Page 42 of Spy With Me
“I think that was more me than you,” Lacey argued. “Men.They come in and take all the credit.”
He ignored her because this was the bad part. “At the time Iwas working with Tristan Dean-Miles on the same case for the agency. I couldn’tlet him know about Lacey, nor that I killed The Jester, so I sent an assassinup. I wasn’t about to let Tris die. I had it planned perfectly, and Tris killedthe man he believed to be The Jester and then took over his identity.”
“You used Tris to find your mother.” Sure enough, her icydemeanor was back.
“I did.” He wasn’t going to lie or prevaricate. “By thispoint in time Lacey and I had drawn some conclusions about the Disruptsubgroup.”
“We believe they were behind the attempted assassinations ofcertain heads of state in Europe a few years back. It didn’t work because theywere attempting to replicate Shannon’s bombs.” Lacey was all business. “Theyfailed. The man we believe to be the head of the group decided the best way tofix the problem was to bring Shannon Reed in.”
“That Huisman guy,” Devi said.
“Yes. He’s been looking for the bombmaker for a long time.It was precisely why we had to take out The Jester. Apart from my biologicalfather, he was the only person connected to that world who knew her name.” Zachhad not started the day thinking he would end it with a debrief of hisgirlfriend.
She frowned his way. “Why didn’t you go to my uncle?”
“Because while I trust Ian implicitly, I know there arethose in the Agency who would do anything to see him fail, including screw withops he’s running and fuck with intelligence he brings to the table.” He wouldlove more than anything to dump this whole mess on Ian’s lap, but he couldn’t,and he had another confession to make. Somehow it was easier to make it to theman himself than it was to Devi. “I was sent in to gather intel on the groupand make it easier for the bosses I worked for to dismantle the team.”
“You did what?” Devi pushed back her chair.
“He did nothing.” Lacey’s eyes went steely. “He took theplace on the team because he knew Cooper was his brother at that point and hewas curious. He wanted to meet his brother, but he was cautious and didn’t wantto disrupt his life if he didn’t have to. Zach Reed helped his team.”
“Tris might disagree,” Devi challenged.
“It took two of us to take that man out.” Lacey didn’t backdown. “Tristan Dean-Miles was reckless and stubborn, and if he walked in andfaced the real Jester himself, he would be dead now. Zach gave him theopportunity to look like the big man and take all the credit. Devi, I wasn’tlying before. I do see your point of view, but you don’t understand this world.You said you were kidnapped because of your cousin. I’m assuming you’re talkingabout Ms. Magenta.”
“Lacey,” he began.
Devi nodded. “Huisman tortured her.”
“And did she blame Zach?” Lacey asked.
“No. She didn’t. Neither does my mom,” Devi replied.
Lacey pushed back her chair and stood, grabbing the winebottle. “Look, forgive him, don’t forgive him, but understand he did all thisbecause he thought it was for the greater good. He’s trying to balance savinghis mother with being true to the team he came to love, and then you have tothrow in the fact that he’s madly in love with you. He’s juggling a lot ofdangerous balls.”
Devi’s mouth opened, that stubborn look coming into hereyes.
Lacey was having none of it. “Believe him. Don’t believehim. I honestly don’t see why you think he would be playing you at this point.Your family trusts him. His life and career are on the line, and he risked theentire mission to save you and bring you here and put my mission and Arthur’son the line. You want to play out some drama in your head that you’re the poorlittle wallflower he had to choose because your more glamorous cousin wastaken, go for it. If your life is so boring you have to make up drama in yourhead, good on you, but I’m not wasting my time dealing with this. If you stay,you’ll have a list of chores. If you don’t, like I said, you know where the seais.”
“Hey, I don’t…” Devi began.
Zach put a hand out. “Don’t. She’s done. She’s apparentlyoverstimulated and should probably go read in her room.”
She shot Zach the finger. “I think I’ll do exactly that, andyou and the princess here can argue, but we have the problem of your father todeal with, and I’m hoping your mum responds to one of my messages in the nextfew days. The good news, Devi Taggart, is this might all be over soon and youcan go back to your dating apps and girls nights and all the fun things anoverly privileged girl like yourself loves. He’ll more than likely be dead orin jail, so he won’t bother you anymore. Marrying a Taggart wasn’t going tokeep him from that fate. It would simply make his last days of freedom sweeter.Think about that while you’re in a comfy bed and he’s on that ratty couch. He’strying to save his mother and the bloody world. You’re trying to spare yourpride. Weigh them and see which one is more important.”
With that Lacey marched out like the bitter queen she oftenwas. Followed by a mangy part pit bull and a three-legged terrier.
“She took the wine.” Devi sat back. “I think I needed thewine. That woman is very judgmental.”
He couldn’t argue with that. He passed her his second beer.
She popped the top and drank half of it in one swallow, animpressive display. She sat back with a huff. “So the answer to my question isno, you aren’t hiding some relationship with her.”
“I was absolutely hiding a relationship with her. A workingrelationship that is sometimes friendly and absolutely never romantic. She’slike that cousin who is helpful because she’s got mob ties and doesn’t mindbusting some ass.”
“So she’s Kala.” Devi took another drink. “I’m sorry abouttelling her Kara is twins.”
“She knows a lot of things she doesn’t tell me. Don’t worryabout it. Once we take down Huisman, Lacey wants out,” he told her.
