have known I couldn’t come back from a mistake like that. I ruined my future a long time ago.”
He turned and walked away.
“That is one dramatic motherfucker,” Taggart said with a groan.
It was true. Kyle seemed to think because he’d screwed up once he didn’t deserve another chance. Drake couldn’t let himself think that way. “My sister can mess with a guy’s head. But I need to know what you think he should have done. He’s right. Julia would have come after her. She won’t allow anyone to take what she thinks belongs to her. She’s been possessive since she was a child.”
“She’ll still come after MaeBe. Not today or tomorrow, but soon enough. And if Kyle had his way, she wouldn’t be ready. I’m not the kind of man who thinks our women should hide every time danger comes near. That’s not a practical solution for every situation they could be faced with. Charlie was already a badass when I met her. If I told her not to watch my back, I would have to watch my back, if you know what I mean.”
There was one problem with Tag’s scenario. “MaeBe isn’t Charlotte. Neither is Taylor.”
“She can be. I’m not saying every woman in the world has to learn how to assassinate a man, although I’m also not not saying it,” Taggart said with a grin. “But I am saying if you love someone you help them have the best life they can possibly have, and that means ensuring they’re not walking around scared all the time. Fear is not the place I want to be making a choice from, and I certainly don’t want that for my daughters any more than I would my sons. My girls are every bit as competent and strong as my boys. They might not genetically have their physical strength but there are ways around it, and part of that is training. MaeBe isn’t Charlie, but she’s also not the fainting sweetheart that Kyle’s made her out to be. He’s got her on a pedestal, and that’s a hard place to fall from.”
“I think he just wants her protected.”
“And there is no better way to protect her than to give her the knowledge and training to make her confident enough to fight for herself. Also to know when to retreat and how to safely do it. I’ve taught her that, too,” Tag assured him. “Everyone should know it. That doesn’t mean she won’t always have backup if I’m around, but I can’t be there every second of the day. She’s already done with the whole twenty-four/seven protection thing. She’s going to want her independence, and I understand that. You are in a completely different situation.”
“Yes, I am since I actually have a relationship with Taylor. At least I did. We had sex. I didn’t do that pearl clutching, I’m not good enough for her thing. I knew damn well I wasn’t, and I still slept with her.” He didn’t want to do this. Big Tag had been a weird sort of mentor to him at important times in his life. But Tag was also easily irritated and didn’t always have the best opinion of him. This was a conversation he should have with his father. Except his father no longer wanted to talk about Agency business. After he’d retired, he’d closed down all talk about Drake’s job.
Damn, he hadn’t realized how alone he felt.
Tag considered him for a moment. “So you and Sokolov’s daughter? You should be happy he’s no longer with us or you would get your ass kicked.”
“If he were still alive, I wouldn’t have fucked up the way I did. She wouldn’t have gotten taken away from me,” he said, hearing the wistfulness in his tone. What the hell was happening? “Is it wrong that I kind of want to punch my own face for sounding so whiny?”