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We shook hands, clapping each other on the back briefly. “Yeah, I’m afraid so.”
Ian nodded. “FBI kind of trouble or people are going to die kind of trouble?”
I shook my head. “People are going to die kind of trouble. I’m here to warn you.”
Ian’s brows drew down. “You realize we’re assassins, right?”
“I know. The team is more than capable of taking care of themselves. But you’ve got agents at risk. Those files that you refused to have locked in the bureau, the ones you trusted me to hold on to because no one was looking for me. Those files? They’re gone.”
Ian’s face remained completely impassive. But I could see the vibrating anger on Ian’s shoulders as they stiffened. “Definegone.”
And this was the part where I had to swallow crow. Damn birds could be so tough to swallow when you had to eat them whole. “Spy. That’s my best guess. I was infiltrated a few weeks ago. It took that long for them to get access to my safe. I discovered the files were missing yesterday.”
“How exposed are we? What is on those files?”
“All the missions before Noah got out. Every agent location, their missions, their strengths, weaknesses, possible leverage. Blood type. DNA. All the new agent information since you took over. You weren’t as thorough, obviously. Shall I go on?”
Ian’s voice went chilly and icy. “Noah insisted that I entrust you with that information, and now you’re fucking telling me it’s gone?” He planted his hands on the glass, his anger making the desk shake.
I met his gaze levelly. “Yes. That’s my fuckup. It’s on me. I’m getting the files back, but in the meantime, you might want to move your agents.”
“You’re in here telling me how to run my shop? I will run my agents how I see fit. You know we have open ops?”
I didn’t appreciate the dressing down, but I deserved it. This shouldn’t have happened on my watch. But I’d been thinking with my dick. “I know that. I’m here as a courtesy.”
“Some fucking courtesy. How long do we have before that information is sold?”
“There’s no chatter on it. No one’s made inquiries yet. I’ll get the file before it gets that far.”
“I think you forget, I’m Orion now.I’llget those files.”
The fuck he would. Because I knew what that would mean for Diana. “I’llget the files. If one of your men goes anywhere near the target, I’ll be forced to take them out.”
Ian pushed himself to standing. “Are you fucking kidding me right now? You lose the files that compromise all of us, and then you want me to letyouhandle it?”
I rolled my shoulders. “Yes. Because at the end of the day, you don’t work for yourself anymore, and I’ll remind you again, this is a courtesy call. All active agents should be moved. I will retrieve the files and notify you when it’s done. And I’m serious, Ian, keep your men away. I see even one of them, and it’s not going to go down pretty.”
Ian narrowed his eyes and glowered at me, jaw clenched. “I think you’re forgetting my name is Orion now. I answer to the United States government. Not to you.”
I nodded. “Fair enough,Orion. Like I said, this is courtesy. And as far as you’re concerned right now, with my ties to the FBI, Iamthe United States government. I’m serious, Ian.” I said his name deliberately. “You go near the target, it’s not going to go well. I will deliver the files to you and guarantee no exposure.”
Ian nodded and crossed his arms. “If you don’t deliver on that promise, maybe it’s time you start watching your back.”
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
Rafe
Back at home, I stared at the clothes and the phone I’d retrieved from that bathroom trash can at the department store the previous night. I examined the items with a sick fascination. Would these be my last memory of her? The things she’d been wearing and using when she left?
It was a depressing thought.
Almost as depressing as realizing just how close I’d been to finding her. The store employee I’d talked to confirmed that he’d seen her only ten minutes prior. There was a chance that she’d been in the store at the same time I was, maybe even close enough to touch.
You know how to hide, don’t you?
Well, she’d done better than I had expected. Perhaps it was arrogance, but with my training, it had never occurred to me that she might evade me. Which led me to wonder, just who was Diana Renquist? Because she definitely wasn’t the helpless woman in need of rescue she’d led me to believe she was.
“I can’t do this,” I muttered. My mind was too scattered to focus, but I couldn’t allow the trail to go cold. I pulled my phone out and dialed a number from memory.
