Total pages in book: 154
Estimated words: 145091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 725(@200wpm)___ 580(@250wpm)___ 484(@300wpm)
So why hadn’t he asked? There was a voice inside her that always wondered.
Because he didn’t have time, moron. There was a much louder voice that answered. Because your father died, and the Agency moved up the timetable. He probably would have gotten you in bed another dozen times before he got down to business. He was slick, and you were naïve and desperate for attention.
None of this was helping. She shoved the thoughts aside and got back to reality and the job in front of her.
“Good, then it will be at least three against two, though I would bet hottie dishwasher isn’t good with authority figures, either.” When she’d been introduced to Kyle, he’d looked her up and down and the only words he’d said to her were good luck before he’d gone back to complaining about how hard it was to get caked cheese off plastic.
“So if you need someone to run interference for you with the handler, Jax and Tucker will be your boys,” Kim promised. “They know how to distract a boss. As for Kyle, I’m worried he’s going to cause chaos. He won’t mean to, but from what I can tell, he’s too close to this job. Reading between the lines of what I’ve been told, I think he was involved romantically with his partner.”
She wouldn’t be surprised. From what she’d heard Hawthorne had been paired with Julia Ennis on several ops over the course of his time with the Agency. He’d started as her military backup and moved into an operative role at some point, usually working with her. They would have spent a lot of time together, thrown into situations that were stressful.
But it wasn’t stress that got you flat on your back for Drake Radcliffe.
Nope. It had been a carefully planned-out manipulation that had tricked her into his bed. He’d said all the right things. All lies.
“That’s an excellent reason for him to not be involved.” Why was she thinking about Drake after all this time? Probably because she was close to the finish line now, and when this was done she would either move on or she would be dead. “If he’s emotional about the situation, he can’t be trusted.”
“I don’t think you’re going to be able to get rid of him.” Kim checked her cell phone and her lips curled up. “Big Tag won’t support the op if his nephew isn’t involved. There’s also the bait factor. The Agency thinks they can use Kyle as bait.”
“I thought Kyle was supposed to be dead.” That was the impression she’d received, though Kyle hadn’t wanted to talk. She’d gotten some information from Sandra—who did not care what the Agency thought. Sandra was doing this as a favor to the Taggart family and nothing more. “That’s why we’re here in the wilds of Wyoming instead of back in Virginia. Because no one wants to give up the fact that Hawthorne’s alive.”
“I think there’s more to it,” Kim allowed. She was obviously distracted by whatever was on her phone. “Kyle should explain it to you.”
“If you have something else to do, you should do it.” She didn’t say it in a testy way. Kim was doing her a favor. “I know you left your family. If you need to call them or something, it’s okay. I can hang here on my own for a couple of hours.”
Kim’s blonde hair shook. “Sorry. Beck is sending me Bliss gossip. He’s at the town hall meeting, and those always go sideways where I’m from. He and Roman bought popcorn and they’re watching the show. You should come sometime. I wish you’d been able to stay at my place for a couple of days.”
Kim liked to talk about the tiny town she and her husband lived in. It sounded like a lot of fun, but Taylor couldn’t even conceive of living in one place. Having roots. Her apartment in Virginia had been rented fully furnished, and it was bland, with none of her own personality in it.
She wasn’t sure she had much personality at this point. All of her hopes and dreams had been shattered that day a year and a half ago. Sometimes she looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize the face that stared back.
It was funny how having a family—even one person in the world—tethered a person to reality. Since her father had died, the days all seemed the same, each meshing into the next.
What would it be like to be free of this need for vengeance? Would she ask Kim to show her the way to Bliss and spend a couple of weeks hanging with the only person who was kind of a friend?
Or would she be alone without even a mission? Would she go back to the Agency because it was the only thing she’d known?