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“Which is why they probably switched their phones out. They knew someone was stalking them. Again, they just didn’t know who. That was their goal tonight.”
“And now they want to recruit you to ‘stalk’ the Chens,” she summarized. “But you didn’t say how they got to you.”
For fuck’s sake. “It was a setup.”
“You said that. But with your expert skillset, how…did…they…get…to…you?”
Obviously, she wasn’t going to let it go. “From a distance.”
“What do you mean?”
Goddamn it. “They shot me from a distance.”
“You have no gunshot wounds. At least from what I can see.”
“It wasn’t a normal gun.” Otherwise, he’d be dead and not sitting naked on his bed, hoping to get this conversation over so they could fuck.
“What was it?”
He gritted his teeth, then revealed, “They hit me with a tranquilizer dart.”
Her mouth was once again hanging open. She only closed it long enough to whisper, “Damn.” For the longest time she said nothing and only stared.
“You okay?” he asked, concerned that Vi, who always had something to say, was speechless.
“I’m just…” She shook her head. “I’m just glad they shot you with a tranquilizer gun instead of a real one. They could’ve killed you.”
No shit.
She got up onto her knees and flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her tits into his bare back. She whispered against his skin, “I’m glad you’re okay. For fuck’s sake, I can’t believe I fell asleep while waiting for your responding text. I should’ve immediately sent the crew to find you when you didn’t respond. I failed. Sorry.”
She failed? She was sorry?
“Well, luckily it all worked out in our favor at the end.” Except for his ass. It would be sore for the next day or so. “You didn’t fail. It’s better that you didn’t send the team in, that would’ve blown all my lies about being a lone wolf out of the water.”
She dropped her chin to his shoulder and hugged him even tighter. “Well, kudos for coming up with a story they bought. And yes, having you ‘working’ for the Russos will benefit us.”
“Part of the agreement was we can no longer take out any Russos.”
“If everything works as we hope, the Chens will do that for us.”
“Reverse Uno card,” Reaper murmured.
“Little do the Russos know that what they thought would benefit them will really benefit us in the end.” This woman got it.
“What will we do with the cash?”
Her dark brown eyes lit up. “Company pizza party?”
“That’s a helluva lot of pizza,” he said on a laugh.
“Pizza party every day for the next century?” she suggested next.
“I’d never want pizza again after day three.”
“You’re right. We can’t ruin our love of pizza. But, seriously, it’ll be your money since you’re the one putting your ass on the line. Do with it what you want. Maybe think about replacing that old Bronco of yours.”
She always had to give him shit about his vehicle of choice. “I’ve always wanted a Gurkha of my very own.”
