Page 144 of Risky Passion

"If Tory's right, and that bitch isn't holed up there," Aria said, "I need you here, tracking down every detail about her life, finding any other connections or places she might've run to ground."

He nodded. "Understood. Just watch yourselves out there. If she can take down that warehouse, imagine what she's got rigged up inthere." He gestured at the screen, where the weathered house stood isolated among the marshland.

“We need Viper,” Maya said. “He’s going to be pissed he’s missing this one.”

“You got that right,” Cobra muttered. “Hey, I’ve got the body cams ready to go. You could film it for us.”

“Now you’re talking,” Whisper said, wrapping her arm around Cody’s neck. “We could watch it later with a bucket of popcorn.”

Whisper and I had spent many nights watching true crime shows together, devouring our favorite snack. Watching our own special ops team in action would be next level.

Aria nodded at Cobra. “I won’t wear one, but if anyone else wants to?—”

“I will,” Maya said with a smirk. “That’ll give you a front-row seat when I take that bitch down.”

“Me too,” Xander added. “I’ll wear one. This could make for our new favorite Sunday night movie.” He threw a grin at Aria.

After Cobra raced off to get the body cams with Charlie chasing him and Yasmin hustling after him, Xander used the computer mouse to display different angles of Beatrice’s house. I swallowed hard. Aria, Maya, Xander, and Ryder didn’t seem at all worried about Beatrice rigging that house to blow sky high.

I would take my job in the sky over that any day, but my stomach twisted as I thought ofLadybeetleupside down on the bottom of the ocean. After Thomas Wexler had riddled our patrol boat with bullets, it took the government months to replaceCoral Guardianwith our fancy new boat. But an amphibious plane was as rare as hen's teeth in Australia. Who knew how long I would be grounded before they secured another plane for me.

“I’ll go get changed,” Maya said, sliding back on her chair. “Don’t want to get my favorite jeans dirty.”

She practically skipped from the room.

Her wedding was just four weeks away. While most brides would be obsessing over flower arrangements and menu items, Maya was gearing up for a raid on a mass murderer’s hideout.

“I’ll go help her,” Zac said, grinning like a lovestruck teenager.

Jaxson sat beside me, his hand twitching like he was still frustrated that he wasn’t chosen to go with them. I wasn’t surprised that he’d volunteered. That was who he was, a hero, ready to jump into danger, no matter the risk.

But I was glad he wasn’t picked. We’d had enough danger in the last couple of days to last a lifetime.

I reached for his hand, squeezing it enough to sayI’m glad you’re staying.

He looked down at me, and a sad smile tugged at his lips as he squeezed my palm to his.

Aria’s phone rang, and she rolled her eyes. “It’s Blade.” She answered.

We all went quiet, straining to hear his voice on the other end.

“No,” Aria said. “You’re supposed to be resting.”

Through the phone, I couldn’t make out Blade’s words, but his furious tone was loud and clear.

Aria huffed, then sighed. “We found out who B is.” She pulled the phone away from her ear as Blade launched into a string of curses that would’ve made my stepmom furious. “Beatrice Holloway, Roger Newton’s secretary.”

The swearing grew louder.

“Calm down before you burst your bloody stitches.” Aria shook her head. “We’ve got her address. It’s a house at the edge of the Everglades. Yes, I know I can’t stop you. Don’t make me regret this, Blade. Just meet us at Border Force HQ, okay?”

She ended the call and dialed again. “Tyler Kingsley, please,” she said when someone picked up. “Tyler, it’s Aria. Listen, we’ve got a situation.”

She summarized what we knew about Beatrice Holloway and that she suspected the house could be rigged. She paused, and the anguish on her face told me what she was going to say next.

“And, Tyler? We think Watts might be dirty.”

The silence that followed felt damn heavy.

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