Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 133213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
“I wanted a special night.” It was true and also a lie. He’d wanted…he wanted to go back and not open that file, not get curious, not end up in a corner.
Aidan wasn’t having it. “You wanted to show her what she could have if she waits a bit longer. You know damn well I can’t give her this.”
“No, you give her everything else.” It was an old wound between them.
Aidan shared her interests. They could talk medicine for hours and hours. Neither of them understood his need to unlock mysteries via his keyboard. They certainly wouldn’t understand the forces behind the mission he was on now. Not even his uncle knew.
His parents didn’t know, but then Adam Miles would have already figured the problem out and Jacob Dean would have handled the whole physical mission without batting an eye. He was the child of giants, and he felt so small.
But if he could follow through, he might prove himself wrong, might be worthy of being their kid.
Aidan sat there for a moment. “Is she right?”
Tristan didn’t have to answer. His silence was enough.
“Fuck.” Aidan’s expression fell. “This is honestly what you want? Because I don’t know how we get through this. We’ve put off the wedding once.”
Aidan was the easy one. Tristan had known the minute he’d realized he was going to join the twins’ CIA team he would need to work on Aidan because Carys wouldn’t want to listen. “I need more time. That’s all. Look, what Kala and Kenz are doing is something totally new. It’s an experiment, and it’s exciting. I know you don’t understand.”
Aidan held up a hand. “But I do. Man, do you think I don’t get excited about getting invited to watch a craniectomy? I dropped everything including a date with Carys. She understood. But we’re not talking about a five-hour surgery. If you do this, your life is classified.”
“It already is. Do you think my Army intelligence job consists of me giving soldiers tests or something? I’ve been seeking information for the US Army while you’ve been in med school. The only difference is I’ll be doing it for another agency.”
“For the Agency.”
Tristan glanced over to make sure the other tables couldn’t hear them. There were only three on this balcony. It was as private as they could get. “Look, I know I said I would come home, but there’s something I have to follow through on.” He leaned in. “It’s a project I started a while ago, and if my instincts are right, it’s big.”
“So is our wedding,” Aidan countered.
“Our wedding means nothing if the world burns. And don’t look at me like that. Like I’m talking in hyperboles. I’ve been tracking a group, one I think is behind several terrorist events across the globe.” He couldn’t tell Aidan too much, but he had to make him understand.
Aidan was…more than a friend. More than a brother. Sometimes he thought Aidan was half of his whole. Like they were one soul born in two bodies, and they’d managed to find the one woman who could handle them. His parents always talked about how they’d been inseparable, even as babies. Aidan’s mother was his mom’s best friend/personal assistant, and they’d been through everything together—even their pregnancies. It was as natural as breathing to share Carys with Aidan.
He couldn’t lose them, but he also couldn’t walk away. Even if he wanted to.
“There’s a job, and I’m the only one who can do it,” Tristan said quietly. “It’s important.”
“It sounds like the twins can do it. Or Cooper. You should know he’s a good spy. He’s been home a couple of times, and not once did he mention ‘hey, I’ve joined a CIA team and your partner is coming with me.’” There was a bitterness to Aidan’s words.
Tristan couldn’t blame him. They’d been in their house for a couple of years now, and in the beginning it had been the three of them. He and Aidan and Cooper McKay had moved in together after college. Then he and Coop had gone into the military, and now they treated the house like a way station while to Aidan it was home. For now. “He’ll be here in Dallas more, you know. For Coop, this is a way to come home more often.”
“It’s a way for him to try to keep Kala from killing herself,” Aidan shot back. “Coop never intended to go into the Agency. But I have to wonder now if this wasn’t your end game.”
“My end game is and always has been marrying our sub and living a happy life.” Frustration started to well. Somehow he’d thought this would go better. “But we can’t get there if this…” He took a long breath. “The man I’m tracking is an arms dealer, but the important part is he can lead me to someone much more dangerous. Aidan, you know how there are breakthroughs in medicine the public doesn’t know about yet?”