Page 36 of Brooks

“Everyone in this room had the right to know where her head was at about what happened to her.”

“I agree. Think maybe a word with her in private first would’ve been the cool thing to do?”

Declan’s features went hard and I knew he was gearin’ up to say something that was going to piss me the hell off. “Let me ask you this. If I questioned a man the same way I questioned her, would your balls be twisted? Or a better question, if you weren’t fuckin’ her and I inquired about an operation that went south. One that has the same players as the one we’re getting ready to walk her into, would you be pissed?”

“Fuck! It’s not—”

“Yes, Brooks, it’s exactly like that. I’m not going to pretend to understand.” Declan’s hands went up. “I know nothing about love, feelings, emotional shit. I watched the big, bad Zane Lewis fall in love, I suppose it’s possible for a jackass like you to do it, too. But do not let that shit get in the way of my mission again. I wasn’t trying to hurt or embarrass her. I knew the mission specifics but I needed to know if we walked her into Lucre if she’d be on a suicide mission to get to Al Issa. That happens, we’re all fucked. I need to know she has the capability to keep her shit in check and take someone’s back. If one or all of us has to babysit her, she’s of no use.”

I wasn’t paying attention after he said love. Who the hell said anything about falling in love? She was hot. A phenomenal kisser and was great in bed. Or in the shower as it were. Bottom line was, I was thinking with my dick, not my heart. No one said anything about feelings. I was pretty sure she’d said she didn’t want complicated, either. Emotions were a complication. No. We were two adults that had engaged in a mutually beneficial activity and I planned on engaging in it plenty more.

“You said it was fucked, but you didn’t say how fucked,” Thad said in a hushed voice.

“About as bad as she described it, minus the disgusting part. There’s probably not a square inch of her back that isn’t scarred. Through and through to her stomach. Honestly, I don’t see how she lived. Half of the wounds should’ve killed her.”

“Fucking hell,” he growled.

“Damn,” Kyle mumbled.

“It’s been two years and I can tell you she was left with more than just the physical scars. That shit marked her deep. Monroe did, too. She acts bitchy as a way to protect herself, one hand up warding off anyone from getting too close.”

“You gonna help her with that?” Max asked.

“With what?”

“With dropping that hand?” I didn’t answer and he sighed. “You said it yourself, the asshat Monroe left her with the need to protect herself. She doesn’t need you dickin’ her around.”

“You think I’d dick her around?”

“You weren’t exactly quiet in the shower. You haven’t hidden the fact there’s…. something…whatever that is, between the two of you. So, yes, brother, I think you’d dick her around. Unintentionally.”

“I’m handling it.”

“Hope so. That woman has been through enough.”

Now he was pissing me way the hell off. I’d never given anyone on my team reason to think I’d fuck over a woman. My days of picking up women in a bar for a quickie in my truck were long over. Therefore, I told him, “You’re pissing me the fuck off.” I did this on a growl. I also did this in a way there was no mistaking he’d, Pissed Me The Fuck Off.

“I can see that,” Max returned, completely unfazed by my annoyance.

“I’ll tell you one last time, I’m handling it—with care.”

On a nod he announced, “I’m hitting the head, then hittin’ the sack. I’m wiped.”

The rest of the team, except Declan, murmured their goodnights and headed off to their rooms.

“You straight?” he asked when we were alone.

“I am. Are you?” His head tilted and he stared at me. “Your first op as team leader. It isn’t exactly going as planned,” I reminded him.

“Nothing ever goes as planned.”

This was true. Even the best planned ops always had some sort of hiccup. One of the many reasons we had backup plans for our backup plans.

“And Tatiana? You okay with her taggin’ along?”

“I knew her before she quit the CIA. Well, not personally, more I knew of her. My area of focus was Central and South America, hers was the Middle East. That doesn’t mean I didn’t hear a lot about her. She had a stellar reputation. Smart, quick on her feet. Great with human assets and information gathering. She and Monroe met on a mission.”

“No shit?”