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)
“Are you planning on letting Aidan and I do our jobs?” Carys asked since he’d been suspiciously quiet during the hours’ long meeting discussing how this mission was going to work.
“Not at all. I plan on talking you out of it. Aidan’s put us all in a terrible position,” Tristan admitted. “He got overly emotional, and now we have to find a way out. I’ll come up with it. I think our best way out is to replace you with an actual operative. It’s not like Huisman will have studied you.”
“Because I’m nothing more than a prop.” It was good to know they were all on the same page.
Tristan frowned. “I didn’t say that.”
Kenzie stood. “I think they have some stuff to talk about, sis. You sure you don’t want to bunk down with me?”
Kala followed her sister. “It’s more fun to freak TJ out.” She brushed past the boys and turned. “You sure you can handle them? I can toss them out. Or sic Bud on them.”
“Yeah, Bud might lick me to death,” Tris said under his breath.
The massive mutt her cousins had rescued wasn’t exactly a guard dog. She didn’t need one in this case. It was time to start dealing with the problem. “I’m good.”
When the twins were gone, Tristan closed the door. “I’m sorry for putting you in this position, Carys. Aidan wouldn’t listen to me, but I do have a plan. I’ve already contacted a woman I work with, and she’s trying to find an operative who looks similar to you. I can think of a couple, but we have to make sure we can get her here soon so she has time to familiarize herself with Aidan. I wish I could do the same for Aidan, but I don’t know any surgeons who also happen to be operatives.”
He was such an ass. “What are the requirements to pretend to be me? Similar-sized boobs?”
“You know she’s a doctor, too.” It was obvious what play Aidan was making. He was pretending to be on her side.
“I know how smart she is, but you know not a one of those fuckers is going to view her as anything but your girlfriend,” Tristan argued. “The type of medicine she practices, while of the utmost importance, is viewed by them as basic.”
“I don’t treat her like that.” Aidan moved toward the bed. “She knows a lot about trauma. She’s my first and best sounding board. If anything, I’m the one who’s dumb about what she does.”
He wasn’t at all. Aidan often challenged her. When they’d been in med school they would test each other. Even as they’d found their specialties, they’d tried to keep up with each other. “He’s quite proficient at obstetrics, but you’re right about the rest of them. They’ll see me as his girlfriend. Whoever you bring in won’t need to know much.”
“He’s not bringing in anyone,” Aidan declared. “If he tries, I’ll pull out. Tris, you think I’m some moron who got caught up in the moment, but I thought it through. Carys needs this. I do, too. We’re not going in a safe house. We’re going to end this.”
“The fact you think this is the end only tells me you have no idea what you’re doing. This is an intel-gathering mission. We’re not going in guns blazing,” Tris argued.
“He wasn’t talking about ending Huisman.” She needed to be plain with Tristan. “Once we’re done with this, we’ll be out. You and Aidan can go your way and I’ll go mine.”
“Not what I meant at all.” Aidan looked stubborn. “I don’t care about Huisman. After we do this, Tris can decide if he wants to be with us or if he wants to run around the world playing superhero.”
“We are not sure there is an us at all.” It looked like she would have to be clear with Aidan, too. “You lied to me. You worked together behind my back, and I need some time to deal with it. The truth is today might have been a blessing.”
“Getting shot at is a blessing?” Aidan asked, his eyes wide, and then his face fell. “You mean because we’re not married. So you don’t have to divorce me because I lied to you.”
She sighed because it sounded so harsh. The day had been dreadful, and she knew in her logical mind she might feel differently in the morning. Or in a few weeks. She needed time. “I don’t know. Do I have to make a decision tonight?”
“No.” Aidan looked lost. “You don’t have to make a decision at all, baby. I made a mistake. I honestly thought I was protecting you, but I understand how that made you feel and it’s not okay. I’ll do whatever you need me to do to earn your trust back. But we’re going into something dangerous, and us being at odds isn’t going to help. The tension between us… I’m worried it could get us killed. Get you killed.”