Page 90 of Affair

“Where is he from?” he asked.

Maura shared what she could.

“He’s a British citizen, but he has offices all over the place. That’s how wealthy they are. I doubt he wants the money, but ismore after it because of his ego. He would make an example of the guy who stole it.”

That sounded about right.

“What else do you know?” he asked.

She shared what she could.

“He was once a soldier of fortune there, and he came to the US. Somehow, he knew a few generals, and they let him into the circle. Then, he started getting contracts, where he’d send his paramilitary dudes, mostly ex-soldiers, in to handle shit.”

“And?” he asked.

She shrugged.

“They handled shit. Think us, but with zero interest in being on the up and up. We’re at least the good guys—most of the time. We’d never hurt civilians unless they were doing dirty deeds. If we fuck this up, in the slightest, we’re going to haveBlackStoneall over us.”

Jagger knew what that meant.

“So we have to take out Von Donore before he figures out who we are, and tries to make the first shot at us.”

She laughed.

“That won’t be easy, and when you cut the head off of one snake, the next appears. Thus,GROUP. There’s a few of them. If we jump in, we might not jump out fast.”

He thought about it.

Well, it wasn’t like they had any other issues. Most of the mercenaries in NOLA were dead, or behaving, and it had been boring. Jagger knew that Elizabeth could decommission them, and then what?

They were a family.

It looked like they were taking this job.

“Well, we’ll do what we have to do. Until he’s handled, you’re staying in.”

Maura stared at him.

Honestly, he expected a battle. That wasNOTwhat he got. In fact, he got a kiss.

When she broke it, Jagger was hella confused.

“Um…okay. This is a big miracle. Are you sure there are no fairies? Because you don’t let me win often.”

Oh, she knew why she was being laid back about this. Now, she had to give him the rest because there were no secrets in marriage.

Apparently.

“I had a date with him.”

What the holy hell?

Immediately, his blood pressure went up.

“What do you mean you had a date with Von Donore?” he asked. “I know I didn’t hear that right. I have to be having a stroke.”

She wished she hadn’t had that date.