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Chapter Seventeen

Jade

The trip down to Crested Butte had been uneventful.Noah had slept with his head on her shoulder and she talked to Drew.

“Our parents were typical of that time.They wanted kids who could work the farm and not much else.You fed the chickens and the horses, and I worked the field with Dad.Harvest was hard, but at least it lasted only two weeks.The rest of the time was fixing the equipment and gathering hay for the winter.”

Jade couldn’t believe that she had a brother, but the more she learned about him, she felt as though she already knew him.She understood that was the feeling when she first spotted him outside Ghost’s office.

“Are you up for this?I know that you’re planning on training to be an assassin, but right now, you’re a newbie.”

Drew nodded.“While you were with Noah, Reaper and Kai taught me a few moves.I’m not completely useless.I picked up some information when I searched for you, especially after I learned what you did for a living and thought I wanted to kill you.Sorry about that.”

Drew looked so apologetic that she huffed out a small laugh.“Don’t worry about it.I’m used to that reaction.”

“There are a lot of people who want to kill you?”

“Not that many because I kill them first.”

Jade was more curious about their past than her past assignments.“We were close, as kids?”

Drew shook his head.“As kids, no.We both worked too hard on the farm to be close, but when you turned eighteen and you were thinking about going to university, I helped you write your admissions essay that got you accepted into the University of Boulder.”

“What happened?”

“Dad.He had an old-fashioned view on women.He wanted you to marry and you refused.He’d even gone so far as to find you a local boy who took you on a few dates, but you were determined to get your education.

“At first, I thought that Dad might have, you know, killed you for disobeying him.That’s why I doubted his story that you went into town for a movie.But my instincts were telling me you were alive.”

“I wish I could remember.”

Drew reached for her hand and squeezed.“It doesn’t matter.You’re alive and I know you didn’t leave without telling me goodbye on purpose.You’re a good person, Jade.I’m proud to be your brother.”

“I’m glad you found me.”

“Me too.”

ETA five minutes.

“Kai doesn’t mess around, does he?” Drew asked.

“Nope.He’s gotten a lot better since he found Liv, but yeah, he’s usually a by-the-book hard ass.”

I heard that.

I hoped you did, Kai.

Jade quickly piled her hair at the top of her head before she made a tight bun.She slipped on her black tactical gloves and along with the others, smeared black paint over her face and neck.All this before she turned to Noah, who had an amused expression on his face.

What?

I never thought face paint looked sexy, but you manage to pull it off.

She gave him a smacking kiss, leaving some paint transfer on his cheek.Ready for this?

He scoffed and she smiled at him just as the SUV came to a halt.

Jade on point.