Total pages in book: 74
Estimated words: 71840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
“It’s not–”
I glared at him. “Don’t.”
He turned and stomped to the door.
When he opened it, I saw the three men he’d shown me pictures of back when we were fighting on the same side. Miles, Ford, and Worth. They were all disgustingly rich—not that Carter wasn’t, he just didn’t flaunt what he had, and he tried to pretend he didn’t want anything to do with all the money that was sitting in an account with his name on it.
Carter said they’d become friends at their elite boarding school where they’d been sent to be educated Lord of the Flies style. Instead of becoming the worst of the worst, they’d found each other and learned how to be themselves. From everything Carter had shared, I knew they were essentially good, at least to each other, but they didn’t mind getting their hands dirty when it was necessary. Now, I knew that for certain after seeing their performance the night before.
Or at least Ford’s and Miles’s. Worth didn’t like to get his well-manicured hands dirty, but that didn’t mean he didn’t know how to pull strings. I wasn’t going to discount him as a threat.
These men might be Carter’s friends, but I was sure none of them gave a damn about me. They probably wished he’d finished me off when he’d had the chance. One of them had yelled at him to stop just before he shot me, so they couldn’t be all bad.
They cared about Carter. They’d taken care of him when I couldn’t, and for that I wouldn’t hurt them. But I also wasn’t going to let them take Carter from me when I was finally close to him again.
So tell him your secrets.
No, not yet, maybe not ever.
10
CARTER
The second Miles saw Matteo behind me, he pulled out his gun.
I snarled at him. “Put that away.”
“If you think I’m going to trust him, you’re insane, though I’m getting more and more concerned that’s the case.”
I glared at him. He knew we had orders not to kill Matteo. The CIA likely wanted its asset back, and we didn’t need that kind of trouble. Normally, I wouldn’t think that would stop Miles. The man did what he wanted and didn’t listen to a damn soul, but the orders were relayed through X. No one crossed X.
“I’m unarmed,” Matteo said. “I’ve got nothing but the clothes on my back. Your boy saw to that.”
Miles snarled. “No one asked you to speak.”
“They rarely do.”
Ford tired but failed to hold back a laugh, and Worth smiled. “He’s just as annoying as you said.”
“I am, but don’t shoot me. You’ll have to deal with a lot of red tape.”
Miles narrowed his eyes. “I don’t have a problem with that.”
“No, you have your empire of people to take care of little messes, but this one won’t be so small.”
“You call what happened last night—”
“Cut the dick measuring contest,” I ordered.
Miles’s glare told me how offended he was by that comment, but he tucked his gun back in the waistband of his pants.
“Why did you leave without telling us?” Ford asked.
“I couldn’t tell you because you would have just told me to stay put.” I’d known they would try to talk me out of it, and I’d needed to get out of there. I needed to think, not that I was capable of that with Matteo around, but I wasn’t going to let him out of my sight. I might wish I’d sent someone else to talk to him, but I was the only one I trusted to do it. He wasn’t kidding when he said he could get out of most anything. I’d seen him in action.
Miles huffed. “You’re not in the right frame of mind to take off on your own.”
“That’s behind us, and we’re here now,” Ford said. “We have a problem, and we need to solve it.”
“And I’m the problem?” Matteo asked.
“You’re part of it.”
“Considering your connections and the interest of other parties,” Ford said. “There’s more to this situation than what we’ve already seen and taken care of.”
“Isn’t there always?” Matteo said.
“Yes,” Miles and I answered at the same time.
“So, tell us,” Miles said. “What more is there to this?”
“Nothing you need to worry about. I’m going to take care of it.”
I shook my head, glancing over my shoulder at him. “No way in hell are you going to be left on your own to deal with whatever is going on.”
I sighed. “The cartel needs to go once and for all, and there are some others involved who should be taken out as well.”
“What others?”
“Financial backers.”
“Americans?” Miles asked.
“Yes,” Matteo said.
“I want names,” Miles demanded.
Matteo shook his head. “That’s classified.”
“Cut the bullshit,” I said. “You’re not with the navy anymore.”
“No, I’m with the CIA. It’s so much worse.”
“Then why the fuck did you join them?” I asked.