Total pages in book: 165
Estimated words: 154925 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 775(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154925 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 775(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
“I’m just saying it might be awkward for the two of them to work together, and you know how much shit he gives her when she tries to do her job,” Adam replied.
“I don’t give her shit. I’m trying to keep her safe.” But the words… He was hearing the words that were coming out of his mouth and they didn’t ring true. He was trying to keep her safe, but what if she didn’t want to be safe? What if she wanted to take some risks?
“No, you’re trying to make your life easier,” his aunt shot back. “And you do give her shit. You go behind her back and tell her coworkers what she will and won’t do.”
“See, I’m going to have him blocked from coming into my office when MaeBe starts working for me.” Adam pushed back from the conference table. “He won’t have a chance to undermine her.”
“You would put her in the field?” He wasn’t surprised Adam was throwing him under the bus that seemed to chase him everywhere these days.
Adam stood. “In a heartbeat.”
“Because I trained her.” His uncle’s eyes had narrowed. “Erin and I turned her into a badass. I don’t think you should reap the benefits of all our hard work. You can take Kyle.”
Adam’s head shook. “Thanks but no thanks. He disappears too often. Drake, I think we’re getting to the emotional part of this conference. You know the one where everyone goes off the rails and someone special has to talk the idiot dude off the cliff his ego has led him to.”
Drake frowned. “What makes you think that? I thought we were arguing over who had to take Kyle once all of this is over.”
Adam picked up his tablet. “Nah. Grace went super quiet. She’s about to ask for some time alone with her baby boy. I think we should get some coffee and wait for MaeBe to show up.”
“MaeBe’s on her way to the airport,” Kyle said, realizing Adam was right. His mom had gone quiet, and that wasn’t a good sign.
“Is she?” Adam asked with a mysterious smile.
Ian’s eyes flared. “Dude, who did you leave her with?”
Drake pulled out his phone and then sighed. “I can’t track them because if I did Julia might be able to track us. She’s with Taylor. And now that I think about it, Taylor never said she would take her to the airport. She said she would take her where she needed to go.”
Panic flared and he stood. “I’m going to find them. Does she have a tracker?”
His uncle sighed. “Grace, would you like a moment with your son?”
“Yes, I think we should talk,” his mother said. “Could we have the room?”
“I can’t. If MaeBe is out there,” he began.
“She’s with a woman you trusted enough to leave her with,” his mom countered. “Ian, I assume you’ve met this woman? Would you trust her to protect MaeBe?”
“She’s a highly trained CIA operative, and she’s beyond suspicion.” His uncle was on his feet, hand reaching out to Charlotte, who let him help her up. “But I should point out that MaeBe can handle herself now. And Kyle, if you don’t chill, she’ll take off on her own. You’ve got one shot at this. Don’t fuck it up. When she shows up at this office, and I have no doubt she will, you let her sit in this conference room and explain what she’s discovered like the professional she is. You treat her with respect and not like a toy you’re afraid of losing.”
“Ian.” The name was a warning from his mom.
“You know he’s right, Grace,” Charlotte replied. “We’ll go and get some coffee and restart this meeting when everyone is actually here.” Her voice went low as she passed him. “Do not give your mother hell. She’s been through enough.”
Drake clapped a hand on his shoulder and gave him a nod as he left the room.
And he was alone with his mom, who was miles and miles away, and yet he could feel her judgment. “Say what you need to say, Mom.”
He would listen to her and then he would figure out where MaeBe was. He would track her down and she would get on that plane and go to Loa Mali and be safe.
“I might not like how he says it, but your uncle is right. You’re screwing this up.”
“What am I supposed to do?” This was what he genuinely didn’t understand. “What would Sean do if he was in my position? I know damn well he’s sent you into hiding before. Do you think I don’t remember what happened when Charlotte’s uncle was after her? He sent you away.”
“Because he had to watch his brother’s back. Also, I had Carys at the time. I wasn’t trained the way MaeBe is, and I didn’t ask him to take me with him. I wouldn’t have because I had to protect Carys, but I also knew Sean would come home to me. He did not fake his own death and leave me mourning him. He explained everything that he needed to do and why he needed to do it. He called me often, and I knew where he was. I worried like crazy, but I was still a part of his life.”