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“Safe house? I thought it was a homeless shelter. How do you know about that?” I asked Cohen, but it was Ryker who answered.
“This was what I wanted to talk to you about. MKG had found a list of Order safe houses. Magnolia was one of them. Mongoose was being bullied by someone, and in an attempt to find out who they were, he almost ruined my cover. He got close to the truth, so The Order made him a deal. I didn’t learn about this until years later. They faked his death and helped him create a whole new identity.”
“So, he’s not dead?” I asked, hope blooming in my chest.
“Well, I don’t know for sure his current well-being. But he didn’t die in a house fire five years ago.”
I sat with that knowledge for a few seconds, letting it course through me. The rest of the tears I’d been holding fell, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe I wasn’t so bad at this after all?
“Now that I’ve told you about myself over the past few years, what have you been up to?”
Smiling, I gave him a brief synopsis of how after juvie and community service, I turned to white hacking, helping people who needed it. I went to fashion school, graduated early, and followed Henry to TAS to design costumes and be their social media manager.
“I met Asa last year, and we became friends. When Sariah, or Sawyer as she goes by now, showed up, things got a little crazy. Turns out, she’s Asa’s twin sister. I learned about the Council and was almost sold in a human trafficking auction, but Milo saved me from that. Cohen was helping me find a pervert, and he stayed around after. I worked with the Agency and then Samson’s security company after it was disbanded. It’s been a crazy year, but I’ve learned a lot and grown. It’s why I knew I had to come and face you, or well, the person I thought was responsible for getting me arrested.”
“Now that you know it wasn’t me, what do you plan to do?”
I looked to the guys, not knowing how to answer this. “I guess it depends on them. We agreed to do the two-week training course, so I guess I’m here for the next two weeks.”
“Then I guess I have two weeks to convince you to stay.”
“Stay?” I shook my head. “I don’t know about all that. But what do you plan to do about MKG?”
“If Dex is behind it, then we’ll go after him. MKG is dangerous, and if they’re still operating, then that’s bad news for everyone. Starting tomorrow morning, I’d like you to join the task force I’m creating to take them down. Each of your unique skills will give us an edge.”
“I can’t speak for them, but I started this journey for that reason, so I’d like to see it to the end.” The guys watched me, and I wasn’t sure what they would say. Cohen was the first to answer.
“I’ll join. My other assignment ended, so you know I’m free.” Ryker nodded, looking to Asa and Milo.
“If Fin’s there, then so will I,” Asa said like that was the answer to everything.
“Same,” Milo said.
It filled me with an emotion I wasn’t used to, and as my cheeks heated, I ducked my head, unsure if I liked it or if it was scary.
After chatting a little longer, we headed back to our room, I couldn’t deny that Ryker wasn’t the douchecanoe I thought he was. I didn’t trust him entirely yet, but I was warming up to him more and more. That night as I lay in bed, I replayed everything that happened, looking for any sign of falsehood. After an hour, I had to admit I couldn’t find any. It looked like Ryker was going to get a second chance. Knowing him, though, it wouldn’t take long for him to muck it all up. A smile spread across my face, and I knew I was hoping he did. He was much easier to hate when he was in the doghouse.
Him and his stupid suits that smelled too good.
Seven
FINLEY
After an abbreviatedtraining session in the gym, we were directed to a conference room. We’d been given fifteen minutes to shower and change. This whole spy life was not meshing well with my need to primp and accessorize. They were out of their minds if they thought I could wash, dry, and style my hair in fifteen minutes. Suffice to say, I barely managed to wash off, deodorize myself, and dress in basic leggings and a shirt in that time frame.
Huffing, I slunk down into an empty chair, attempting to braid my damp hair. Everyone else looked put together, making me instantly jealous of them. I took a moment to look around as they focused on the person at the front. The guys were behind me, having saved me the chair, so I smiled my thanks as I surveyed the group.
When Ryker walked in, I sat up straighter, smoothing down my shirt until I realized I was doing it and forced my hands into my lap. None of that. I did not need to primp for Ryker. The room grew quieter as he strolled to the front, his gaze assessing everyone. I tried not to let it bother me when it slid over me without a second glance. He couldn’t play favorites. I knew that. But it still stung.
Dropping my eyes, I fiddled with my hands as I sucked in a deep breath. I couldn’t let it affect me. This was a professional agency, and I didn’t need to allow my feelings to muddy it. Pressing my palms down on my pants, I looked up, ready to listen. I caught Ryker’s gaze just before he glanced away, and the concern there had me reassessing things. Okay, I could do this.
“Welcome, recruits. I’ll be going over combat strategy today and then separating you into teams. You’ll each be given a handler and objective. Your purpose is to complete your objective. The team that finishes first will be awarded a night off while the other teams rotate night watch.”
An excited murmur started up around the room. I watched my peers, trying to figure them out, but they all blended together. Though, that might be the point. If there was nothing that distinguished them from the crowd, they were easily forgotten and able to sneak in and do what was needed while keeping a low profile.
If there was one thing about me, I was the oxymoron of a low profile. The fact I’d worn a red dress and stilettos to steal something confirmed it. In the past, that might’ve bugged me, but at this point, I owned the fact I was my own person. Even if that meant I didn’t have a career as a professional spy, I was okay with that. I’d just have to figure out my adrenaline problem another way.
When I focused on the room, I realized they were already listing off teams. For Ryker’s sake, he’d better have placed me with my guys, or I’d glitter bomb him so hard he’d be picking it out of his teeth for weeks.
