Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 135382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 135382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 677(@200wpm)___ 542(@250wpm)___ 451(@300wpm)
“No, you wouldn’t,” Serena assured her. “Adam would have found you. He was tracking the van you were in. That’s why he went in early this morning. He complained about that, too. He’d already tracked you down to south Dallas when they figured out they could use Tucker’s tracking device. Another hour and he would have known where you were.”
So she would have been saved no matter what. It had all been for nothing. And according to Fedor, he’d planned on killing de Vries himself.
It had been foolish to think she could save her son and her lover. “Well, that’s good to know. It doesn’t matter much now. Brody won’t even talk to me.”
Avery threw her a sympathetic glance. “Give him time. It was a rough day, and many men need time to switch from warrior mode to backyard barbecue party mode.”
Numb. She felt so damn numb.
“Not me, my darlin’.” Li kissed the top of his wife’s forehead as he walked past her. He had a massive platter of all kinds of meat in his left hand. There were hamburgers and hot dogs and chicken breasts all ready to be cooked on the grill outside. Naturally, Jake required a carnivorous birthday party. “It was an excellent exercise, but I’ve already forgotten the whole first half of the day. That was work. Now it’s time to play. I’m ready for beer and burgers, and hopefully not getting up at dawn’s asshole to go to work.”
Avery sent him a pointed look. “Well, I’m glad you’re good, but some of our friends are having trouble. Have you forgotten you dropped Tucker off with Kai?”
“Is he going to be okay?” Steph practically leapt at the chance to worry about someone other than herself. She wasn’t exactly sure what had happened, but Tucker had been quiet, almost haunted by what de Vries had said.
Of course, he hadn’t been the only one who had stared blankly ahead during the ride home, as though the day had been far too much for him.
Brody hadn’t looked at her during the hour it took for the CIA team to clean everything up, load up the dead and the living, and head off for wherever they intended to do the rest of their covert job. It had been made easier since Fedor owned the warehouse and had been more than willing to cooperate in exchange for not being renditioned to a foreign country and tortured for information he might or might not have. Ezra had left much of the cleanup to Fedor and his band of happy mobsters while the McKay-Taggart crew had bandaged up their minor injuries, gone back to the office for a debrief, and then all gotten ready for the birthday party.
Brody had done everything asked of him, but not once had he come over and requested to help her. He’d stayed across the building while she and Anya had dealt with the wounded.
When the time had come to walk away, she’d hugged Anya, and Brody had been there waiting for her. He’d loomed over her like he expected her to run at the first opportunity. When she’d reached for his hand, he’d switch to holding her elbow. It made her feel like a prisoner. He’d sat beside her during the debrief, not speaking a word or really looking at her. He’d looked through her, like she wasn’t there at all.
She’d tried to talk to him afterward but he’d told her it had to wait. She’d been bundled into a car with Erin and Alex while Brody had gone with the other men. He was in the guesthouse, and she wasn’t sure she would be welcome if she went down there.
Now she found herself in the midst of a happy party. It was surreal. She’d gone from a chaotic warzone to this perfect suburban paradise where kids were splashing in the pool, moms were putting together the last-minute details, and dads were sipping beers and watching over everything with indulgent smiles. Every time the door opened she could hear the sounds of party music and kids squealing in delight.
“Tucker will be fine.” Li stepped toward the door that led out to the spectacular backyard. “I don’t care what de Vries said. There’s zero way Tucker had anything to do with Dr. McDonald. He was wrong or he was lying to try to sow chaos. Kai is going to make the lad see that everything is all right. And don’t worry about Brody. My pretty lady here is correct. You gave him a huge scare and he’s processing. Take him a beer, sit in his lap, and he’ll come around. That is if you want him to come around.”
“Of course I do.” She wanted it more than anything. All she’d been able to think about when de Vries had her in the maze was getting back to Brody and Nate. “I love Brody. I always have.”