Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 71840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
“But I—”
Carter yanked my arm, turning my chair to face his again. “No. Being happy and being free is your revenge.”
Would that be enough? If I could help Carter take out his fucking family, maybe it could.
“I’ll pay Landon a visit today,” Carter said.
Miles protested before I could. “We’ll all go.”
“No,” Carter said. “This is for me to do.”
I shook my head. “You’re not going in alone.”
Miles studied me for a moment, then turned his attention back to Carter. “I’ll stand down if you agree to take him.”
“I have a name.”
Miles rolled his eyes. “Take Matteo with you and report to us as soon as you’re done there.”
X nodded. “I don’t think you’re going to require a large group. Landon’s too arrogant to think he can’t beat you, but I’ll send in some backup.”
“I don’t fucking need your backup.”
X glared at him. “You will take it, or you won’t go.”
“Damn right,” Miles added.
“I can go wherever the hell I want. Neither of you are in charge of me.”
This time it was Ford who interrupted the argument by slapping his hand on the table. “None of us ever go into a mission without backup in place. That’s always been our rule and it always will be.”
Ford was usually so in control that whenever he yelled it was startling, so we all listened.
“Much better,” X said. “There will be backup whether you want it or not. We don’t know what Landon knows or what he has planned.”
“Whatever it is, we’re going to make sure it never happens.”
X nodded. “We are, but we’re not going to do this recklessly.”
“Fine. I’ll take Matteo and you can send backup, but your men stay out unless it’s absolutely necessary. I don’t want anyone else in my brother’s house, and I’m in charge of how it goes down.”
“I’ll be on standby for cleanup,” Miles said.
Carter glanced at him and nodded. “Fine. Let’s get going.” He stood, but X called his name.
“What now?”
“You know you do your best work when you think things through. This is the most personal mission you’ve ever been on. Sensibly, we should send someone else.”
“I’m sending myself. I’m the one in charge of this mission.”
X held up a hand. “I know you are, but you’ve got to be careful.”
“I’m going to make damn sure he is,” I said.
Carter shook his head. “I can go alone.”
I grabbed his arm and yanked him back around to face me. “No, you can’t.”
“For once,” Miles said, “Matteo and I are one hundred percent in agreement.”
26
CARTER
After going back to my place to change so I was properly attired in a fucking power suit to go meet my brother, we headed to his Upper West Side townhouse. My men had hacked into surveillance cameras near there to keep an eye on his place, and there was no sign that he’d left home yet. He rarely got out of bed before ten, and it wasn’t like he didn’t have plenty of employees—both legal and illegal—to help take care of business for him.
I tugged on my tie, trying to make myself comfortable. I hated how the fucking thing choked me. I glared at Matteo in his much more comfortable clothes. “I still think you should have to wear one of these too.”
He chuckled. “No way. I’m playing the role of bodyguard. This outfit is perfectly appropriate. And your suits won’t fit me.”
The asshole was right, but I still resented his black T-shirt and cargo pants.
“Besides,” he said, “one of us needs to be able to move freely.”
That was the truth. My suit was way too restrictive.
“Plus, if I had to wear a damn suit, the coat would cover my ass. What would you stare at then?”
I flipped him off. “I fucking hate you.”
“Sure you do. Let’s get this done, and I’ll take you home and get you right out of that suit.”
I had to circle the block near Landon’s townhouse to find a place to park. Once I’d maneuvered myself into a spot a block away, Matteo and I walked down the street together. I noticed several people staring, and I smiled as I imagined how fucking good we looked together. If only this was what it seemed, me and my hot bodyguard out for a walk, maybe headed to breakfast. Sadly, I was headed to torture information out of my worthless half brother, then kill him.
I took a deep breath as we started up the stairs to the main entrance. I rang the bell, and we waited several seconds. I glanced at Matteo. “Do you hear anything?”
He shook his head. Neither did I. I hadn’t expected Landon to answer the door himself, but I had expected one of his domestic staff to let us in quickly. “Check the lower door,” I said, gesturing to the entrance at street level.
Matteo looked in the windows, then knocked. There was no response. “I don’t see anything in here.”