Page 39 of Broken Trust
But then she thought about the interrogation, about Silverton’s terrified face, about the weight crushing all of them as they raced against an invisible clock. This was how they all survived it. She’d seen it many times while working with the military, with leaders of countries and organizations under impossible pressure.
Without release valves, even the strongest people cracked. Work hard, play hard. If they didn’t decompress, they’d burn out or break down, and then they’d be no use to anyone.
Good thing she’d learned long ago to always pack a little black dress. Her life involved too much unexpected travel, too many situations where she needed to blend into different environments. The dress was versatile—sexy enough for a club, elegant enough for a diplomatic dinner, simple enough not to draw unwanted attention.
She pulled it from her suitcase, shaking out the wrinkles. The silk whispered against her skin as she slipped it on, the familiar weight of it settling around her like armor. She rarely wore makeup and kept it simple with light smoky eyes and a touch of color on her lips. By the time she was ready, her hair had dried in natural waves around her shoulders.
Looking in the mirror, she barely recognized herself. This was a different Elin than the one hunched over computers, surrounded by monitors and empty coffee cups.
The sound of laughter drifted up from below, pulling her from her thoughts. She slipped on her heels—another versatile travel essential—and made her way downstairs.
The kitchen was busy. Several of the women were herding a few of the guys toward the lower level, their laughter bright and infectious. Liam was notably absent, along with Dante, Chase, Con, and a few others. Probably locked inside the war room. She shivered at the thought even as she tried not to feel disappointed that Liam wasn’t present.
As they all entered the secret room and the guys were let in on the hidden casino, exclamations and hoots of delight erupted, the sound so genuinely joyful it made something in her chest loosen. When was the last time she’d heard people just…having fun? When was the last timeshehad fun?
The room had been cleaned from top to bottom by the industrious women and looked completely transformed. Poker tables were ready for bets to be placed. The bar had been polished until everything sparkled under the string lights they’d added.
Sophie appeared at Elin’s elbow immediately, pressing a drink into her hand. “You came! And you look amazing. That dress is perfect.”
“Thanks.” Elin took a sip—vodka, neat, just as she liked. “I can’t believe you pulled this together so fast, and you were in the computer lab with me practically the entire day!”
“We have to blow off steam somehow.” Sophie shot her a grin. “Come on. You haven’t met everyone yet. Let me introduce you.”
Before Elin could protest, Sophie was dragging her toward a group of women clustered near the bar. They were all stunning in their own ways, dressed up but still radiating the strength it took to work with the Blackout team.
“Ladies, this is Elin,” Sophie announced. “Elin, meet the better half of Blackout.”
A woman with striking dark hair and intelligent eyes extended her hand first. “Alyssa. I’m so glad to meet you finally. Every time I took a step toward the computer lab, Chase dragged me off.”
A petite woman with sleek, dark hair grinned at her. “I’m May. Weapons specialist.”
“And general badass,” added the last woman, who turned a bright smile on Elin. “I’m Izzy. I guess you can say my job lately has been making sure these children actually eat real food.”
Elin laughed and shook each hand, feeling inexplicably shy in their presence. These women were all so different, but they shared something she’d never had—a bond, a sisterhood forged in shared purpose and mutual respect.
She’d always been an outsider, moving from job to job, country to country, never staying long enough to form real connections.
“So you’re the one helping Sophie crack codes.” Alyssa’s tone was approving. “Impressive.”
“I just follow digital trails,” Elin responded, uncomfortable with the praise.
“Don’t minimize it.” Kennedy’s firm tone contrasted the figure-hugging dress she wore and the artful sweep of hair over one dazzling eye. “What you do is just as vital as what any special operative does in the field.”
Thankfully, the focus shifted from her after that as the ladies joked and laughed with a few guys who were gearing up for a poker game.
Elin looked on, wondering if they guys would tell Liam about the room and he’d be able to tear himself away for a little fun. Then Kennedy leaned in close, her voice dropping to a whisper. “We were hoping you could help with something.”
Elin tensed, immediately shifting into problem-solving mode. “What kind of help?” How would her skills help these women?
Kennedy glanced around, making sure no one else was listening. “We need help obtaining a pregnancy test.”
Elin blinked, not sure she’d heard correctly. “A pregnancy test?”
“Everything we need on base is monitored and has to be approved,” Kennedy explained in a low tone. “Medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, even basic toiletries. It all goes through requisitions.”
May took a step closer to them. “It makes for some awkward conversations. And we definitely don’t need questions about this.”
Elin looked at the group of women, trying to figure out which one might need a pregnancy test before she mentally shook herself.
