Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 39250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 196(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 196(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
“So I’ve heard,” Dad chuckled gruffly. “I’m still eternally grateful.” He took a step back. “I hear you’re former Air Force too?”
Maybe I’d spilled. Maybe I knew exactly what to say to put my dad in a good mood. Doing the groundwork, so to speak. Planting a seed, smoothing things over, buttering him up, et cetera.
“Aye, sir,” James confirmed. He slid me a subtle little smirk, as if he knew what I was up to. “It’s been a long time since I got out, though. I’ve been private the past twenty-five years.”
I smiled.
“I won’t hold that against you.” Dad returned his focus to me and rubbed my arm. “I wish I could say we could go straight home—or straight to the hotel—but there’re two federal agents outside wanting to talk to you.” He faced James again. “They seem to wanna talk to you too.”
James scratched his nose. “Yeah, I tend to delegate such bullshit to my superiors. I’ll sneak out in a bit.”
Dad faced me with a wry grin. “I like that guy.”
I knew he would.
And yeah, I felt triumphant about it.
“So do I.” I beamed at James.
“On that note, I hope we get to see you again,” Dad told him. “If nothing else, then for a proper steak dinner before we head home.”
James locked eyes with me, and I was sure he could see the pleading look on my face.
“I’m sure we can find a day,” he agreed.
I wanted to see him tomorrow if he could. If he was going off soon, I needed a few more moments of inhaling him.
I planned on texting him just that once my phone was charged.
CHAPTER 10
James Hyatt
Ha! Fucking perfect. I stepped out of the elevator as Beckett walked by, presumably on his way to the cafeteria.
“You still limping, Beckett?”
“Fuck you!” he called over his shoulder.
I laughed and veered right instead, aiming for the lobby.
Kiera should be here any moment, and I kinda wanted to curse her out. I’d slept like shit last night, and it was her fault.
Was that the deal now? I needed her close by so I could sleep soundly?
That was fucked up.
All of a sudden, my condo across the street felt empty and lifeless. I’d come home to not even an echo. No sound whatsoever. No one greeting me. No one smiling at me. Which… If that had happened two weeks ago, I would’ve had my gun out because someone was breaking in. But now, something was missing. Everything I’d been content with before I’d left was now lacking.
I nodded once to Gina in the lobby, then positioned myself closer to the revolving door. I’d fucking hate to have her job. Just sitting here all day in this giant void of a lobby. Two stories tall, glass windows all around, nothing to look at… It had to be big. We gathered classes of recruits and government personnel here before seminars and whatnot. But other than that, it was a huge waste of space. Virginia’s biggest fish tank, possibly.
I checked my watch.
Had I ever missed anyone before?
My head snapped up when the doors started spinning, but it wasn’t Kiera. It was a damn Tenley. One of the twin brothers. River, maybe? Both had sworn up and down they’d never return once they’d retired several years ago, and look how that was going.
Yeah, it was River. Reese was more the kind who smiled and bumped fists. River offered short nods.
We’d been recruits together once upon a time.
“If it ain’t one of the many operators who retire and then come crawling back.”
He scowled. Definitely River. “Fuck you, Hyatt.”
I grinned. “That’s the second time I’ve heard that in two minutes.”
“Well deserved, I bet,” he muttered. “What’re you doing out here?”
“Waiting,” I replied. “You here to see Shay?” His partner. Hillcroft’s own martial arts instructor.
“No, I’m here because Darius won’t sit his ass on a plane and fly out,” he answered. “He asked me to go to a briefing because Shira won’t allow him to attend via link.”
Made sense, though. “Security level’s still elevated,” I said. “I presume it’ll stay that way until y’all take out the Iraqi threat.”
He nodded with a dip of his chin. “You seen Beckett anywhere?”
I jerked a thumb over my shoulder just as I spotted Kiera climbing out of an Uber outside. I gave her twenty seconds to cross the plaza. “Cafeteria.”
“All right, thanks. You…look like a dog who just spotted their owner holding a treat.” Asshole Tenley followed my gaze, then lifted his brows at me. “Is James Hyatt datin’?”
I shot him a quick glare. “Are you still here? You know I like you better when you’re quiet.”
He nodded. “I always appreciated that about you. You were the one person—and Darius, I guess—who never bitched about how little I talked.”
“And now you’re what, makin’ up for lost time?”
He smiled. “When Reese isn’t here to fill the silence, I have to do my own diggin’.”