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)
“We are thinking about turning it into one after we’re done with this phase of life.” Henry settled into one of the big lounge chairs.
Her uncle frowned and sat next to him. “I don’t think we get out of this phase. Even if we do, I expect my grandson to announce any day now he’s joining the Agency, and wouldn’t I like to come along? Come on, Grumpa. It’ll be fun.”
“I can’t even think about it,” Henry said with a long sigh. “I don’t understand where they got it.”
Lucy snorted.
Henry shook his head. “No. I am not taking the blame for this. I have been a mild-mannered peace-loving man since years before you were born. You never saw the John Bishop side of me. I made sure of it.”
Lucy shrugged. “Tash let me read those spy high books. I liked the sound of it.”
“You like copying me.” Kala looked sullen as she took a seat. She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at her father. “You did not have to come after me. I am on my honeymoon. It’s rude.”
Her uncle’s eyes rolled. “Sure, you are. I should have fucking known, but your mother convinced me it’s totally normal to take your emotional support friend on your honeymoon. TJ, I expected better from you.”
TJ shrugged as he dropped down to the couch with another yawn. “I don’t know why. I always do what Lou tells me to, and she always helps Kala unless she decides it’s too dangerous. So it feels like this is all just part of the TJ Taggart brand. Where’s Aunt Charlotte?”
“Pretending everything is fine at home, including faking me going into the office,” her uncle explained. “Because there’s only so much Drake and Taylor can cover for us, and no matter how quiet you’ve been, I assure you someone will notice we’re working with the Canadians. I’ve informed Damon we’re here and asked him to cover for us. Now someone please tell me there’s a plan. What were you going to do, daughter? Kidnap your cousin? Or were you going to bring Zach in?”
Devi glanced over, and Zach was standing alone in the corner of the room. He stood there as though waiting for judgment, his eyes downcast.
She should quietly go to bed. Now that everyone was here, being close to Zach would only make her look like a fool in the end.
She didn’t care anymore. Something had broken this afternoon. Something cracked, and she didn’t want to fix it. “She’s not bringing Zach in. She was worried about me and needed to lay eyes on me. Now she’s going to chill out. Well, I thought she would but she’s kind of putting all her restless energy on Lucy now. We need to tap her out and send in Kenz because I think her murdering another operative would give away this game we’re playing. And uncle, you’re not bringing Zach in either. I want to start talking about how to get him out of hot water with the Agency.”
Zach’s head came up as she joined him.
This was stupid. She cared about him. Even if it didn’t work out, she couldn’t leave him to fate. She was smart, too. She could help. She slid her hand in his and he pulled her to him, her back to his front. She felt him breathe her in, like her scent calmed him.
“I’m not sure there is a way,” he whispered. “And that’s okay, sweetness. Your uncle is here, and I’m going to do whatever he wants me to do.”
A little pulse of panic bubbled up inside her.
“I’m not taking him in. I’ve done an enormous amount of work to not be forced to take Zach in,” her uncle said with a tired sigh. “I’m not the bad guy here, Devi. I was trying to let some of this play out, but your cousin has made that impossible now.”
Kala’s eyes narrowed on her dad. “You could have given me a heads-up that you knew exactly who Zach was and you had eyes on him.”
“Yeah, I would like a timeline on who knew what and when.” Cooper stood by his bride.
“I would, too.” Tasha took a seat on the couch beside Lucy, and Kenz joined them.
“Make that three.” Tristan Dean-Miles walked in from what Devi suspected was the kitchen. He had a tray in his hand and passed TJ a sandwich. He set the tray of snacks and drinks on the big table in the middle of the room. “You could have mentioned you knew all The Jester stuff. Would have saved me an enormous amount of trouble.”
“I didn’t know everything.” Her uncle grabbed a coffee mug and took a long drink. “I suspected something was off with Zach early on, but it wasn’t until he started taking leave and going to South America that I sicced Henry and Lucy on him.”