Page 45 of Brooks

She'd told me about needing to go to base, but not quitting her job.

"Why does he want you to quit?" I asked.

"For one, the parameters of my job with the UN are based exclusively in Bahrain. The other issue is, Z Corps will be taking over my salary."

"What did Z tell you about The Company?" Kyle inquired.

"Not a lot. He said he knew more than me, but not as much as he would've liked to know. He also shared he had unease but didn't elaborate. I don't know Zane as well as the rest of you but I do know he's not a liar. If he has concerns, then I need to consider what that means for me."

I found it interesting she was giving care to what Z had told her. She was correct about one thing, Z didn't bullshit. He was as straight as they came. If he said she needed to be mindful and watch her back, then she needed to be careful.

"What do you know about this Leon Brown?" I asked.

"Just what I told you. The name is obviously an alias. He gives me orders, I follow them. My after-action reports and SITREPS are verbally given directly to him. I have zero contact with anyone else."

"You trust him?" I continued to pry.

"As much as I can trust anyone."

That was a CIA bullshit answer. There was very little trust among spies. They all knew the agency could and would turn against them. Even their fellow operatives would slit your throat if they were ordered to.

"Let me ask you another way, do you trust him with your life?"

"I have for the past couple of years."

"Wrong answer."

"What do you mean, wrong answer? Considering he's the only one who knows my mission specifics, I've obviously trusted him with my life."

"If you were to ask me if I trust any of these men.” I swept the room with my hand. "With my life my answer would be, yes. Just, yes. Emphatically, yes. No hesitation. I would trust them with your life. No question. There is reluctance in your eyes. I don't like doubt, especially when we're talking about my ass swinging in the wind if you do not a hundred percent trust Leon Brown."

"I wouldn't trust him with your life," she admitted.

"I'll call Z while you two are delivering her documents to the base and see what he says about giving Leon limited intel," Declan told us. "Just to add, Tatiana, if you don't trust him to have our six, you shouldn't trust him with yours. I'll see if Z has anything new on The Company. He hates the unknown. I'd bet he's been all over Garrett's ass to find anything and everything."

"I appreciate you asking Zane, but I can go to the base by myself. There's no need to inconvenience anyone."

"No-go, Doll. I'm taggin' along," I told her.

"Why? That's stupid. I've traveled all over Bahrain by myself, Brooks. I don't need an escort."

I was trying to hold back my amusement. She was feisty when she was annoyed. Not only was it cute as hell, it turned me on like nobody's business.

"Didn't think you did."

She sipped her coffee and glared at me. I assumed she was waiting for me to tell her I'd stay behind. That wasn't happening. I didn't care how many times she'd gallivanted around the country by herself, shit had changed. One of the changes was someone was actively trying to kill her. Another was she now had me as a shadow. I didn't give two fucks if it made her mad.

"But you're still coming with me, aren't you?" She set her coffee down on the countertop.

"Yep."

"Why are you so hard-headed? Seriously, you have your own shit to do. The little woman doesn't need a big strong man to follow her around."

"Careful, babe, that giant chip on your shoulder is showing."

"Whatever, asshole. I don't want you coming. Besides, you don't have clearance to get where I'm going."

"Didn't ask if you wanted me to come. Unlike what you are used to, none of us go out alone. We always have someone at our back. Safety in numbers and all that good shit."