Total pages in book: 160
Estimated words: 149137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 746(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 746(@200wpm)___ 597(@250wpm)___ 497(@300wpm)
A finger slithered down her spine. “Very good. I knew you would figure it out if you were properly motivated. Yes, I want them. One will do, though I’d like a full set, but the only one who’s out in the open…well, I’m not about to piss off Ian Taggart by stealing his brother. Even I’m not arrogant enough to do that.”
“You don’t think he’s going to get pissed off when he realizes you stole his employee. Big Tag might be sarcastic, but he takes his role as overlord pretty seriously. He will come after me.”
“Only if he realized you were gone. You see, love, there was a reason you were the only person in the entire world who could do this job,” he said. He moved in front of her again, his eyes serious on her as though this was some sacred moment between them. “You’re the only one in the whole world who can get me into The Garden. That’s where those boys are.”
He knew way too much, but she wasn’t going to confirm it for him. “I don’t know where they are. And I’m not ever taking you to The Garden.”
“You will. You just don’t know it yet. You will walk into The Garden and smile that breathtaking smile of yours and convince one of them to go for a walk with you. According to your phone, you’re close to someone named Tucker. I happen to know that was one of the names she gave to her ‘boys,’ as she called them. Did you know the sick bitch had them call her Mother? Weird and creepy. I’ll be a much better big brother to them. I’ll show them the world and all they’ll have to do is a few routine medical exams. After the first one, maybe we won’t even have to vivisect the rest of them. I don’t know. I’m leaving that up to smarter minds than mine. I’m simply going to accept the paycheck and then do the next job my boss has for me.”
She started to deny the fact that she would ever do his bidding. It was right there on the tip of her tongue to tell him to fuck himself because she wouldn’t betray her friends. But that was a really good way to get a bitch killed, and he already had a shit ton of intel. “How much are you getting paid?”
His eyes lit slightly. “There’s a bonus with this particular job. I’m an Agency man as long as they pay me and don’t figure out my outside projects, like the one with Hector here. Hector feeds me intelligence on certain elements down here.”
“Fucking narcoterrorists,” Hector spat. “They’re trying to take over my territory. They’ll tear everything apart if they can.”
Levi nodded his way. “Hector’s a realist. In exchange for information that makes me look like the golden boy of the CIA, I help facilitate his business and take a little percentage for me and my partner. It was her idea, actually. She’s got a brilliant brain on her.”
She would love to meet his partner. When she met the partner, Kay would take her apart. “I would want a percentage.”
“I thought you said she was smart,” Hector said.
“She’ll catch on,” Levi replied. “Sweetheart, you’re not getting a cut. I’m not foolish, though I will keep you around as long as you’re a good girl. There are still things we need from you. What’s the protocol for getting into The Garden?”
“You don’t need to know. I told you I’ll do it for the right cash.” She would happily walk into The Garden and come back out guns blazing.
He leaned in, his hand coming out to touch her hair. “There’s no amount of cash that would get my sweet Kayla to betray her friends. I told you it’s odd, but that sweetness and sunshine is precisely why I’m a bit obsessed with you and your friends. I have a little fantasy about you and Ariel Adisa that would make you blush. Maybe once you’re on the inside, you can make that happen for me. Perhaps you’ll bring Ariel with you and Tucker and I can have all three of you.”
He was confusing her. She wasn’t going to lure Tucker or any of the Lost Boys out of their hidey-hole. It wasn’t going to happen, so why was he talking like it was a sure thing?
“So, I need to know the protocol for getting into The Garden,” Levi insisted.
What had Ezra said? Five years. Everything had changed five years before. What had happened five years before? John Bishop died. Now Levi Green was afraid of Bishop. If John Bishop wasn’t a part of this collusion, then how did he fit in?
Levi stared at her. “Tell me something. Do you wonder how you managed to come out of your time with MSS and still have that smile? She doesn’t smile like you. Oh, she can fake it, but I know the difference.”