AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Sage thinks Sloane has resumed work on her precious research. She believes Max accompanied her as a safety precaution. That’s mostly true. Except Sloane isn’t working. Sloane is determined to figure out who hired Solonov and why. None of us want to worry Sage, but we would all like to find those ultimately responsible for Felix’s death.
“She’s concocted a plan to break into the lab.”
“Why?”
“We haven’t been able to hack through the server wall.”
“Erik hasn’t been able to?” Our guys are the best.
“No. And they’re employing some serious firepower. But she claims if she can get onto the network from inside the building, she can get everything she needs. She’s like a dog with a bone.”
His reference to a dog has me thinking of Millie. She’s been with Trevor and Stella, but if Sage agrees, I’ll bring her out here. She’d like the mountains.
“So, you gonna do it?”
“We are. I told her I’d do it. But she insists she has to be there. Like computers are some foreign object to me. Pisses me off. I’ve been trained.”
“But she’ll know what she’s looking for.” I get his frustration, but she’s probably not wrong that she’d be able to get what they need a lot faster than Max, who’s a stranger to their databases. “You know, if Tristan is correct, whatever she’s looking for is long gone.”
“Oh. Trust me. I know. It’d be so much easier to deal with her if she weren’t so stubborn.” A loud, frustration-filled huff crosses the line. It sounds like he’s walking on a beach. “The one reason I’m willing to play along is there’s no sign of her boss. We’ve been searching. Intriguing, right?”
“You need me to come there?”
“What, you think she’d listen to you?” Another huff. “Not a chance. Nothing gets through that thick skull. She never listens. But enough of that. We’ll either unearth something useful or we won’t. How’re things going there?”
“Good. Nothing suspicious on this end.” I wave at a cyclist coming home from work. He’s wearing a helmet and a messenger bag and nods as he passes.
“You heading back to Santa Barbara soon?”
“Depends on Sage’s answer to a question I’m planning on asking.”
“Get the fuck out of here.”
I grin, knowing exactly what he’s thinking. And he’s right. Sort of. I bought a ring that caught my eye in a store window yesterday and have it in my pocket. I want forever with Sage. But I get this is fast. We’ve been together for less than a month. Moving in together is a big step, but if things go south, we can more easily adjust than if we tie the knot. Marriage is permanent.
But things won’t go south.
It’s an internal dialogue I’ve had going on in my head nonstop since we booked a flight to Asheville. What’s more romantic? To make the sweeping proposal, offering everything, or to understand she’s still gaining her confidence in us, and to give her time and take things step by step?
I believe we could make long distance work if needed. But that’s not the case here. We have options.
“You really going to do this?” Max sounds incredulous. I get it.
“She’s the one.”
“Well, her sister is a menace, so I’m telling you straight up, you’re taking on one pain in the ass sister-in-law.”
“You know, you don’t need to stay out there. She’s a grown woman. If she digs herself into another hole…” Wait. If she digs herself into another hole, Sage might get pulled in.
“That’s right. Connect those dots. I wouldn’t do that to you, man. Besides, you know me. I don’t half-ass anything. And she may be a PITA, but she’s right. If her data can help us bust an illegal organ trafficking ring, or save those people back in Cambodia, it’s a worthwhile thing to do. Arrow is backing us. Jack and Ryan want me here. Interpol’s on standby if we obtain evidence. Or something more than conjecture. It’s just this whole op would be a lot easier if she would fucking listen.”
A bright red vehicle turns onto the street. My pulse picks up. It’s go time.
“Keep me updated and be careful. If you need me, I’m there.”
“Nah, the work here is mostly surveillance. Looking to see who comes and goes. She’s agreed to not let anyone from the office know she’s back until we at least locate her boss. You’d be bored out of your mind if you were here.”
“Yeah, I’m sure hanging out on a Caribbean island is torturous.”
