Page 106 of Sweet Little Spies

“I can buy her more,” Tris insisted.

“You told me the key to everything was staying calm.” HisDom was on the edge. It was up to him to bring him back. “It’s going to beokay. All you have to do is shove her skin care and makeup in a bag. You canleave my stuff. I don’t care. But do not leave her e-reader. She’ll be pissed.”

Tristan took a long breath. “Okay. You’re right. Go. We’llbe right behind you.”

He hugged Tris, holding on for a moment. “We’ll be okay. Allof us.”

Tristan nodded and stepped back. “Take care of our girl. I’msure she’ll love sleeping on the couch instead of in this big, gorgeous suite.”

Tasha shook her head. “Sorry, guys. I already called thecouch. I think y’all will be bedding down in the van, maybe. But not all islost. I’m sure Dad will have us on a plane before dawn. Fun times.”

He followed Tasha out, retracing their steps to theelevators.

“I’m glad he’s being reasonable,” Tasha said as the doorsclosed and they started down toward the lobby. “I was afraid Dad was going tohave to come and drag him away. He’s changed in the last couple of days.”

“He hasn’t changed. He remembered who he is and where hebelongs,” Aidan explained. He knew Carys was still wary, but he wasn’t anymore.He knew Tris, and when he said he was coming home this time, he meant it. He’dbent, and that meant they hadn’t broken. Carys would see it.

A couple of weeks in paradise wouldn’t hurt.

Tasha reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell as thedoors opened, and they walked out into the elegant lobby. Naturally Kala hadpicked the tiny bar in the back rather than the big one closest to the doors.

“Hey, Lou. We’re probably forty minutes out,” Tasha said asthey walked along the marbled floors. It was getting late and the lobby wasquiet, with only a few employees milling around. “Wait. What are you talkingabout?”

Aidan stopped.

Tasha’s brows had come together as she listened to Lou.

Aidan felt the moment his body started pumping adrenaline.Something was going wrong. They’d miscalculated some small thing, and the worldwas about to get upended.

“Lou says the CCTV cams went out five minutes ago,” Tashasaid, the cell still to her ear. She gasped and then swallowed at something Louhad told her. “Yes. I’ll get us out of here right fucking now. Tell them we’llbe coming in hot.”

She hung up and slid her free hand around her waist, feelingfor something there. Aidan had seen her keep a holster for her gun in the smallof her back. Was she making sure the safety was off in case she needed to useit quickly? “Aidan, I need you to stay calm. Lou said Phoebe just called. Shedidn’t take the night off. She did a deep dive on Huisman’s recent financialtransactions. It wasn’t easy because the foundation is linked to a corporationwhich has a bunch of arms.”

“I don’t need a lesson in finance. Tell me what’s happened.”

“Phoebe found a transaction for three million dollars. Itwent through two days ago, shortly after we made the reservations for here. Tothe manager of this hotel,” she explained. “His name is Pierre Allard. She senta picture, and I’m almost certain he was behind the bar Kala was at.”

The one he’d recently left Carys at.

Aidan took off running, but he already knew it was too late.

ChapterSixteen

Tris watched the door close and sighed. It was over. Thejob. Probably his career. He might not lose his job, but he would be exactlywhat everyone thought he was—a keyboard jockey who supported the realoperatives. A guy who’d failed at his first real mission. He hadn’t caught thebad guy. He’d tried his hardest, given it everything he had, and still come upshort like he’d always feared he would. His father was coming in to clean uphis mess, and he would go home and be a dutiful son and watch after his subsand do his diminished job to the best of his ability. He would be nothing morethan a son, brother, friend…husband.

It didn’t sound so bad.

“I know this sucks for you, but I, for one, am not upsetabout heading home,” Zach said. “This trip’s timing was shitty for me.”

He wasn’t the only one who was planning some life changes,but he still had some questions. Zach was planning to shift his focus to theAgency. “You already talked to Coop?”

Zach nodded. “Yeah. We had breakfast yesterday morning, andhe offered up a room. Getting a place in Dallas will be so much more convenientthan constantly having to fly out for briefings. I thought Cooper might wantsomeone to help with rent and utilities and stuff. I’ve lived alone most of myadult life, so I’m looking forward to having someone to talk to every now andthen. But there was something I was thinking about. Don’t your parents own theplace? You don’t think they’ll sell it now that you’re definitely not livingthere anymore?”

“Somehow I think my parents will continue to be perfectlyreasonable landlords.” His mom wasn’t about to chuck out her son’s friends. Shewould consider keeping the house up her contribution to the team. “And sure youwant to suddenly move in order to be closer to the team? There’s not anotherreason?”

“Yeah, like I said, I’m kind of sick of being alone.”

“So you’re doing this to have a roommate?” Tris stared atthe big guy, willing him to get to the real point.

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