Page 49 of How Much For a Life of Lies?

I grinned at the big Russian, then punched him on the arm. “Snuggle buddies,” I deadpanned. He scowled down at me, and I bit my lip.

Undercover was fun.

And at least this time, I hadn't gotten beaten up.

Yet.

NINETEEN

Zach

Intel had suggested Kozlov had a small army at his disposal and enough firepower to start a war if he so desired. Alone, the two of us were outnumbered and outgunned, but it wasn’t our mission to take on an army. Kai’s job was to find a potential weakness in Kozlov’s defenses, a vulnerability we could exploit if we were strategic and precise in our approach.

And it was my job to skulk in the bushes and figure out security.

Neither task was glamorous, but I felt disconnected on the outside, and it gave me too long to think. I knew Kai working his cover amidst the dangerous labyrinth of tunnels and operations run by Kozlov’s organization was the only way we could see inside, but Kai being lost somewhere in the heart of enemy territory without comm was making me antsy.

I should have told him how much I’d needed last night.

We should have talked.

I was wrong to shove him away—I wanted to kiss him again.

I wanted him safe and back from this mission so I could hold him against a wall by his throat and kiss him and get him off and come all over him…

Or maybe cradle his face and beg him to stop taking chances. To stay safe. Kiss him gently, tease him with the taste of us, until he was panting in my hold and?—

Not happening. Focus.

I ignored the memories of last night, cursing my brain when it took way too long to listen to me shutting that part down. I wriggled uncomfortably, hidden in the dense foliage of the forest, and when I was settled, I rolled my neck and focused back on the case in hand. The cover story that Kozlov and his band of murdering mercenaries used for being at the sprawling expanse of the mines was reopening a long-silent diamond mine. Shadow Team intel showed the truth—there was something sinister lurking beneath the surface^ and we’d followed a trail of drugs right back to here.

I keyed my radio, reporting back to Sierra Base at Swim Central. This time it was Yaz on comm, but she had nothing to add to my observations. For this op, it was all on what Kai found. I checked my phone. His blinking tracker wasn’t moving, but that meant nothing—it was two a.m. and I hoped to fuck he was somewhere sleeping.

Not dead.

“Sierra Base to Sierra Two.” This time it was Ethan, and he didn’t sound as calm as Yaz had been. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart as I listened to Ethan’s voice crackle through the earpiece.

“Sierra Two responding.”

“Sit rep?”

Why was he asking for a situation report when I’d just checked in with Yaz? My chest tightened.

“All quiet for now. Kai’s in position, and tracking is good. Why? What’s wrong?” I asked, my tone tense with anticipation. “Do I need to pull him out?” Not that I'd be able to do that unless I stormed the place. We were comm silent, and he’d make contact when he could, and not before.

“We’ve got a problem,” Ethan replied, his voice tight. “Luca is with Mayor Thomas and says the mayor is in meltdown over putting his town in danger.”

Fuck, he was the one who’d done that, we were coming in to mop up.

“Jesus, I was with him this morning and he freaking knows it’s intel collection only. All he has to do is keep his mouth shut and his head down.” My heart had sunk at Ethan’s words, my thoughts racing with the implications of Thomas’s sudden interest in our operations.

“Also, Indigo has called a meeting with Thomas for the morning, and we need to tread carefully.”

Why now? Why did she want a meeting now? Specifically?

“Did Luca manage to calm Mayor Thomas down?” It was what Luca did best—his diplomatic skills were marginally better than anyone else’s on Shadow Team.

“He convinced Thomas to stay quiet for now, take tomorrow’s meeting, act normal, but I don’t like it,” Ethan replied, worry in his voice. “The mayor’s on edge, Zach. He’s scared, and he’s not sure how much longer he can keep this up.”

---