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)
Aidan stepped back. “You need to stop listening to your cousins. I assure you if things go wrong, I’ll expect you to hide behind me.”
“I expect you to hide, too.” Sean Taggart put an arm around his daughter and leaned over to brush a kiss over her forehead. “You find a place to hide and wait for your cousins.”
“Or she’ll go to a conference and get childbirth mansplained by a hundred obnoxious men who think they know more about it than the obstetrical resident.” Big Tag shook his head his brother’s way. “And don’t think you’re sneaking on this plane. I’ve already got to deal with Adam. I checked his bags to make sure he didn’t stuff Jake into one of them. You know this is an Agency team not a family reunion.”
Carys frowned. “Actually, that sounds worse than potentially getting shot at.”
“No one’s getting shot at.” Tristan moved to the other side of Carys. “This is a simple op. You’re going to be surrounded by people and you’ll have eyes on you. My father and I are going to use the access I’ll have because I’m your bodyguard to try to get into Huisman’s personal systems. He has to have them, and I would bet anything it’s at his house. We get in, get what we need, and you enjoy the conference. Well, Aidan will. Carys will be treated like his arm candy.”
Carys wrinkled her nose and playfully elbowed Tris. “Again with the more fun getting shot at.”
The door to the lounge opened, and Zach strode in. He wasn’t alone. He had an arm around Devi Taggart’s shoulders, and those two were in step. Like there was nothing awkward about it. Like they’d been together for years.
He hadn’t known they were together at all.
Big Tag’s brows rose. “Dude, did you not get the not-a-family-reunion memo? You brought my niece to an Agency meeting? You know she’s not supposed to know who you work for.”
Zach’s arm didn’t move from its deeply possessive position. “Everyone knows, and every day with this team is a freaking family reunion. Devi gave me a ride.”
Carys cleared her throat. Likely because they were thinking the same thing. She sure had given him a ride. Probably more than one.
Kala had woken when her twin poked her as Zach walked in the room. She and Kenz were both staring at the new couple like they couldn’t quite believe what they were seeing. Tasha had walked in from the hanger and her jaw had dropped, but Charlotte was grinning like she’d known it all along.
Only Tris didn’t look shocked. He looked grim. Like he was worried.
“I just wanted to say hi, and y’all go and get whatever bad guys need to be gotten.” Devi looked a lot like her mom but without Erin Taggart’s solemnity. When Devi smiled there was no darkness behind it.
Big Tag sighed and shook his head. “We’re leaving now. Zach, we’re going to have a talk.”
“I expected we would, sir.” Zach said the words with respect and a hint of trepidation, but then he kissed Devi like a starving man.
Kenzie was on her phone, texting like mad. Lou had put down her tablet and watched with wide eyes.
TJ was asleep. It fit perfectly with his personal brand. His sister was getting happily mauled by an Army captain, and he was curled up on his girlfriend’s lap catching some zzzs.
Devi pulled back. “Hey, don’t forget you were going to warn them about the Tara person.”
Zach winced. “Yeah, uhm, we’re going to have to be careful with the twins because Tara’s already in Montreal. I’m sorry, Tris. I just found out about it. Did she call you?”
Carys’s head swiveled, looking to Tris. “Tara?”
“She works as my technical assistant when I’m dealing with The Jester missions.” Tris moved into her space. If it bothered him her father was standing there, he didn’t show it. This was a more confident Tristan. He cupped Carys’s face. “There’s no reason for any jealousy. She’s nothing but a woman I work with.”
“Oh, I wasn’t warning anyone because I was worried she would upset Carys.” Zach had Devi in a half hug like she was his teddy bear or something and he didn’t want to give her up. “I’ve worked with them both for years. Nothing there but work. However, she doesn’t have clearance to know about the twins, so we need to be careful and make sure she’s not waiting at the airport to give us a briefing. She said she’s already met with CSIS, and they’re going to have an operative liaising while we’re in Canada.”
“It better not be Ben.” Kenzie stood and sighed. “Someone tell me when I have to hide. I hope she’s not there because I’ll have to hide in the stupid plane and get an Uber. A Canadian Uber.”