Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 146392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
“I didn’t mean for that to happen,” Ben insisted.
“But you would do it again,” Big Tag said quietly.
“You don’t know what Manny’s capable of.” Ben sat up, his jaw going stubborn.
“No, but I damn straight know what you’re capable of.” Big Tag walked to the door. “I’m going back to Langley with the lawyers where I’ve been told I’ll have a chance to meet with your boss and have a long chat about how we’re going to handle the situation with Huisman.”
Oliver sighed and pushed back from the table. “Yes, I think my boss is planning on being at that meeting as well. If Sami and I could catch a ride with you, we would appreciate it. Perhaps you could yell at me some more and get it out of your system before you meet with my boss.”
Big Tag snorted. “Not on your life, Oliver. Your boss will be getting the full brunt of my rage, but you’re welcome to a seat on the plane. Zach, we’re wheels up in two hours. Make sure the Brits are where they’re supposed to be.”
Zach nodded. “I’ll get them to the airport on time.”
“Shouldn’t I be on that plane?” Parker stood, his expression going blank. Like he knew what the answer was going to be.
“You’ve got a one-way ticket back to Toronto,” Big Tag informed him. “Take it up with your boss. And Parker, while there’s a part of me that understands why you did what you did, know that if you ever put my team at risk again without my consent, I’ll take you apart myself and then you’ll see what it means to truly play unfair.”
Oliver whistled. “That man is intimidating. I rather thought all the stories I’d heard were overblown.”
“I didn’t,” his sister said. “I wouldn’t want to be on his bad side, so let me handle him when we’re in the air. You irritate him.”
Probably because Oliver hit on every woman in a five-mile radius.
Parker stared at the door Big Tag had walked out of.
“I’ll take care of you right now,” Zach offered. “I’ll play fair and everything. We have a boxing ring. I won’t even carry a weapon.”
“Zach.” Lou thought the Canadian had been through enough.
“He’s all mine, Zach,” TJ argued.
“Fuck you both,” Parker replied, flushing slightly with obvious anger. “The two of you would do the same thing if you knew what I know. You’re about to. You’re about to have to deal with a monster unlike anything you have before, and he’s already cost me everything, so don’t think I wouldn’t do it again. I would give my own life if it meant taking him out. Lou, I wasn’t going to let anything happen to you.”
She felt sympathy for the man.
“You said the same thing about Terry.” TJ obviously did not.
“I understand.” She squeezed her boyfriend’s hand. “I’d like to know more about what kind of threat Huisman poses. I’ll be honest. I got bad vibes off the man in Australia. I was willing to listen to you, but the rest of the team thought we should wait until we had proof.”
“He’s good at hiding who he really is,” Ben said.
“So are you, asshole.”
Lou stood because Kala was in the doorway, her eyes tight as she stared at Ben.
Had she been waiting for her dad to leave so she could get her murder on?
The whole room seemed to go still.
“Maggie,” Ben began.
Kala strode up to Ben and slapped him right across the face, whipping his head around.
His eyes closed, and TJ stood up as though ready to defend his cousin.
Who had tears in her eyes.
Who wasn’t Kala.
Kenzie had swapped clothes with her sister to preserve the illusion that they were one person, and she was looking at Ben like he’d ripped her heart out. “You stay away from my team. You should be happy that I didn’t want to have to clean up another body today. I won’t make the same mistake again.”
She turned to stride away, but Ben caught her by the wrist, turning her around. For a moment the air was charged with emotion, and Lou wasn’t sure which way this was going to go. TJ was tense beside her.
Ben stared at Kenzie for a moment and then brought the hand she’d slapped him with up to his lips. “Until next time.”
Kenzie pulled her hand away and walked out.
Ben sighed and watched her.
“You should be careful, Parker,” TJ said. “I think she meant that.”
“I do, too.” Parker’s expression shuttered. “Thanks for everything, Lou. I’m sorry it got so fucked up. You, too, Oliver and Samantha. Maybe when you understand what’s at stake you can forgive me.”
He walked out of the room, the door closing firmly behind him.
“That was Kenz,” TJ whispered.
“That was a whole lot of drama,” Sami announced, sitting back and looking Zach’s way. “You have your work cut out for you, mate.”