“Fat f*ck,” Vesper grumbles.
“He’s stalling,” I say.
“It’s out of character. He’s such a flight risk. He usually doesn’t like to be in the U.S. for more than a few hours.”
“Who the f*ck cares, Vesper? He’s a trafficker, mass murderer, rapist, and degenerate. As soon as I pull this trigger, he won’t have a character to worry about.”
We’re here for Paris, or that’s what we call him anyway. Who knows what his real name is—he’s had so many. He bounces around continents so much the FBI and CIA can never find him to extradite him. Even if they did, it’s impossible to pin him to his crimes. This is the problem when warlords and criminals outsmart our legal systems. Enter PALADIN. We don’t need the paperwork to put a war-hungry menace in the ground. I’ve never known someone to enjoy evil as much as this piece of sh*t. I’m bothered he gets such a satisfying last meal at this swanky lunch locale we’re watching.
My phone vibrates on the ground and I see Eden’s reply. It’s a little heart with flames around it. I can’t help but smile to myself. I made the girl waffles this morning. Who am I? I don’t care. I think I like it.
“Lance,” I say, “in your experience, what should I say back to a woman who sent a fire-heart emoji thing?”
“Hold on,” he mumbles, barely moving his lips as he whips out his phone. My phone pings again almost immediately.
Lancelot
*peach emoji* *eggplant emoji* *splash emoji* *umbrella emoji*
“Does that help?” Lance asks. “Send it in exactly that order. It tells a story.”
“You need serious help.” I try not to laugh at his perversion.
“Who are you texting?” Vesper asks but I don’t hear her through my earpiece, I glance up to see her hovering over my phone. There’s no point in lying. Vesper knows everything.
“Eden,” I admit, pulling out my earpiece which automatically mutes my radio so I can momentarily shut Lance out. “I set up surveillance at her place last night.”
“Why?”
“Someone broke in.”
“Something to do with Empress?”
“How’d you know about that?” I furrow my brows, but I’m still looking through the scope. I don’t have time to check Vesper’s reaction.
“I knew about Empress before I knew who Dr. Eden Abbott was. The FBI made a huge fuss about it, then the whole case went dark—and I mean black-out dark. I asked a few people on the inside, including Callen. No one has any information besides a violation of civil rights and the dissolution of a tech company.”
“But you suspect there’s more?”
“Of course I do. But when do I not? Always expect for there to be more and pray you’re wrong, Linc.”
“I don’t care about the company,” I say, pinching my shoulder blades together, trying to relieve the discomfort of laying on a concrete roof top for so long. “As long as Eden’s safe.”
Vesper sits in front of me, resting her back against the ledge so I can see her out of my peripherals. “Linc, be careful.”
“About what?”
“Getting involved with her.”
“Since when do you care who I’m sleeping with?” I ask, trying to sound nonchalant. I don’t know who I’m kidding, Vesper knows me better than anyone—she raised me since I was sixteen.
“I care when there’s a woman who makes you smile like an idiot when she texts you.”
I blow out a breath. “I’m still well aware of the rules, Vesper.” It’s not like I’m planning to propose. I doubt Eden would ever be interested in marrying someone like me anyway, she’s still jumpy every time my pistol is in view. Little does she know, it’s the tamest weapon I operate.
“Do you know why we have the rule of no families?”
“Because you don’t want us kissing anyone’s ass except yours?” I snark. She kicks my shoulder with the heel of her boot, hard. I try not to wince but she’s freakishly strong.
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