Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 136425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 682(@200wpm)___ 546(@250wpm)___ 455(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 682(@200wpm)___ 546(@250wpm)___ 455(@300wpm)
He wasn’t sure where Big Tag was getting his intel. “She didn’t want to sleep with me.”
“Liar.”
Fuck. He was getting it from Henry, of course. So there was no way around this because Henry was a gossipy old dude like Tag. “Fine. I didn’t want her to use me. I realized how stupid that was. I realized it didn’t matter how she felt. I need this time with her. I need to have it to hold on to if the worst happens.”
“Drama.” Tag shook his head. “So you held out on her for weeks, and she’s wondering if you really wanted her in the first place.”
“I screwed up Lace…Lucy’s whole op for her. When I found out Huisman had her, I lost my shit. I didn’t care about anything but getting her back. I walked up to the group with the full knowledge that I might be taken in, but it was worth my freedom and whatever happened with my mom to make sure Devi was safe. How could she think I don’t want her?”
“Because in her head you want her last name, not her.” Big Tag held up a hand when he was going to argue. “I know that’s not true. You should have figured out by now that we don’t need to share blood or last names to be a family. But she heard the gossip and internalized it. Devi has a big personality in a family of them. In other families, Devi would be the leader.”
He sighed. “And in this one she has Tasha and Kala.”
Big Tag’s lips quirked up. “I notice you didn’t include Kenz.”
He knew his team. “Kenz doesn’t want to be the leader. She loves her people and will do anything for them, but she’s more than willing to let someone she trusts take control of the situation. That’s not how it is with Tash and Kala. We’re lucky they don’t clash more often than they do.”
“Because Kala loves Tash and often just does what she wants to do quietly and behind her sister’s back,” Big Tag admitted. “All I’m saying is it can be hard to have these impulses and have nowhere to put them. I don’t know why she’s trying to get a job at some big design house when she should build her own business. It would take all those instincts of hers and give them an outlet.”
“She’s drawing again,” he said quietly. “I think the weeks we spent on the farm helped quiet some of her doubts. Let her find her love for design again.”
If that was all she got out of this, he would be content.
“I think you’ll find her parents are grateful for that. They’ve been worried about her pinning her future on some low-level job where they won’t recognize her real talents.”
“She shouldn’t be designing bland sportswear. There are lots of people who can pick colors for this season’s polo collection.” He knew what he wanted her to do, what she secretly craved. “She needs her own fet wear design business, although she’s also great with wedding dresses. I wish someone with cash would maybe invest in a shop for her and a good website design.”
Tag snorted. “Yeah, I’ll call her uncle and see what we can do. Let me tell you, life got easier when my brother married a billionaire. Mia is a sucker, and it doesn’t hurt that they run their own club in Austin. I think if Devi would let her aunt try some samples, she might find a major investor. So what I need is someone she cares about boosting her confidence. Can you think of any way to do that, Zach?”
And they were full circle again. “Sex.”
Big Tag nodded. “Take her to bed as often as possible. Play with her. Top her. Give her what she needs and those walls will come down. As for the rest of it, let me deal with it.”
Hope. The man kept giving it to him. “How can you deal with it? Are you talking about the Red Notice? Or the Agency?”
“I assure you I can deal with both.” Big Tag set his glass down. “You should understand that Drake and I have been presenting a somewhat made-up version of what happened. Only to our bosses. The rest of the Agency believes what we put in the official reports.”
“And in the unofficial ones?”
Big Tag’s lips pulled up in a slight grin. “Well, I’m known for being a ruthless bastard who takes men who are loyal to me and manipulates them into doing my bidding.”
“That’s bullshit.” Tag always treated his team right.
“It’s a reputation I haven’t earned, but I find it useful from time to time. I always knew about your mother. I used the Toronto op to alienate you off from the group and split Huisman’s attention. The BOLOs and Red Notices are for his benefit,” Big Tag explained. “To make you look like the criminal we’re pretending you are. You’re undercover, Zach. If some Agency idiot brings you in, you’ll sit in a cell until you’re released into my custody. There will be a reckoning at the end of this if we don’t stop Huisman. If we do, then no one will ask any questions.”