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Jordan’s response was instant. “I know it’s about you. Paco would only cast me out of his circle of trust if he thought my allegiance might slip. And if this were about me, I’d be cut off.”
Alex hated when Jordan was right. Mostly, because she was always right. “You still have access?” he asked, flickers of discomfort etching at his mind.
It was their go-to protocol. When in doubt, lock shit down tighter than a chastity belt. All access denied, from buildings to computers to funds.
“Yes,” she replied, flatly. “To everything from international secrets to my million dollar line of credit.” Her tone was dry as a desert. “It’s not about me.”
He allowed her reasoning to seep in, marinating it all in the depths of his mind. There was no denying Jordan’s allegiance to Alex, that much was clear. But her allegiance to Madison was as resolute. More so, even. An attachment that felt like taking Madison under her wing.
When she wasn’t hitting on her, of course.
But Paco skulking through Alex’s history without telling him was a stretch. Would he?
Maybe.
Okay, probably.
Fine, most definitely. Alex took a beat and reminded himself this wasn’t about loyalty or their friendship. Paco had a new role. One that might keep Alex in the cold.
His jaw tensed. Burying secrets was Alex’s forte, especially his own. Without a trail of breadcrumbs to guide him, Paco could be sniffing down any one of thousands of dark alleys in Alex’s past. And to the man fluent in nearly a dozen languages,Keep Outwasn’t in his repertoire.
Alex blew out a long breath. Speculating any further was as useful as a screen door on the Titanic. With Jordan chauffeuring him straight to Paco’s den, they’d know soon enough.
Determined to clear his mind, Alex tilted his head, focusing once again on the subtle cues of the journey. “East?”
“Huh?” It was clear Jordan had been lost in her own thoughts.
“Feels like we’re heading east,” he said again, confident with a grin.
“Possibly. What names are you honing in on for peanut and sweet pea?”
It seemed both of them needed to carve out a game in the midst of the weighty discussion.
His lips quirked into a smile as he chuckled. “Nice try. If you’re angling for baby intel, you’ll have to pry that from Madison’s tightly sealed lips.”
Jordan’s laughter, rich with salaciousness, filled the car. “As long as I’ve got your permission, I’d love to pry anything at all from her lips. And yourcompassmust be missing her. Actually, we’re headed west.”
Alex reclined in his seat, a self-assured grin etched upon his face. Jordan was lying. Not about him missing Madison.Fuck, every fiber of his being throbbed for her touch.
When it came to tells, Jordan had too many to count. She wielded the wordactuallythe way people used the wordhonestly. When the truth was just below the surface.
And this far East meant only one place. A secluded sanctuary nestled along the Long Island Sound, fortified by natural barriers on three sides, and stretching into an expanse of uninhabited wilderness. A place he’d only been to once before.
Alex eased back, stacking his hands behind his head, masking his smirk. “West it is.”
CHAPTER6
MADISON
“You don’t say,” Madison replied with a forced smile, her eyes battling the urge to yawn once again. Silently, she cursed herself for letting Alex go—or rather, forcing him to go. He was off on an adventure, while she was stuck here, making chit-chat with the mommies of the Upper East Side.
Silently, Madison begged for an end to their incessant chatter. She’d had her fill of pretentious schools and obnoxious name dropping and,oh, God, the oversharing on nipple soreness.
And, to her horror, were the images and videos of the births.
Tightly, she clasped the glass in her hand and rubbed her belly.Mama sure could use a vodka for this conversation.
Before the news of Madison’s pregnancy broke, life was sublime. None of these women batted an eye at her. Except to ask how she managed to snag the notorious playboy, Alex Drake.
