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“What about me?” Seamus asked, turning back to Zane. “And the new guy.”
“I don’t know yet,” Zane admitted. “Pony, do you even have anywhere to stay yet?”
“Jack set me up at the Hilton last night,” I admitted. “But I let my Georgetown apartment go when I got reassigned.”
“Well, there’s plenty of room in the residence if you want to just crash here,” Zane said. “Seamus could take you upstairs and show you the place if you want.”
“Stay…in the White House?” I asked, my brow furrowing. “Are you guys living here?”
“Zane does,” Everest said. “Don’t you Flotus?”
“Oh, my fucking God, Raptor,” Zane snapped, rounding on Everest. “If you don’t stop fucking calling me that—”
“Let’s go take a tour,” Seamus said, pushing himself to his feet and already walking toward the door. “Grab your pack. I’ll fill you in on who’s been fucking who while we walk.”
“I hate every single one of you,” Zane muttered.
I followed Seamus out the door, oddly comforted by the bickering between the squad. If they were still able to tease each other, things couldn’t be too bleak yet.
Chapter Three
~Seamus~
“Shit’s fucked and everyone is on edge right now,” I told Pony as we headed up the stairs toward the residence. “I think Zane still feels guilty about being in charge, even though Raptor really is cool with it.”
Zane and Everest were both squad leaders, and each took up the mantle when it was necessary, but they’d never had to report to each other before, so when the team reassembled, we’d honestly expected a little more hostility between the two of them.
And that was besides the fact that none of us knew who was behind the cell disruptions or the bombings or the planting of server evidence. Plus, Zane had gotten shot, Diesel had almost blown up and had to leave the team…it was rough.
“Did you guys really expect Everest—”
“Code names only in the White House,” I interrupted, trying to keep my tone polite. “It’s safer that way.”
“Sorry,” he said quickly. “I just never thought Raptor was the kind of guy who did jealousy or whatever.”
“He’s not,” I agreed. “We’ll head up the back stairs.” I turned and led him up another flight of stairs that opened into the guest quarter hallway of the residence. “I’d show you the Lincoln bedroom, but Merlin has been staying there and God only knows what condition it’s in right now.”
I hadn’t had a chance to ask Merlin if he’d really slept with Dane Acker, and honestly it was none of my business. But damn…the magic man had to have parlor tricks I’d never even heard of because he landed any and every guy he ever wanted.
And I could barely keep a civil tongue around the only guy I’d ever really wanted to be with.
“So, what should I expect to be doing?” Pony asked, following me into one of the rooms I was pretty sure was unoccupied. “I mean, what was Diesel doing?”
“Unfortunately,” I admitted, turning around to face him again. “We sit in a lot of boring ass meetings, we look at grainy video footage over and over and over again, and then we feel guilty when more reports of violence or broken military tech gets to us.”
“Sounds peachy fucking keen,” he said. “You must be losing your mind.”
“You don’t even know the half of it,” I agreed. “But I get to watch Zane squirm uncomfortably every time we tease him about dating the president.”
I waited and was not disappointed by the reaction from Pony.
“Zane really is fucking Spencer Thomas?” he shrieked.
“They’re like…together, together,” I said. “I don’t know how much was in your briefing, but when this all started, we just thought it was death threats against the president.” I paused and huffed out a humorless chuckle. “Only.”
“Yeah,” he said. “And Zane was assigned to watch the president.”
“He watched him alright,” I agreed. “But yeah, they’re actually pretty great together and we’re happy Zane’s got someone.”
