Page 82 of Spy With Me
Zach’s head came up as she joined him.
This was stupid. She cared about him. Even if it didn’t workout, she couldn’t leave him to fate. She was smart, too. She could help. Sheslid her hand in his and he pulled her to him, her back to his front. She felthim breathe her in, like her scent calmed him.
“I’m not sure there is a way,” he whispered. “And that’sokay, sweetness. Your uncle is here, and I’m going to do whatever he wants meto do.”
A little pulse of panic bubbled up inside her.
“I’m not taking him in. I’ve done an enormous amount of workto not be forced to take Zach in,” her uncle said with a tired sigh. “I’m notthe bad guy here, Devi. I was trying to let some of this play out, but yourcousin has made that impossible now.”
Kala’s eyes narrowed on her dad. “You could have given me aheads-up that you knew exactly who Zach was and you had eyes on him.”
“Yeah, I would like a timeline on who knew what and when.”Cooper stood by his bride.
“I would, too.” Tasha took a seat on the couch beside Lucy,and Kenz joined them.
“Make that three.” Tristan Dean-Miles walked in from whatDevi suspected was the kitchen. He had a tray in his hand and passed TJ asandwich. He set the tray of snacks and drinks on the big table in the middleof the room. “You could have mentioned you knew all The Jester stuff. Wouldhave saved me an enormous amount of trouble.”
“I didn’t know everything.” Her uncle grabbed a coffee mugand took a long drink. “I suspected something was off with Zach early on, butit wasn’t until he started taking leave and going to South America that Isicced Henry and Lucy on him.”
“We were supposed to observe in the beginning, but it becameclear he was looking for someone, and he was doing it in our direct orbit.”Lucy took up the narrative. “Due to the nature of his ops, we couldn’t exactlylook into his Agency records, though we suspected he was using his position todo whatever he was trying to do. It wasn’t until I made direct contact that hetold me what he was doing, and even then it was months later before I got whatI suspected was most of the story.”
She could feel him stiffen behind her.
How hard was it for him to stand here and take all thejudgment?
She leaned back against him as Lucy talked about how sheslowly befriended Zach.
“None of this is going to save you, sweetness,” hewhispered, and his arm tightened around her waist.
A thrill went through her because she could feel the hardlength of his erection against her backside. “Save me?”
“From the spanking you’re going to get before we go to bedtonight,” he promised.
Her ass already ached.
“I was the one who helped him find The Jester,” Lucy wassaying. “There are a lot of interesting people in the kind of groups I run in.Everything from genuine believers like my mom to people like Dr. Huisman, whobasically want to break the world because it doesn’t suit them. They often haveconnections. So I used some of them to find The Jester, and we put together thehistory between the Reeds and the reclusive arms dealer. He was the connectionto Huisman. The Jester, that is.”
“Did I know everything? No. Was I aware Zach had anadditional agenda?” Her uncle took another long drink. “Yes. Would I have toldyou if I thought any one of you was in real danger? Yes, but that asshole keptnearly dying to save the team. He’s a terrible bad guy. He didn’t even read thehandbook. He should have known getting shot for my eldest daughter would endearhis ass to me.”
The words hit her like a slap meant to wake her up. Oh, shewas sure that wasn’t how her uncle meant them, but it reminded her.
“I would have done it for any member of my team.” Zach saidthe words so they could all hear. “I was happy to save Tash, but it could havebeen any of you, and we know how far I’ll go for Devi.”
Her uncle turned, his eyes narrowing. “It better be thedistance, son. I’m not fucking kidding. If you are not serious about her, I’llkill you myself.”
She was about to protest when he cuddled her close.
“I’m serious. I just shouldn’t be.” He kissed her hair. “Ican’t help myself. But we should think about getting her to a real safe house.With many guards, because she’s sneaky.”
That was not happening. “I’m staying. I’m literallysurrounded by people who know how to protect me better than anyone atMcKay-Taggart, and I don’t want to put anyone else at risk.”
Zach rubbed his cheek against her hair. “Well, then shestays with me, but when I go meet my mother tomorrow, I’ll need someone towatch her.”
“It’s a public train station.” She’d heard the whole planbut suspected they were about to go over it again.
Henry sat up straighter and looked to her uncle. “Nell madecontact with Shannon Reed over a year ago. She’s scared of her ex-husband andterrified of Huisman. We’ve finally convinced her to come to the UK, but shewants to meet in a neutral spot. The train station has plenty of CCTV cameraswe can lock into, so coverage won’t be a problem. Nell thinks once she verifiesit’s really her son, she’ll calm down and come back here with us.”
“It’s the Liverpool Lime Street Station,” Lucy saidcheerfully. If she was tired, she didn’t show it at all. “There will be tons ofpeople. It’s the central hub for the area. Mom’s bringing her in from Londonbecause…” Lucy sighed. “It was less of a carbon footprint to fly to Londondirect than two planes from Buenos Aires to here.”
