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He and Dove pivoted toward the doorway. Rain stood there with her arms folded and an exasperated expression on her face. “If you’re finished eating off each other’s faces—”
“Rain!” Dove yelped.
She flashed a smile. “You twoarepretty disgusting. I only came in here to tell you that Clay needs to speak with Quaide for a minute.”
Reluctantly, he released Dove. Walking away was even worse. It didn’t matter that she’d be in the car with him, and he’d give up his own life to keep her safe. He still didn’t like what they were about to do.
When he stepped into the dining room, Clay waved him over to the far corner where a laptop was running a facial recognition program. It paused several times on the rough visage of a guy dressed in a black leather vest with silver spikes around the collar and on each shoulder. Otherwise, he was shirtless.
The photo was taken in the dark by a security cam, but Quaide could make out the outline of a loading dock and some wooden crates in the background.
Clay saw him staring at the screen and whirled his chair to face him. “That guy’s of no concern right now. I’m just getting it through the system while it’s still a fresh lead. Look, something came up and I had to send Jennings to Colorado Springs.”
His muscles stiffened. “You sent himnow? When we’re minutes away from transporting Rain?”
“I know it’s last-minute and it sucks. But you’re going to have to take Rain with you and Dove.”
He slashed a hand through the air. “That’s a terrible idea! What’s the point in having them look alike and ride together? If we’re followed, they’re going to know we made a decoy to throw them off.”
“I know, but there aren’t many choices left.”
“Julius.”
“He’s going with Jennings.”
Quaide felt the fury rising in his system, building into a fire that he felt blazing in his face. “You’re seriously cutting our team in half? Now?”
“I don’t have a choice. We’re still down several people. I don’t like it, but this is the only way. Look, it’s relatively low risk. We can get the girls to the rendezvous point and we’ll make damn sure they’re safe in the hands of the WEST team before we return.”
The growl rumbling in his throat couldn’t be silenced or stifled. He let it go, filling the room with a noise that would have made his grandmother jump out of her housedress if she were still alive.
“This is ridiculous, Clay. Is this any way to run Sentry?”
Clay’s eyes narrowed. “Are you calling me incompetent, Livingston? Because I know you’d never say that to me.”
He and Clay rarely went head-to-head on anything, least of all work issues.
He drew a deep breath. He couldn’t let his pride step in and ruin a nearly lifelong friendship.
He wasn’t about to back down on such a vital issue, either.
“There has to be another way, Lexis. Another day when WEST can come.”
He was already shaking his head. “You heard Ross—they’re stretched thin. I’m sorry. We ride now or not at all.”
The words “not at all” looped through his brain, but he knew that notion was madness. They had to end the reign of fear.
“Fuck!” He tore off his hat and knifed his fingers through his hair.
“Look, the woman I love isn’t as at risk as yours is, but she’s stillat risk. Remember that we’re both in uncharted territory and neither of us feels comfortable with the way we have to operate Sentry right now. As soon as possible, we need to find more recruits. Especially since the brothers will be going dark while they’re undercover investigating the church.”
“I fucking hate this. I don’t feel comfortable at all, Lexis.” His jaw ached from how tight he clenched it.
“I know, man. I wish we had any other option, but this is it for now. We’ll make it work.”
Clay had Lark. Quaide had Dove and Rain.
No one had their six.
