Page 25 of Spy With Me
“I think so.” He was pissed about the drugs even though heknew he would probably have been forced to do it himself. Devi was mad, and amad Devi was a chaotic Devi, and he couldn’t have chaos right now. When theygot to the farm, Devi could get as angry as she wanted. For the most part thecows and the chickens wouldn’t give a damn.
“You could have gotten arrested.” Lacey was driving, and shewasn’t happy about it. “Taggart should have taken you in the minute he sawyou.”
All the intelligence agencies out for his blood were a pointof contention for Lacey. She had her own work to do, and Zach was fucking itall up. It was precisely why he’d spent the last couple of weeks in theColorado wilderness with his aunt. He understood her frustration. “I knew hewouldn’t.”
That was a bit of a lie. He’dthoughtBig Tagwouldn’t arrest him. He hadn’t been certain. Coop was more of a risk. Hisbrother had discovered the truth about their relationship in Colorado, and hehad not taken the news well. Naturally Kala had, and she’d listened to him andchosen to leave him be.
For now.
But when he’d walked up to Cooper and his former team thisevening, there had been nothing but affection for him. Well, Big Tag called hima dumbass, but that was practically a declaration of love from him.
It filled him with hope, and wasn’t that the most dangerousof all emotions because he knew deep down this didn’t end in a white picketfence and two point five kids with the woman of his dreams.
There was a reckoning coming, but not until the people heloved were safe. Once he’d found his mother and gotten her to a secure locationand ensured all of her research and notes were destroyed, he would deal withthe fallout. He didn’t intend to spend the rest of his life on the run. Hewould stand in front of the people he cared about—the family he could havehad—and reveal all of his secrets. Every single one.
“You were lucky, Zach. I’m surprised you’re being thisreckless.”
“That’s what happens when you’re in love.”
She groaned. He should have expected it. Lacey Rook wasn’tmuch of a romantic. She was far more practical. In the two years he’d knownher, he’d never actually seen her hit on anyone. He still wasn’t sure what hertype was. Man. Woman. No idea. He did know she had specific tastes when it cameto food. She was a vegan. They were likely in for some meatless living in theplace she was taking them to.
“Now I think you’re even more reckless,” she replied as sheturned down the road that would lead to the private airfield. Super private.Like the Agency hopefully didn’t know about it private.
His life now revolved around hiding from the Agency, andthat meant going to some unsavory places. Was he doing the right thing? Heimmediately answered his own question. Zach Reed followed his instincts, and heknew this woman.
“I couldn’t leave her. She’s on Huisman’s radar now, andshe’s been ditching her guards. She’s here apparently because she wriggled outof a bathroom window to prove she didn’t need one.” He sighed and stroked herhair. Damn but he’d missed all that curly red stuff. And her freckles. Hegently traced the line of them that went across her nose and cheekbones. Sofucking pretty. “I think if I let her uncle take her back, she would tryagain.”
“Well, now you know why I sedated her,” Lacey said withanother huff. “Zach, you have to know we can’t keep her.”
“I don’t see why not.” The farm was private and quiet, andhe rather thought Devi would prove reasonable when she remembered what hadhappened tonight. She loved her family. She wouldn’t want them in the line offire.
Of course maybe she would wake up and be so happy he savedher from Huisman that she fell into his arms and proclaimed her love andwillingness to be a wanted criminal with him.
Sure, that was happening.
Lacey snorted. “Because it’s called kidnapping, and it tendsto get nasty. Her parents are going to lose their shit when they don’t knowwhat happened to her. Unless she doesn’t have the kind of Taggart parents youso often describe.”
“Kala was conscious when I took Devi out of there, but I getyour point. It’s not the same as knowing she’s being taken care of.” He wouldhave to deal with that. “Yougottaburner in here?”
She popped open the glove compartment and tossed him a smallcell. It wasn’t smart. It wasn’t luxurious. It would get the job done, and noone would be able to trace it. Even if they could, the signal would put them inVirginia, and they would be gone in an hour. “Are you going to call her uncleand tell him where we are so we can both go to jail?”
He wasn’t the only one with the authorities after him. Laceyhad a long rap sheet and her own reasons for staying underground.
“No, I’m calling someone who will be reasonable about thiswhole thing.” He dialed the number, and it immediately picked up.
“This is Erin. Who the hell is this?” The woman he wanted ashis mother-in-law sounded irritated.
“Erin, it’s Zach.”
A pause came over the line, and she sighed as thoughrelieved. “Well, hello, Zach. You have some explaining to do, son. A lot of it,actually. But first, do you know anything about what’s happened to my daughter?Ian hasn’t called yet.”
Zach wasn’t surprised she was calm. Erin Taggart had beenArmy intelligence, and she was cool under pressure. “I have her and she’ssafe.”
“You? What were you doing with Huisman?” She stopped. “Damnit, Zach. Did you hear about it and go in?”
Another relief. She hadn’t immediately thought he wasworking with Huisman. “I monitor several sites Huisman works with when he needsmuscle. I also might have someone on the inside with the Disrupt organization,and she tipped me off that something was going down. You should also know thatI had someone watching Devi. She managed to give him the slip along with herbodyguard. I wasn’t going to leave her there. Erin, I know I have a lot ofthings to explain, but the one thing I have never once lied about is how I feelabout your daughter. I walked into the op knowing I might be arrested because Iwas not going to leave her in his hands. I won’t allow that fucker to touch heragain.”
“Well, good luck because she’s proven to be stubborn when itcomes to her own safety. Can I talk to her?”
