Total pages in book: 165
Estimated words: 154925 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 775(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154925 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 775(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Only a few days before, Drake’s father had been killed after he’d been outed as a double agent. The elder Radcliffe hadn’t actually been a working Agency operative at the time, but he had been active with a group known as The Consortium. It was an illuminati-like team of some of the world’s wealthiest corporations who conducted secret wars and influenced governments and were basically corrupt and violent. Like his ex.
Julia had gotten away, and now they believed she was going after what Drake’s father called his burn files. The former CIA operative had kept notes on everyone he’d worked for in case he ever needed to blackmail his way out of a bad situation.
Kyle meant to find those files because if Julia got her hands on them, she would be more powerful than she’d ever been before.
“I’m sending you everything I know. I can’t work on this without clueing my bosses in on it, and then we’ll have to work against them, too,” Drake admitted. “Everyone will want these files. I suspect my dad kept records on his friends as well.”
Don Radcliffe had been friendly with some of the world’s most powerful men. Yes, a lot of people would want those records, so it was important to keep the fact that they existed quiet. “I’m meeting with my uncle tomorrow, and I’ve asked Adam and Chelsea to join us. After I get MaeBe on her way to Loa Mali, I’ll work nonstop on finding the intel.”
“You’re going to try to send MaeBe to Loa Mali? Without you? I thought you were going after your girl.”
“I am, but I need to make sure she’s safe first. She’s not like Taylor. I need to make sure Julia can’t find her.” Drake’s girlfriend Taylor was a well-trained operative who could probably take Drake in a fight. MaeBe was a genius when it came to a computer, but she wasn’t a field agent.
He was going to be patient with her since he was the reason she’d gotten her ass kicked by Julia. He hadn’t read the signs right, had let himself believe the bad guy was dead and gone when he should have known it wouldn’t be that easy.
“I don’t think this is the right way to turn MaeBe around, man. You should drop to your knees and beg. Whine until she feels sorry for you and then get her in bed and don’t let her out until she’s willing to work with you,” Drake advised. “You have to bring her in. She’s got skills. She can help you. She might forget how pissed she is if you give her a job to do.”
“I don’t want her to do anything but relax,” he said quietly, listening for the beep that would sound when MaeBe walked in. “My uncle has had her training in self-defense and moving from house to house. I’m sending her to Loa Mali where she’s going to work on the king’s cyber security and be treated like a princess. I’m going to explain the situation to her, and she will understand. She’s a reasonable woman. Once I tell her how I feel, we’ll be okay.”
Drake snorted over the line. “Good luck with that, man. And you should protect your balls. I’ll see you soon.”
The line went dead as he heard the beep as the door opened.
She was here, and he was about to start his life again.
He’d been wrong to try to trick her. He should have been upfront and honest with her about Julia and how dangerous the situation was. She would have understood.
She was talking to West, but he couldn’t quite make out what she was saying. Would she see the present he’d left her on the bar and know he was here?
Spicy girl. One day I’ll show you how hot you can be.
He’d said those words to her the day before he “died.” The day before Julia had blown up the world again. He’d been ready to start their lives together after a year of circling warily around each other. They’d become friends, and he’d never meant to be more, but somehow this one woman had become the whole fucking world to him.
He loved Mae Beatrice Vaughn, and he wasn’t going to let Julia ruin that for either of them. Mae needed him and he needed her, and once he’d taken care of the situation he was going to marry her and they were going to have whatever weird amazing life they could.
“You’re getting so damn good at this, girl,” that dumbass cowboy player was saying. “Pretty soon you’ll be the one protecting me.”
Sure she would. She would never see that asshole again after tonight. West was getting kicked out of here in a few moments.
“Somehow I doubt that.” She was walking toward him, her voice rising as she crossed the space between them. “I’ll be right back.”