Page 27 of Tattletale

Cricket had that location and time memorized from the moment it came through. My hope is that if something changes, she won’t be updated. I will.

I don’t know how to feel. I’m not remotely sympathetic to the man who tortured her. She should have her revenge. Hell, just thinking about what she went through, I want revenge—the gory, pain-filled kind. But Cricket’s mission is a suicide mission.And the woman I consider my second mother would be the one to order her death.

It’s so simple. PALADIN’s number one, sacred rule. No one takes a life without Vesper’s command. There’s no one on this planet I’d consider violating that rule for. Yet somehow, Cricket is willing to lay down her life for this.

Vesper is going to find out. She always does. One of her creepier qualities—Vesper seems to be omniscient when it comes to matters like this.

How do I stop this without betraying my best friend?

No, more importantly, how do I save my future wife?

By the time I pull into headquarters, I’m still undecided on what to do. I follow my routine path into the office, entering through the elevator that says, “Out of Service.” I push the obscure “up” button, then brace for a body scan. Instead of up, the elevator plummets down to the basement of the massive building and right into our underground bunker.

There are at least two more security checkpoints before I’m at the front entrance of headquarters. The FBI set this up for us with all their fancy security systems and spy gadgets. We were once their minions, until they betrayed us by kidnapping and torturing one of our own. Vesper will never forgive them. She’s fiercely loyal to her family. The FBI paid for our silence in their illicit affairs with this bunker and a whole lot of off-the-books additional funding.

It's midday, but the compound looks mostly empty, except for Vesper’s office at the end of the hall. It’s cracked ajar. I take in a deep breath as I prepare myself for what I’m about to say.

“I’m back.” I knock my knuckles lightly against her office door. My jaw drops when I see Vesper’s attire.

She looks up from the laptop in front of her. Vesper tucks her dark, shoulder-length hair behind her ears and stares at me, puzzled. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a hoodie before.”

She shrugs. “I wear comfortable clothes.”

“So, we’re saying leather and pantsuits are comfortable?” I fold my arms and widen my stance. “Is this a ‘getting old’ thing? Are you trying to fit in with the cool kids?”

Vesper rolls her eyes and pulls off the hoodie, revealing a neck-high button-up blouse, suitable for a business dinner at the White House.Ha, there she is.

“It’s merchandise Eden ordered. Part of our cover.” Vesper’s cheeks briefly flush, turning a light pink. She looks embarrassed. “What do you want, Lancelot?” she snaps. “Is the job done?”

“Oh,come on.” I fully enter the room and take a seat on the opposite side of her desk. “I’m kidding. You’re beautiful as ever, of course. Tense as fuck, but absolute cougar status. In fact, I see Callen sneaking glances here and there.” I pop my shoulders. “Are Mom and Dad finally getting together?”

Callen was forced upon us during our very brief employment under the FBI. When everything fell apart, he chose his allegiance…to us. I never thought we’d claim a former Navy SEAL turned FBI assistant director as our own, but a lot has changed over the years. We aren’t the team we used to be. And anyway, despite my constant bellyaching, Callen’s grown on me. He’s grown on all of us. Even he and grumpy Linc seem chummy these days.

“Callen is the closest thing I’ve had to a friend in a very long time. And so, absolutely not. There will be nogetting together.” She arches one brow. “Don’t shit where you eat, Lancelot.”

Too late.I wonder if this would be a good time to ask Vesper to officiate my and Cricket’s wedding…

“I could recommend some dating sites,” I digress.

Vesper narrows her eyes. “I’m not having this conversation with you.”

“Well, with your guard dog shacking up with his new lady, you’re always alone. Are you…lonely?”

“My ‘guard dog’ being Linc?”

I pump my brows at her.

Linc has always been Vesper’s favorite. I’m aware of that. I’ve been the second son my entire life. I’m used to taking the scraps of attention and affection. I’ll admit, at times, it bothers me. Maybe that’s why Cricket was always so special to me. Linc was the one who first found Cricket—her savior, so to speak. When I got to PALADIN, I thought they’d have some sort of romantic connection. But instead, she latched on to me.

I don’t know if anyone really appreciates the magnitude of that like I do.

Cricket picked me.

Even if it was just as friends, it was special. I was the one she confided in, laughed with, and got into trouble with. We built an unbreakable bond. I’ll never understand why, but I was her first choice.

Vesper folds her hands together and surveys her office, a small, soft smile making her lips curl. “I always thought Linc would take over for me if something happened. Now, that’ll never happen.”

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