Page 96 of Tattletale

“Why?” Money doesn’t make much sense. From what I understand, Vienne comes from an affluent family. She’s already rich.

“To cover up the fact they’re lovers. It started thirteen years ago.”

I rush to the bedroom closet and choose a pair of clean slacks. I hold the phone to my ear as I tug on my pants, one leg at a time. “Theywerelovers, or theyarelovers?”

“I don’t know. It’s clear he’s still in love with her.”

“You know what?” I ask, pausing to think about it. “She does kind of give off cougar vibes. I thought she was hitting on me at one point and—”

“Lance!Focus.”

“Okay, sorry, what do you need?”

“I need some things from headquarters. IDs, cash, and can you make a couple of passports—one for me, one for Gabriel? He’s about six foot two, one hundred and ninety pounds, brown eyes, black hair.”

“Uh-huh, and how big is his dick?”

“I am positive that information doesn’t go anywhere on a passport, Lancelot.”

“Call it curiosity.”

She exhales in exasperation. “Much smaller than yours. Happy?”

“Are you lying?”

“Do you think I’d tell you if I was?”

True.“Okay, fine. So, what’s the plan?”

“Gabriel needs to disappear until all of this dies down. If Vienne can’t find him, he’s safe. I’ll escort him out of the country, then when I come back, we’ll go to Vesper. She’ll know what to do about the First Lady and Aeon.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“I can handle it. It’s just a quick trip. One day there, get Gabriel settled, one day back. I’ll be back in your arms by the end of the weekend.”

Every red flag inside of me is waving furiously. But the last time I didn’t have my girl’s back, I nearly lost her. “Are you sure, C? I don’t like this. What if you don’t make it back? How will I know where you are?”

“Ask Vesper to call my vet and activate my chip,” Cricket sasses.

I hate to admit it, but the fact that there’s a tracker in Cricket makes me feel loads better amidst her current plans. “When all is said and done, we’ll get that taken out, C. I promise.”

She laughs. “Deal.”

“Where are you going to hide Gabriel?” With my pants on and a fresh dress shirt buttoned up and half-tucked beneath my belt, I make my way to the front door. “How do I know you’re coming back?”

“The less people who know, the better. Lance… I promise you I’m coming back. We have a really important date coming up.”

“What?”

“June twenty-seventh is in two weeks… I mean, if you still want to—”

“I want to,” I answer without hesitating.

“Are you sure? Because I know I put you through it. If you need more time for us to get back to where we were, that’s okay, too,” she says.

I wish I could see her face right now. If I was close enough to pull her into my arms, I’d show her there’s nothing to be insecure about. My love hasn’t changed. I smile into the phone. “I waited almost ten years to marry you, Cricket. Let’s get on with it already.”

“Okay, then I’m holding you to it.”

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