Page 74 of Spy With Me
“Handler, then,” Parker said as though he’d suspected allalong. “I could have used a heads-up, Taggart.”
TJ gave him a shrug. “Dude, we had no idea. When you gave usDevi’s location we came right out, and let me tell you I wish I’d had someintel on what was happening here. I can’t unhear some of that. Luckily, Ididn’t see anything. Well, until my sister sat down on Zach’s lap and shewasn’t wearing underwear. It almost set me off lunch.”
She rolled her eyes. “Nothing sets you off lunch.”
“Tofu does.” TJ looked to Parker. “Dude, did you bring somebeef? Maybe a burger or two? There is no meat here.”
“We’re going to talk about what happened in town today.”Zach leaned over, whispering in her ear while Parker and TJ talked about thelack of animal flesh. “You’re mine. My sub. You don’t get to withhold that kindof information from me.”
“Hypocrite,” she whispered back.
“And that’s ten more,” he said, standing behind her. “Idon’t care, Dev. I don’t care that you want to pretend we’re not reallytogether. That’s okay. I’ll take whatever you’re willing to give me because Iam pathetically in love with you, but you cannot keep that kind of informationfrom me.”
“How do they make like cakes and stuff? Is there no breadhere?” Parker sounded a bit panicked.
Boys. She leaned back against him, not wanting to thinkabout the fact that he said he loved her. Was in love with her. “I’m sorry,Zachary. I thought it was some random guy hitting on me, and that happens whenI go into bars alone. I thought it might be different in a small town, but hewas a tourist. I handled it and didn’t get hurt.”
“Sweetness, something’s wrong because I believe that was theman the Canadians were following. Did you hear him say the target drugged yourdrink? If they were following him, then he has something to do with Huisman.”
She hated that man. She turned and put her hands on Zach’swaist. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think it was serious. And Tim’s accent isn’t as badas that man says it is. I found him believable.”
That was the moment Tim woke, his eyes going wide, and hesaw Zach and screamed.
“Hey, you’re fine.” Parker shook his head. “We’re withfriendlies. Chill, buddy. At least I think he’s friendly, but he’s also got anactual Red Notice out on him, not to mention all the people looking for him inNorth America.”
Tim took a long breath and sat up. His eyes widened when hecaught sight of Devi, and he went back into his perfectly serviceable Britishaccent. “Oh, hey, mate, uhm, good to see you here.”
Okay, it was pretty terrible now that she listened to him.“You can drop it Canada Tim. Also, you’re a rat-fink weasel.”
Tim let Parker use Zach’s knife to free his hands. “Hey, I’mnot a weasel. That asshole did drug your drink. I was hoping maybe you would bein a grateful mood and we could, you know, have a drink or something. I mean adrinkdrink, not a drugged drink. I would not do thatto a lady.”
Zach growled.
“Dude, he will kill you,” Parker warned.
“Or I will,” TJ promised. “Though I have to say I’ll leavethis to Zach. Cool thing is now he’s the one who has to beat up the assholeswho hurt you.”
“Beat up?” She was surprised. Her brother was practicallyperfect. He never did the don’t-touch-my-sister thing the way her friends’brothers sometimes did.
TJ seemed more relaxed now that he knew the Canadiansweren’t going to try to shoot their way out. “It wasn’t many but I handled itwhen I had to, and now Zach can do it.”
Until he wasn’t around anymore. No one said it aloud, butshe could feel Zach’s turn.
“We should get downstairs. They want a full debrief. I thinkyou’ll find Arthur is concerned,” Zach offered.
“Yougonnatell me who he reallyis because he’s not a fucking rural vet,” Parker said, helping Tim up. Hestraightened his shirt, and she didn’t miss the way he looked at himself in themirror, trying to make sure his hair wasn’t messy.
She could have told him a little mess didn’t make him lesshot.
But her Dom had enough stimulation for one day.
Zach held his hands up. “That’s his story to tell. I thoughthe was exactly who he said he was until about an hour ago when my old teamshowed up on my doorstep. Now before we go down there, could you tell me whoyour target was? If he was after Devi, I have to think Huisman sent him. Howthe fuck does he know where I am? I’ve been careful. Not even her family knewwhere she was until today.”
“Well, Bri and Daisy knew she was in Wales because she toldthem,” TJ helpfully pointed out.
Tim looked chipper again. “Hah, told you they didn’t figureit out on their own. We got lucky. We’ve been following this target weirdly forother reasons. Ray White is known to work for some of the worst cartels in theworld and has several warrants in Canada.”
She felt Zach go still, the air around him suddenly chargedwith emotion, but his expression went cold. “My father.”
