Page 125 of Ricochet

He nodded. “And Delta is under contract for Astor.”

Colin wouldn’t confirm anything to Deacon. “Why would Delano hire you?”

“Why would he shoot you?” Deacon lobbed back.

“Me?”He was the target? “What are you talking about?”

“Use that brain, Colin. You come from good stock, great training—”

Colin wrapped his hand to Deacon’s carotidartery faster than the bastard could drop his smart-ass lines. “Never.” He squeezed. “Talk about my parents.” Then he released. “Understand?”

Deacon smirked and gave his neck a quick rub. “Not a bad move, but that doesn’t change anything.”

Colin swore under his breath. “Why shoot me? No one knows me.”

“You are a walking, talking bodyguard if I ever saw one.”

Deacon wanted to talk to Adelia.If Richard did too? They’d take him out to expose Adelia.

“Now he’s starting to see things in a different light,” Deacon said. “She should’ve listened to me.”

Colin’s blood ran cold. He didn’t understand “About what?”

“Start driving to New York.”

“The fuck I will.” He didn’t move.

“Delta’s protecting Gloria Astor.”

“I know.” And Colin guessed that Deacon knew from Richard.

“Adelia’s thethreat.”

Colin’s mind stumbled through everything that Adelia had tried to tell him, that he’d batted away, and the size of the Astor empire. “What are you talking about? Gloria Astor’s threat was direct and local.”

“It was direct but not local.”

“The threat was local—” Because that was what Gloria believed. Any number of factors could have influenced why she believed that, starting with assimple as someone said they were somewhere they weren’t.

“Delta team will do whatever it takes to keep their asset alive.” Deacon paused to let the truth that Colin knew well sink in. “You may just be realizing an ugly truth, but they won’t know.”

He could warn them—about what? He knew nothing. And even when someone who knew what might be—or was—real, he was skeptical. Even his subconsciousfound itself twisted in uncertainty.

“There’s nothing you can do to stop her,” Deacon said in a low rumble. “Whatever her story is, you know more than I do.”

Adelia had been triggered. He could get to her before she did something that she might regret. That would cause Delta to react—or Astor’s personal security. Colin wasn’t aware of their team. He was off the job. Essentially, he knew nothing.

Colin swallowed his doubt and lifted his chin. “Jared and my boss will handle it. I read them in already. It’s covered.”

Deacon laughed. “You’re too close. Your intel is tarnished, at best. Start driving.”

“Why do you want to talk to her?”

“Because Astor wants to know where her intel leak is?”

“And then?” Colin asked.

“Kill her.” Deacon shrugged. “But, Buddy.” He clapped. “I’m in the privatesector now. She’s smart, knows players. I could use a helping hand—or if she’s pissed off Mayhem enough to land on their hit list, maybe she’s got bank stored.”

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