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)
According to Taylor, Julia had killed her stepfather because he’d had Kyle in his crosshairs. Rather than allowing Kyle to die, she’d taken out the man who’d raised her.
She’d sat there and listened and realized Kyle was right about how far this woman would go to have him, and she’d felt…nothing.
She’d felt nothing until she’d walked in and seen Kyle talking on the phone to someone, tears rolling down his cheeks, and she’d waited for him to turn angry. He was good at getting mad. She’d known that he would be mad at her for catching him in such a vulnerable moment. He was definitely not good at being vulnerable.
He’d simply raised a hand and greeted her, doing nothing to hide the pain he was in.
How much pain was Kyle Hawthorne in and how had that affected the choices he’d made?
Yes, there it was again, that thawing of the ice she’d built up. She shoved it away because it was better to feel numb than let herself rip open that wound again.
“We’re pretty much through with the debrief. Adam was taking me downstairs to show me what he and MaeBe have been working on,” Drake was saying.
“MaeBe can join us.” Adam was wearing his typical dark suit with a white shirt and colorful tie she was sure Serena had picked for him. Adam was a bit more formal since he’d become the head of a company. “Most of this was her work.”
Miles-Dean, Weston, and Murdoch specialized in missing persons and identifying and tracking known security threats. She hadn’t thought about it until now, but they’d also been brought in by Drake’s mother when his sister had “gone missing.”
“I’d like to read the Samantha Radcliffe file.”
Adam’s jaw went tight. “Mae, you know some of my files require security clearance.”
“She can read it,” Drake said. “I can call my mother and have her give you the go-ahead to allow MaeBe to be brought in as a consultant. She knows what’s at stake.”
Adam nodded. “Then I’ll send you the file. I’m going to go tell Ian you’re here, though he likely already knows. The man has freaking eyes everywhere.”
“I’m sorry your mom had to go through that.” She said the words because she knew she was supposed to.
“Me, too.” Drake’s arm went around Taylor’s waist, and she leaned into him, offering him her support.
“So how is this going to work?” It was better to face the problems at hand than to stew about what had made Kyle cry. It didn’t matter. He didn’t matter, with the exception of how much trouble he could cause for her. “Is someone going to throw me over their shoulder and tie me to the chair of the private jet?”
“I won’t.” Drake’s head shook. “Like I said, I’m with Taylor. Kyle is…he’s not thinking straight. It’s hard to when my sister is in the mix, but I have someone who grounds me so I’m better at it. I can talk to him if you like, but I think his mom is trying to be the voice of reason right now.”
He was talking to Grace. Grace, who’d checked in on her even after her son was gone. Grace, who’d treated her like she was part of the family even though she wasn’t and wouldn’t be.
Grace, who she’d been somewhat standoffish with because she represented so much of the life she’d lost when Kyle had walked away.
She was self-aware enough to know that part of her attraction to Kyle was how much she adored his family. That was all. A big part of her attraction. When she thought about it, they were pretty much opposites.
And opposites attract. They work beautifully when both partners are willing to bend. Kyle didn’t walk into the relationship playing games every Thursday night. He’d been closed off and solitary, and he’d done things he wasn’t sure he’d enjoy because you enjoyed them. And you wouldn’t even watch a football game with him.
“Are you willing to share that data with us?” The curiosity in Drake’s tone made her wonder if she’d lost track of time while she’d been thinking about Kyle.
“Data?” She needed to focus on the case. Kyle would be gone soon anyway, and her life could get back to the shitty normal she’d found. “It’s more than data, but I’ll share everything I have.”
“Do you want to go down to MDWM with us?” Drake asked.
“Or we can do this in the conference room and not leave anyone out this time,” a familiar voice said. Kyle stood behind her, and she wondered how long he’d been there. “I think you’ll find my uncle is setting up to start again. We can exchange information, and I have some thoughts about how to move forward, if you can forgive me long enough to work with me.”
She had not expected that reaction. It took her off guard, and she found herself nodding and following him into the conference room where Adam, Charlotte, and Ian were taking their seats.