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)
Kala frowned, a mulish expression. “It’s not dumb shit. It’s superhero shit. I’m very misunderstood.”
“He thinks the team is the reason Tristan left them,” TJ explained. “He’s bitter. I suppose I would be, too.”
Kala walked in, sitting down on Tasha’s bed. “Yeah, well, I think when Tris gets back from this secret mission of his, I’m going to hold his ass down until he tells me what’s going on. I’m tired of this. I know my dad is, too. It was one thing when he thought Tris had cold feet and needed some time. But there’s something else going on here.”
“I think Aidan was lying to me,” TJ admitted.
Kala sat up straighter. “About?”
“I asked him if he’d seen Tris recently and he told me no. I’m almost sure that was a lie.” He felt comfortable talking to Kala. She’d so often been his partner in crime that it was easy to fall back into the groove.
“Something’s going on and I don’t like it,” Kala said.
“Then we should do something about it.” This was not a bad plan. If he brought Lou in, she might feel closer to him. Having a mission of their own might work in his favor. “Have we asked Lou what she thinks?”
“You’re serious this time, aren’t you?” She didn’t wait for him to answer. “All right, Lou’s wannabe boyfriend. We’ll talk to her about it. I want to know where Tris is going and why his fathers aren’t losing their collective shit. Uncle Adam knows something. He has to or he wouldn’t be so calm about this.”
TJ stood, feeling way more optimistic than before. This was a plan. He had three months, and Lou would be with him almost 24/7. She wouldn’t be able to hold out on him. And the whole dating thing was going to fizzle out when he got her on the dungeon floor. She wouldn’t be able to withhold her heart. “Excellent. Let’s talk over pancakes. I’m starving.”
“Uh, you are on your own for breakfast. I have to get into the office and pretend to work on whatever my dad gives me. The case of the missing puppy or something.” She stood and looked down at her watch, grimacing. “He’s going to bark at me all day.”
“Then I’ll fill you in on what Lou and I talk about.” He was looking forward to a leisurely breakfast since Lou’s hours were pretty much whatever she wanted them to be. She would go into her lab, and he would hang with her, making sure no one tried to take her. His father was sticking close to his mom, and his sister had a bodyguard, too. It was the way they would work until they were sure the danger was over.
Kala went still. “Uhm, Lou already left.”
He reached for his jeans. “Did anyone mention she has a bodyguard? Zach put me on Lou duty.”
“None of us got that memo,” Kala admitted. “Though I haven’t read through his report. He sent it out this morning. That man is way too thorough.”
At least he knew where she was and that the building she worked in had excellent security. Though now that he thought about it, so did the McKay-Taggart building and his mom had still gotten jumped. He needed to hurry. He should have explained all of this to her the night before, but he hadn’t wanted a fight. “I’ll catch her at her office.”
Kala winced. “She’s not there. I’m afraid something came up.”
“What came up?”
“My mom might have called and set up a breakfast date for her,” Kala admitted.
Oh, he needed to have a talk with his aunt. “What? She has a date this morning?”
Kala shrugged. “She’s got a lot of time to make up for. You can still catch her at her office. Probably. Unless the date goes well.”
“Kala, where did she go?” He was not playing games. “Lou is out there, and I know she’s capable, but she needs backup. We have no idea if this danger is over or if they’ll try again. They’ll know damn well I’ll trade myself for Lou.”
Kala frowned. “I’m only telling you this because you’re serious and you should understand that if she gets hurt, I’m taking your balls and hanging them on our Christmas tree.”
Kala gave him an address, and TJ moved like his life depended on it.
Chapter Nine
Lou felt her cell buzz and glanced down. TJ was calling her.
She turned her ringer off. She would call him back when her date was over. She’d set herself on a path, and she was going to follow it. She was absolutely sure TJ thought he could kiss her and she would fall right into his lap. Then once he had her, he would go back to his old ways and hey, can’t we be friends, Lou?
“Anything important?” Her date was a truly stunning man with golden hair that had the slightest hint of curl to it and piercing eyes. He had a jaw carved from granite and a smile that should have assured him a spot on the big screen.