Page 25 of Concerto of Crows and Cowards

“I think you’re out of your mind,” Nate said once they were all gathered in Atticus’s room the next morning. “You can’t think to actually meet Vassin without any backup.”

“Tell me how you really feel, Nate. I don’t think the rest of the people on this floor heard you.”

Cal had manipulated the security feed in the hallway and elevator so he and Jade could sneak down to Atticus’s room. The team was already gathered around the breakfast table downing gallons of coffee and looking at the maps he and Jade had already studied until he felt like his eyes would start bleeding. And it seemed like Nate was in a pisser of a mood.

Cal and Evangeline had cut their honeymoon short so they could be at the round table with the rest of the team. Despite the interruption, Max felt a lot better having their help. There was no computer or security system that they couldn’t infiltrate, and they were going to make all of their jobs much easier.

“Call me crazy,” Nate said. ‘But it just seems like a bad idea to go waltzing into enemy territory alone and expect to walk away again.”

“There’s no other way,” Max said patiently. “We’re stuck between a rock and hard place until the senator’s daughter is located. We have to play out this farce and hope Vassin stays on the hook. As long as he thinks I’ve got a product to sell, he’ll be willing to bite. If we scare him away, he’ll probably kill the girl and leave the country. At least for a while. This is the only way we have a chance of getting them both.”

Nate paced back and forth in front of the window, his scowl black as irritation came off him in waves. Atticus was sitting completely still, his fingers steepled in front of him, but he had yet to utter a word.

“What’s with him?” Max asked Atticus. “He’s usually uptight, but he seems to be in fine form this morning.” Max’s brows rose in surprise as Nate growled at him.

“Because the doctor called this morning and gave us some news,” Eden said, smiling. “Nate’s a little overwhelmed at the moment. Apparently the idea of having twins has made him a little crazy.”

“Where’d they come from?” Nate asked, exasperated, tossing his hands up.

“I’m assuming they come from the same place just one baby comes from,” Atticus said dryly.

“That’s not what I mean,” Nate said, turning his scowl in Atticus’s direction. “I mean neither of us have twins in the family. How are we going to keep up with twins?”

“Sounds like an even match,” Max said. “There’s two of you and two of them.”

“Coming from the man who has no children,” Nate said. “And Eden just sits there all calm and beautiful like she has twins all the time.”

“Relax, Papa Bear,” she said, laughing. “We’re a team. We’re going to be just fine.”

Max felt a pang of jealousy at what Nate had. He knew his love with his wife was secure and would never be thrown back in his face. He’d found a woman who complemented him in every way—a woman who would stand by him no matter what.

“Maybe if we got back to work, it wouldn’t worry you so much,” Atticus said. He pointed to the area of the map where Vassin had designated as the meeting spot. “There’s nothing out here but desert.” He looked over at Max, his brows drawn in thought. “We’re not going to do you much good if you need fast backup unless we come in by air.” Atticus scratched at the scar along his jaw and gave him a steely look out of eerie gray eyes. “The closest cover is more than a mile away in this mountain area, but there aren’t any easy roads to get there.”

“No,” Max said, shaking his head. “You’re better off continuing the search for the girl and waiting it out here. Vassin’s more than likely going to be pissed after our meeting. If your gut’s telling you she’s in northern California, then you and the team should head in that direction.”

“Yes, because I always leave my agents high and dry without backup in the middle of a mission.”

“That sounded surprisingly like sarcasm,” Jade said. “I think he’s starting to mellow.”

“I can read between the lines as to why you don’t want backup from us,” Atticus said to Max. “But have you considered all the variables for what you have planned?”

“Yes,” Max said. “I don’t see another way.”

Atticus turned his attention to Jade. “What do you think? The sun could be a problem, depending on where you have to set up.”

“The sun will be directly overhead. It’ll be fine.”

“You know, sometimes it’d be nice for you to actually say whatever the hell you’re thinking so the rest of us know what you’re talking about,” Nate said irritably. “We’re not mind readers. That cryptic crap gets old.”

“The plan is simple,” Atticus said, his smile not at all comforting. “Max is going to meet with Martin Vassin. Alone.”

Red sand kicked up from beneath the tires of the Jeep as Max navigated off the main road, following the coordinates that had been mapped out for him. The sun was directly overhead, a red ball of flame that reflected off the sand and made the eyes water with its intensity.

Atticus hadn’t been kidding when he’d said there was nothing for miles around. Desert stretched out in all directions, except for the range of mountains in front of him. It took him more than half an hour to reach the designated area, and he wasn’t at all surprised to see two black Jeeps similar to his own, and another helicopter. Men lounged against the sides of the vehicles, their weapons visible and dark sunglasses covering their eyes.

Max stopped the Jeep and watched as a man got out of the back seat of one of the vehicles. Martin Vassin wasn’t a big man, but he carried himself with an air that only a man who thought he was important could manage to pull off. Despite the hundred-degree temperature, his suit was dark and crisp, and he adjusted his tie before his men gathered at his sides. His hair was dark and silvered at the temples and his complexion was pitted with scars. He was a gangster in a three-thousand-dollar suit. Nothing more, no matter what title he tried to give himself to pretty it up.

Max pulled on his baseball cap and opened the door of the Jeep, letting his feet sink into the sand. His eyes stung, even through the protection of his sunglasses, and already he could feel the grittiness in his teeth.

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