Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 136425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 682(@200wpm)___ 546(@250wpm)___ 455(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 682(@200wpm)___ 546(@250wpm)___ 455(@300wpm)
Kala’s lips turned up, an amused expression that Devi had seen on her uncle’s face. “We call it a dossier.”
“Well, I did not get one.” And that was a real oversight on the part of the team. She might not be getting an Agency paycheck, but she was definitely Agency adjacent. Shouldn’t that come with privileges?
“I think he would have been upset about anyone who tried to roofie you. He’s your Dom. You didn’t let him know you needed protection,” Kala pointed out.
“Well, he wasn’t at the time. We were kind of broken up.”
“Were you?”
It had felt like a breakup. “I mean he didn’t bother to tell me he was leaving. Not Dom-like behavior. But also, I didn’t mind the spanking. It’s kind of my thing, so I’m not going to complain, and honestly, when he goes into all the things he’ll do to me if I put myself in danger again… It doesn’t throw me off. He should think of worse things than taking a violet wand to my pink parts. That’s sounds like a fun Saturday night to me.”
Kala pointed her way. “You pull some shady shit again and it won’t be your boyfriend you answer to.”
The last thing she wanted was a throwdown with her cousin. Lucky for her, she knew how to distract a Taggart. “Please refer to him properly. He’s my fiancé.”
Kala shook her head. “You really doing this?”
“Yeah. I love him.”
Kala stood and moved to hug her cousin. “I’m happy for you.”
Devi reveled in the affection. Kala could be standoffish, so Devi appreciated every hug. “I’m happy for me, too. But now I have to tell my dad. My mom will be thrilled. She loves Zach. Dad, not so much.”
“He’ll come around when he sees how happy Zach makes you,” Kala promised and moved back. “Well, if he’s not in prison.”
“You are horrible. Don’t say that.” Lucy walked in, frowning fiercely. “She does not need to hear that.”
“It’s the freaking truth,” Kala shot back and then visibly calmed. “Sorry, Devi. I shouldn’t have mentioned that Zach might go to jail.” She turned back to Lucy. “Now what put that constipated look…that worried expression on your face?”
She was trying. Not hard, but trying. “Very good, cousin.”
Lucy’s nose wrinkled. “What’s wrong… Never mind. I know the answer. You’re Kala. Anyway, I think we have a van that’s circled the block four times now. I went to the safe room to chill out and watched the security cams for a couple of minutes. It could be a work van looking for an address or someone killing time.”
“Or it could be trouble,” Kala announced. “I’ll go take a look. You make sure we’re locked down.”
“The security system is good. The doors are all locked, but we’re not a fortress,” Lucy admitted. “Well, except for the safe room. It’s solid. It should survive a bomb if they dropped one on us.”
“Then maybe we should get in there.” Kala’s head moved, gesturing for Devi to join her.
In a small room with the two of them sniping at each other? No thanks. “Come on. Can’t you make sure it’s a bad guy before we lock ourselves in?” She’d seen the safe room, and it locked down hard and fast and was meant for one or two people who liked each other a lot. It was kind of a panic room that locked and stayed locked for four hours after the button was pushed. Four hours of intense therapy with Kala and her Bliss twin did not seem like how she wanted to spend her day. “Please. If you lock it, we’re stuck inside, and what happens if your dad wants us to move? What if Zach needs to take his mom somewhere else? He won’t go without me. He’ll wait and put himself in danger for what might be a dude who’s lost.”
Kala sighed. “Fine. Lucy, did you run the plate?”
One of Lucy’s shoulders shrugged. “It’s registered to a man without a record. It looks like he’s a contractor of some kind, so he could be looking for a house. I don’t know. I don’t like it.”
“All right.” Kala started for the front of the townhouse. “I’ll take a look. Have you informed your father?”
Lucy winced. “I don’t want to worry him until I’m sure. He’s got enough to deal with. He’s always nervous when my mom is involved.”
Kala pointed Devi’s way. “You stay here.”
Devi sat down and tried giving her cousin her best I-will-cause-no-trouble smile. “I’m right here.”
Kala walked to the front door and stared out.
Lucy brought her laptop out. “I lost him. He turned at the end of the block, but I don’t see him on the next traffic cam.”
That felt like good news. “He probably found the house he’s supposed to be at. So there’s nothing to worry about.”