Page 19 of Tainted Wings of Failure

Dove: Can't wait to have you back home!

Dove: I love you!

A series of pictures follows and a small smile creeps across my face as I flip through the images. They are of casual things like her breakfast, the morning sun in our backyard, my doves, and…

"She’s got a great ass, you’re lucky,” Kyle says, leaning over the middle console, staring at my phone. I immediately press the button on the side and the screen turns off before I shoot a glare in his direction.

"Don't push your luck."

"It's not my fault that you're looking at her lewd pictures when I'm sitting right next to you." He props his arm on the center console, resting his chin in the palm of his hand.

"I hate you."

"No, you don't, brother."

"I should have refused your parents' offer to adopt me back then."

"Oh, come on. You love Mom and Dad, and without them you would have become an erratic serial killer who would have ended up on death row."

"There are times when I wonder if this would have been a better choice."

"No, it wouldn't. You love your fucked up life, especially since you found Evelyn. You have never been happier, or whatever emotion you feel in the name of happiness." He chuckles before his eyes dart back to my phone. "Question about her, what are you going to do as your grand gesture for allowing you to do the job?"

I sigh and lean back in my seat, rubbing my eyes through my closed lids. "I've been thinking about taking our relationship to the next level."

"And what would that be?"

"Ask her to marry me." I open my eyes again and look at Kyle.

"Marriage? You?" Kyle's jaw drops and his eyebrows shoot up as he looks at me in utter disbelief.

"Yes. Me taking this job has made her question my commitment to our relationship, and I want to show her that I want to spend the rest of my life with her."

"That's very noble. But marriage? Really?"

"Why are you so surprised?"

"Because you are…you." A lopsided smile finds its way to his lips. "You never really cared about serious relationships. Hell, the thought of love, affection and anything genuine with women gave you the ick."

"Yeah, but it just feels right. And she deserves a happy ending."

"She sure does," Kyle says before turning his attention to the rearview mirror. I do the same, watching as someone pushes through the heavy doors that lead to a fire escape.

"Is that our guy?" I ask.

"Yeah, that's him." Kyle reaches for the door handle, but I grab his arm and stop him.

"How did you meet him again?" I furrow my brows as I watch the man nervously check the watch on his wrist, his eyes darting around the parking lot.

"Our client set him up, had him infiltrate them a few months ago for information."

"And are you sure we can trust him? Because he seems nervous."

Kyle sighs and pushes my hand off of him. "Yes, we can. I did my job. Background check, everything, trust me."

"Good, then let’s go.”

As Kyle gets out of the car, I type a quick message to Evelyn and drop my personal phone in the car's glove compartment before getting out and trailing after him. I tug at the hem of my suit jacket to straighten the wrinkled fabric as we approach the man waiting for us. Kyle greets him enthusiastically, as if they were friends, even though he only knows one of his alternate identities. They exchange a few pleasantries until the guy's attention shifts to me and the nervousness returns to his face, his brows furrowed, as his eyes dart back and forth between us.

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