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She was behind all of this. The Disick mission. The Tates. We just needed to put the pieces together and find out why.
And why me?
You know why you.
She knows about Gabe somehow.
"All I have to offer is water. Would you like that?"
She sauntered around, examining my flat, her sleek blonde hair swinging down her back. "Hmm, nice flat. Someone should have furnished you with some wine for guests, right?"
I lifted my brow. "I'm not expecting any guests and it's not my actual flat, so I don't have any of that."
"Okay, I just wanted to see how things are going, how you're fairing."
"Really? Is that why you're here?"
I crossed my arms and leaned back against my counter. Me in bare feet, pajama bottoms, and a cropped camisole. No bra. My hair, having gotten wet, now piled up in massive curls gathered together into one giant puff of curly afro.
She lifted a brow and studied me. “We don't need to be enemies. Matter of fact I don't even know why we would be," she said as she settled on the armrest of my couch.
“I’m still not entirely sure what you’re doing here.”
She sighed. "Look, I know you haven't done deep undercover work before. And I'm just trying to offer you some support."
"I appreciate the support, but I'm fine. Things are progressing with Tate. I've been putting all the details in my briefings."
She frowned. "About those briefings. They are a little light. I know that things are progressing with Tate, but honestly, by this point, he should be spilling all his secrets."
I knew she was trying to goad me. " I suppose you missed the briefing about the summer house.”
“No, I didn't. But by this point, you should be shagging. He should be telling you every dirty little secret he has. Pouring his soul out. I want to know what the holdup is. Did I pick the wrong person for this mission?”
“My understanding of being an undercover field agent is you know when to push. You know when to pull. Sometimes sleeping with an asset is a good idea for intelligence, but I believe that Jennings needs more work. I'm not just going to shag him, for the sake of shagging him. That doesn't make any sense. It has to be in the name of the mission, right? We're not actually running a brothel here.”
She lifted her brow. “Stop stalling. We need more intel. If you have to get on your knees and blow him, then get on your fucking knees. Because that is the job.”
I grinned at her. “Just because that's the only way you know how to get information doesn't mean that's how everyone else does it. If I believe the mission warrants it, then I'll do what's necessary. But not because you tell me to.”
She blinked at me rapidly. "I'm just trying to give you some advice. If you don't perform, someone will replace you. And I can imagine it could be difficult for your career. Especially for a young woman in your position, a woman of color and all that. I don't imagine opportunities are just falling into your lap."
"A woman of color and all that? Do you hear yourself?"
"I'm just trying to help you. We're always looking for diversity in the upper ranks. People who didn't go to the right schools and have the right connections. But before I can even consider you for positions like that you have to perform, and right now you are underperforming. Work the asset however you need to.”
“So you suggesting that I sleep with the asset post haste is you trying to help me? And let's not forget I went to London School of Economics.”
“Yes, and while it’s a fine school, it’s not Oxford or Cambridge. The good-old-boy network prefers that. So you have to make yourself shine, which means results. Let's face it, Saffron, while educated in the States, still went to an elite university, and Gabe was spat out by Cambridge. And even though he's not a real Abott, he has all those values. We want to shake things up."
"Correct me if I'm wrong,” I said, “but you didn't go to Oxford, did you?"
She frowned at that. "Fair enough, but I can see the tide is changing. We need to change with it. And Rogues cannot be left to operate as it has."
"You're barking up the wrong tree if you think I'll help you in some way against my friends. I won't. Not voluntarily anyway."
"I think it's a mistake to not see a different path for yourself."
"Well, this was a fun chat. Um, unless you want that water, let me just show you out."
