Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 66977 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66977 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 335(@200wpm)___ 268(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
“I don’t know,” Melissa mindlessly shrugs. “She’s randomly done drinks with all of us assistants for the past couple of years – she’s like really close with hers, like secret lovers close – but her and I only recently started hanging out more alone.” We exit the coffee shop as easily as we entered. “Probably in the past three months? Maybe four?”
The lump I’m nursing in my stomach shoots itself up into my throat.
Expands.
Ceases my ability to do anything other than politely smile.
“Come on, Carmichal,” Reynold’s rushes again on a gentle push forward. “You know how Wahl is.”
“I think we all know how he is when it comes to you,” Melissa school girlishly winks on a loud giggle. “Get going before you get in trouble. Email or text me if you need anything else, okay?”
This time nodding is done because I know I can’t actually speak without giving away something I know we absolutely can’t.
Upon our arrival at the SUV, Reynolds holds up a hand for me to wait, wordlessly insisting on inspecting the vehicle. He checks the doors. The tires. The rims. The trunk. Shoots several cautious glances at me yet proceeds sweeping the situation until he’s certain it’s safe to let me inside.
And given what we just concluded a couple minutes ago, I definitely see the necessity.
In fact, all the asinine protocols I swore my boyfriend was just being extra cautious about were clearly necessary.
Once the door is shut with us both safely inside, I wave goodbye to my assistant while Reynolds locks us in on a mumbled, “Holyfuck.”
Rather than discussing anything with me first, he immediately calls Slater who to no surprise doesn’t let more than one ring occur. “Status report?”
“It’s Brittanie!”
“Bitch!” Blu awkwardly adds in the background prior to impishly laughing.
Reynolds doesn’t wait for my boyfriend to make a smart retort to his other best friend. “Brittanie Martindale is the leak!”
“What?”
“She’s been ciphering information from the assistants,” I add to the conversation, which informs him that I’m still safe. “And Melissa just told me, they’ve gotten really close over the past few months.”
“Givin’ her the in to your schedule,” Slater calmly deduces. “Melissa knows your movements.”
“And cannot keep a fucking secret to save her own ass,” Blu adds to the exchange. “How many surprise birthday parties has she ruined this year alone? Four? Five?”
“Seven.”
“Until recently, she was one of the few privileged to be provided that information. It wouldn’t be hard for an operative with half a brain to gather that intel from a well-timed lookin’ over her shoulder or at a text or pretendin’ to need to borrow a phone because her’s was dead or a quick use of a laptop when she was in the bathroom – assumin’ those items aren’t already bugged with listenin’ or trackin’ devices.”
My hands fly over my mouth covering a croaked, “Ohmygod…”
“She’s where I heard about The Agama Foundation from,” Reynolds regains control of the conversation. “Remember the day I walked into Arley’s office to bitch about assignments?”
“That’s the same day I was attacked.”
“Yeah, well, the next day after our little parking garage…thing,” he carefully words as if unsure I know what he’s referencing, “I remember running into her – or now that I think about it a little harder – being found by her on my way to return some gear. She did that whole flirty small talk shit, but then told me if I ever wanted to leave, she knew The Agama Foundation was hiring. I thought it was some weird allegiance mind test setup by HE to weed out those disloyal and wasn’t about to be stupid enough to fall for it. I assumed I just…passed the shit…because the next thing I know you’re under the radar recruiting me to help out with this whole situation.”
“And she’s on her way right now to the Thai restaurant,” I quickly announce. “Melissa says they get it together every few months, and I bet if I run the data that those dates will match with The Accountant’s. She’s who he’s there to meet!”
“For payment,” Blu quietly claims. “He comes here quarterly to meet her for payment to keep her off the official books to make no direct link back to him.”
“Get Arley home now,” Slater damn near growls his order. “Sweep procedures and lockdown.”
“Roger that,” Reynolds affirms and prepares to pull out into traffic.
“Angel Cake,” he attempts to calmly state, yet the rigidness of the words flooding the vehicle prove otherwise, “promise me you’ll follow. Every. Safety. Protocol. To the fucking T.”
“I promise, Cowboy.” Buckling myself in, I do my best to offer him some much needed reprieve. “You have nothing to worry about.”
Chapter 13
Slater
One of the most important things to remember about striking is timing.
In this business?
Timing is everything.
The difference between unharmed and injured.
Capturing or evading.
Living or dying.
I may be a little off when it comes to shit in the romance department – I.E. wanting to get my girlfriend pregnant before I’ve actually proposed – but when it comes to a mission?