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"Suck a dick, save the world." He nodded. "Tried that line on my high school girlfriend. Didn't go so well."
This time, she let the laughter out. The feeling dislodged the plug stuck in her soul. “I need to go run,” she told him. “No idea when the next mission is coming, but since Chrome and Steele are too busy fucking their brides to bother me, I’m going to get out of here.
“Meet me later at Bone Daddy’s.” The invitation slash order was totally him. It was also a good sign. He wasn’t heading back to the street. Since she didn’t think he talked to anyone but her, she was game to put on her pretty face for him.
“Gonna buy me a drink?”
“Maybe.”
“Not going to scare off any potential dicks I might get to suck?”
“No promises.”
“Asshole.”
He smirked. Stretching, she stood and then crossed over to the sink and rinsed out her mug. He followed suit, and they put the chairs back. The house was so clean and neat, it was hard to tell who lived there. Then again, what did she need with personal items?
She had exactly five, and they were always with her—except for Brad’s shirt. When she’d been kidnapped, it had been her only regret. It showed up in her place waiting for her. Someone had found the hole in the wall she’d been living in and brought it, nothing else.
The dog tags under her shirt seemed to burn. One of hers and one of Merc’s. He wore both, too. Against regs, but it was their one rebellion—well, her second. She had been sleeping with Brad—if only it had beenjustsex.
Oh. For fuck’s sake, stop dwelling.She needed to weld the memory door shut. Merc was already out when she grabbed her phone. They were supposed to carry them everywhere, always be reachable.
It rang as she put her hand on the front door. Chrome’s number flashed on the screen followed by a text.
You have a mission. My office. Ten minutes.
Well, so much for the run. Merc was outside, phone in hand. His expression had gone neutral. Hopefully, the mission involved killing the bastards who’d killed their team. She’d sleep with a goat if that was what it took.
Behind Merc at ten yards, one of the Ghosts stood staring right at them. She shook her head.
Creepy mother fuckers.
Chrome waitedfor her in his office, and he wasn’t alone. Cobalt and Plat played hold up the wall, arms folded. An electronic board featured three unfamiliar faces and one—“Jackson Jennings, age 43, CFO for Transcom International.” And dead as a doornail.
“Good memory.”
“It is what is, sir.” Standing ceremony didn’t bother her. Chrome was her C.O. He got to hear sir from her mouth. Jennings had been a target, and she’d executed him. Not a whole lot needed to remember facts. “No identification on the other three.”
“No problem.” He tossed her a thumb drive. “Everything you need to know is on there. I need you wheels up in an hour. Cobalt will ride shotgun with you, and Plat’s going to play your eye in the sky.”
“Yes, sir.” When he was ready to tell her exactly what he needed, he would. The thumb drive was warm in her palm.
“We have information on these three. All had appointments with Jackson Jennings scheduled the day he died. New information suggests Jennings was only a mule—a set up—for Red Wolf. They sacrificed him to get their intel off our radar.”
No softening the blow. Someone baited a hook to get them off mission. They’d taken it.Shehad taken it.
“Gather all the intel on each of them. Meet them.Dowhat you do. Narrow the list—pinpoint the guy, extract him, and bring him in for questioning.”
“Time table?”
“Wrap it in a week. I want to know which of these assholes played a game with us.”
“I’m going with.” Merc said, the only three words he’d spoken since he’d entered the room. Chrome spared him a look.
“Can you handle it?”
Can he handle it?Copper blinked and met Chrome’s gaze as he flicked a look from her to Merc then back again. Chrome never questioned their ability to back each other, unless he thought… “We’re not fucking.” Then, because she’d interrupted, she tacked on, “Sir.” Even if they had been fucking—no, one didn’t fuck a brother—she could’ve still done her damn job. She had when she and Brad were together, yet Chrome never questioned her then.