Page 58 of Oath

Forward planning meant you had the place ready to go so it was there when you needed it whether it was tomorrow, next week, next month, or even next year. Government facilities had to have a certain amount of transparency, but you didn’t give shadow ops their name for fun.

“Once we have the information locked down,” I said. “You need rack time.”

Alphabet scowled at me, but it was more the expression of a man who wanted to get a thousand other things done and none of them had anything to do with sleep. He could and would go without sleep. All of us did when the mission called for it. Right now, we were on a limited clock, but we were also down a very vital part of our team.

We couldn’t afford fuckups on any level. Rather than argue, Alphabet just nodded once but flicked a look at O’Rourke.

“He has a bed downstairs,” I reminded him and O’Rourke scowled.

“You still don’t trust me.” He actually sounded irked.

“Clearly,” I told him. “Don’t push your luck.”

Cause we could just as easily solve the problem of him with a bullet. I didn’t want to execute him on a whim, but I also have very little patience for a prolonged argument of any kind.

“Fine.” The capitulation came almost too easily and I narrowed my eyes as I studied him as he cracked his knuckles, then his neck, before he popped each of his shoulders.

While he didn’t relax after the release of tension, he did seem to settle. I wasn’t the only one shooting him a skeptical look. Goblin sat in the middle of the room, between Alphabet and O’Rourke, but his hackles weren’t up.

Good sign.

“Wondering why I’m not arguing?” O’Rourke asked and I shrugged.

“Not particularly.” It was a lie, but honestly, I didn’t even care what his truth behind the action was as long as he did as he was told. “We don’t have time for bullshit.”

“Agreed,” O’Rourke stated. “Trust has to be earned. I can cooperate.”

I didn’t snort or make any other sound of disagreement, nor did Alphabet. But when O’Rourke paced away from us again, I met Alphabet’s eyes and raised my brows.

He shook his head.

Nope, we didn’t have a bead on O’Rourke’s game—yet.

We would though.

His game.

Bones’ location.

Who took Bones.

We’d have a nice little checklist that we would then make our way down and cross off all the problems.

One. By. Fucking. One.

Chapter

Seventeen

GRACE

The first thing I felt was warmth—solid and steady, wrapped around me like a second skin.

I blinked against the soft light bleeding through the curtains, golden and slow, casting long shadows across the bed. For a second, I didn’t move. I just breathed, letting the moment stretch around me, quiet and unfamiliar in its comfort.

Legend’s arm was slung across my waist, his body pressed tight against my back. He was heat and muscle, all steady breath and sleeping weight, like he’d anchored himself to me sometime in the night and refused to let go.

I didn’t realize I was smiling until I felt it—something softer than warmth, cooler than breath. Fingers. A thumb brushing the line of my cheekbone with the kind of gentleness I wasn’t used to. Not anymore.