Page 48 of Sweet Little Spies

Adam looked down the hallway Kala’s way. “I also got intoyour car’s system. You’ll find your radio now defaults to the Love Channel.”

Kala huffed. “This is not over.”

She disappeared into Lou’s room.

“I would like to know how you did it,” Lou began. “I toldher she was playing fast and loose with some of those protocols, but she can bestubborn. And I like the Love Channel. It’s soothing in the morning. If youcould hack her AC, I would be so grateful. She likes it really cold.”

“Lou,” Kala yelled.

Lou gave them a wave and followed her bestie.

TJ rushed out, shaking his head and tugging a T-shirt overhis broad shoulders. “Good one, Uncle Adam. Although the secret is she listensto a lot of ballads. Like she pretends to be all about the death metal, but Isaw some girlie songstresses on her playlist. I really preferred it when Ididn’t realize most nights she sneaks in and sleeps with us. We need to get ourown place.”

“Oh, cool,” Carys said, joining her cousin. “I’m looking fora room.”

Aidan groaned. “No, you are not.”

“I might be,” she said over her shoulder. She moved down thehallway and stopped when she got to Adam. “Is everyone okay after yesterday? Iknow Serena wasn’t hurt, but I’ve been worried about her.”

Adam’s face lost its arrogance, and he was the “uncle” who’dalways welcomed them. “She’s worried beyond words, sweetie. How are you? Iwanted to be there, you know. At the meeting.”

Carys sighed. “I do, but Tris is insisting he can handle it.I’m not great since I was supposed to be married today, and I spent last nightwith two guys taking turns sleeping on the floor outside my borrowed room. Nothow I thought they would be taking turns.”

“Carys,” Aidan said, shocked.

Her shoulder shrugged. “Like he doesn’t know.”

“If they’re taking turns, they’re doing it wrong,” Adamsaid, his calm tone not giving away even a hint of embarrassment. “I’ll talk tothem.”

The last thing he needed was a sex lecture on how a ménageworked. It would likely be incredibly detailed and way over the top. Therecould be an embarrassing PowerPoint presentation in his future. “We know how aménage works.”

“Do you?” Carys asked. “Because I haven’t seen evidencerecently.”

Adam chuckled. “Oh, she’s moving on from tears to sass.That’s probably a good sign.”

“Or I’m simply moving on,” Carys replied. “Only time willtell. I’d like the story, if you don’t mind telling it. Somehow I can’t imaginemy dad doing something to deserve sleeping on the ground.”

“Does Tris know you’re here?” Aidan asked, following themthrough the living room. The house was quiet, though it was midmorning. They’dhad a late night. He was surprised Cooper was sitting in the kitchen, a mug ofcoffee in his hand.

“He’ll know soon enough,” Adam said. “Morning, Coop.”

“I heard what was happening from Bri. Well, from Hunter, whoheard it from Devi, who heard it from Bri. Thought I would come over and see ifI could mitigate the damage,” Cooper offered. “Is she freaking out?”

There was zero question in Aidan’s mind who Coop was talkingabout. His friend was always concerned with Kala Taggart.

Adam snorted. “She thinks she’s untouchable when it comes tosecurity. She’s been touched, so yeah, she’s pissed. I already called her aunt,and she’s upping our security for a while. Daisy thinks she’s the one whodeleted my high-tech virtual assistant. I figured out it was Kala. This was abit of revenge. I know how to handle a Taggart.”

Aidan rather thought what Adam knew was how to havenever-ending prank wars with a Taggart.

Cooper grinned. “In her defense, the AI was nosy. And shedid not hold back on the relationship advice, which I believe was her downfallwith Kala.”

Adam sighed. “I thought it was probably something like that.I was training Tess in human relationships. I will admit she was extremelyconfident in her advice for an artificial intelligence who’s never actuallybeen in a relationship.”

“With anyone except you,” Aidan pointed out with a chuckle.“Aunt Serena hated her. I wouldn’t be surprised if she cheered Kala on.”

“Hence the light revenge,” Adam admitted. “Sometimes we getobsessed with projects we should let go of, with jobs that cause more problemsthan they do good.”

Cooper stood and grabbed a bag from the bar. “To the highlyparanoid, I assure you this revenge isn’t small. She’ll be freaking out aboutthe system for weeks. You know when you think about it, your revenge wasactually against me and Lou. Thanks so much, Uncle Adam. Luckily they hadchocolate croissants at Daphne’s Delights this morning. You guys are on yourown.”

---