Page 47 of Code Name: Reaper
“Is there anything in what you’re reading about them?”
“No.”
“Then, why would you assume I’d know the answer?” The hostility that remained in his voice stunned me.
I momentarily considered throwing my tablet at him or hitting him with it. However, as hard as his damn head was, itmight break. “Why don’t you say what’s on your mind and get it over with?”
“Nothing’s on my mind,” he responded without looking at me.
“One, that’s impossible, and two, I don’t believe you. You’ve been a grouch since you woke me up.”
“Leave it alone, Amaryllis.”
My mouth gaped, not that he could see me. “Gladly,” I muttered under my breath. If he wanted to give me the silent treatment, I could give him the same. It was the earlier stuff that tripped me up. The kisses and him caressing my face, saying he wanted more than sex with me, that were far harder to handle.
I knew the danger of getting involved with someone I worked with. Not from experience per se, but I’d seen what could happen when workplace romances ended badly. Typically, one or both parties transferred out of the office or left the NSA entirely.
Which gave me an idea. Maybe meeting with Edmonds alone would be more productive than if Reaper was with me. The man obviously knew who I was. Or at least that I’d grown up in Newport News. Maybe he knew a lot more, including things I didn’t know myself.
I opened a new document and started an agenda.
“What are you doing?” Reaper repeated.
“Preparing for my meeting with Edmonds,” I said without looking in his direction.
“Yourmeeting?”
“That’s right. He may be more forthcoming with information if I do it alone.”
“Not your decision to make,babe.”
His emphasis on the word made my blood boil. “I don’t like this version of you.”
“There’s only one, sweetheart. What you see is what you get.”
“Don’t,” I spat at him.
“Don’t,”he repeated. “Do you know how much I fucking hate it when you do that?”
I glanced out the window. If we weren’t about to land, I’d get up and change seats. Instead, I ignored him and continued my notes.
“How am I supposed to know what it is youdon’twant me to do? There’s usually a list.”
“At the moment, what I don’t want to do is talk to you.”
“Or hear what I have to say.”
“Especially that.”
“I was going to wait until we were off the plane to tell you this…”
My neck snapped when I turned toward him. “Tell me what?”
“The meeting with Edmonds is off.”
“What are you talking about? I checked, and I didn’t receive anything saying it was canceled.”
He pulled out his phone, swiped the screen, and handed it to me.
