Page 22 of Sweet Little Spies

“Maybe you don’t know her as well as you think you do.”

“Oh, I know exactly how to get Carys to let me in.”Tristan’s voice went low, a sure sign whatever he said next would piss Aidanoff. “Tell me something. How’s the sex, A? You been giving her the really kinkystuff?”

“Hey,” his da said.

He wished they weren’t having this fight in front of theirfamily. “Are you serious? Should we pull out our dicks now and let the unclesmeasure them? If all you have is you’re better at fucking than I am, then I’vealready won this fight, Tris, because I’m the one who’s taken care of her fortwo and a half years. You’ve been gone for two and a half years. You don’t getto walk in here and nearly take a bullet and get back in bed because you’re thefucking stud.”

Tristan had paled. “I didn’t say that.”

“I get it. The two of you have some things to work through.”Ian sighed, a weary sound. “But I need to know if I’m sending bodyguards orkidnappers. And I would like an itinerary for this Montreal trip. After today,I have to consider someone knows exactly who Aidan and Carys are, and nowthey’re involved. Tris, have you thought about what it means they’re going toMontreal? No one mentioned it to me. Li, you want to maybe elaborate?”

His father turned to Ian, his hands coming up. “Why would I?No one asked where they were going. I was unaware I needed to put in a requestfor my son to take his wife on a honeymoon. You know I’m starting to understandAidan’s position. You all expect him to behave a certain way, but you don’tgive him the whys, do you? Those are classified.”

He didn’t want to cause a rift between his da and Ian.“Don’t blame him. Uncle Ian’s been left out, from what I can tell.”

“But he can blame me,” Tristan said, bitterness in his tone.

“Yeah.” He wasn’t letting Tris off. “Da can absolutely blameyou. Everyone can. Ian didn’t tell you to get involved in arms dealing.”

Ian’s brow rose. “Nor did Ian tell him he could announce itto the world. Aidan, you should understand that while I didn’t know exactlywhat Tris was doing until recently, and I think he’s a dumbass for gettinginvolved in this without bringing anyone else in, I do understand why he wantedto protect you. The people who are after him are serious killers, and theyproved it today. I don’t know why you think an attack at your wedding hasnothing to do with you, but I’m here to tell you it fucking did, and whileTristan might piss you off, he’s right. Look, I can’t force you to dosomething, but I can assure you my brother will protect his daughter.”

“And I’ll protect my son.” His da’s tone had gone stubbornand dark, his Irish thick on the tongue. “He’ll go to the safe house, and hewon’t have a choice about it.”

“Da,” he started.

His father shook his head. “No. Not after today. If you’regoing to be ridiculous about this, I’ll take over, boy. I’m not about to let myson die.”

Okay, it was oddly soothing to hear his father say thewords. He was always more concerned about Daisy, but something settled insideAidan when his father declared he would be utterly unreasonable and assholishwhen it came to Aidan’s protection. “Da, we should talk about this.”

Ian stared a hole through him, and Aidan suddenly realizedthis wasn’t his funny, sarcastic Uncle Ian. This was the Agency operative. “WhyCanada?”

Tristan seemed to realize something. “Ian, it doesn’t haveanything to do with…you know who. I’m sure Carys thought it was pretty, andthey probably found a good deal on a hotel there. Honestly, it’s more a fuckyou to me than anything else. They knew I would pay for the honeymoon. Theyprobably figured I would try to show up or something.”

It was infuriating. He heard the door behind him come open,but he was too angry to turn around and see who was there. “It has absolutelynothing to do with you, Tris. You want to know why we’re going to Montreal? Igot invited to a symposium, and Carys understands my career is important.”

Tris had gone a pale white. “What? What fucking symposium,A? Tell me you didn’t accept an invitation from Emmanuel Huisman.”

“He finally gets to the point,” Ian said under his breath.“Fucking right hand doesn’t know what the left is doing. This—this is why Ididn’t want to get back in the Agency bullshit.”

The last was said to someone behind him, but Aidan wasn’tconcerned. “This has nothing to do with the Agency, but yes, I got invited to avery exclusive meeting of some of the best cutting-edge surgeons. As aresident. It’s going to make my career.”

“It’s not about you, Aidan,” Tristan said with a sneer.“It’s about me. Who the fuck do you think is after me? It’s Emmanuel Huisman.You’re nothing but a pawn in this game of ours, and the fact that you neverbothered to tell me about it proves you have no idea how to play. You’ve beentalking to me every week for years, but you decide to keep me out of this forpetty reasons?”

A gasp came from behind him, and Aidan turned. Carys wasthere with her cousins and Louisa Ward. They stood in the doorway like aphalanx of beautifully dressed Valkyries. Except Carys, who looked like someonehad gutted her. She’d changed into yoga pants and a tee, but she was sogorgeous his heart ached.

She knew he’d lied, had kept things from her.

Nothing would ever be the same again.

* * * *

Two hours later Tristan took his seat in the conferenceroom. His fucking heart ached because he’d known the minute he’d realized Caryswas in the room, Aidan would never forgive him for telling the truth he’dpromised to hide.

But damn it, what the hell else was he supposed to do? Washe supposed to let the people he loved the most fall into the clutches of a manwho wanted to burn the world down? They didn’t know it, but they had becomepawns in a dangerous game, one Tris had worked so fucking hard to keep them outof.

“I need to understand how Huisman knew about Aidan.” Kalahad changed into jeans and a tank top, showing off her toned arms.

“We don’t know he does.” Cooper sat beside her, making sureto get a seat that would keep him close to her. “Aidan’s top of his class. TheFoundation is known for finding up-and-coming doctors.”