Page 130 of Redemption

“Whatever you saw in the file, that’s what was in the new recruitment file,” he finally answered.

“What was in his goddamn file?” Sugar snapped.

Parker stopped typing, rolled his lips together, and shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Sugar spun on her heel. “Brock?”

“Chill. Parker’s working on getting the team back online—”

“Assuming they’re alive,” Sugar said what no one had dared mentioned out loud.

“And,” Brock continued, “a sat feed up. Let him work.”

Her dark eyebrows arched. Telling Boss Man’s wife no wasn’t easy. Telling her no when it was Sugar was a thousand times harder, and double that when her husband was one of the men who wasn’t coming back online.

None of Delta knew firsthand but all were well versed in the history between Jared, Brock, and Sugar. There had been problems of loyalty, safety, and friendship. For Brock to tell her to stand down could be dangerous, the repercussions of a civil war after Jared and Brock had made peace.

“Simple question: Tell me how is Jax connected to the CIA?” Sugar changed tactics, and Ryder didn’t see that question coming.

Judging by a quick look around, neither did the rest of the room, except Parker and Brock. Both men kept poker faces. Jax and the CIA didn’t sound as though they belonged in the same sentence. Seriously, the asshole was one of those irresponsible, couldn’t-say-a-nice-thing Navy SEALs types, always looking for a fight.

“I can’t,” Brock said.

“Can’t or won’t?” Her smoky eyes narrowed into evil, lethal snake eyes.

Brock stood up, his chair shooting back from the table. “Stand down.”

“Really?” She put her hands on her hips. “We have no comms, little visuals, and you’re not even asking me why I want to know.”

“Doesn’t matter this second. So sit your ass down, or get the fuck out.”

“I—”

“Those are your only options. I don’t care about the who or how until I know if they’re alive.”

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

“It’s done.” Tex said.

Victoria watched the flashing box, the one that she didn’t arm but hadn’t protested when Lenora gleefully did, and felt peace. When Mayhem cut her call off with Ryder, tears had poured. She had never been more terrified that someone wouldn’t listen to her in her entire life.

But it was Ryder. Despite the absurd ground rules Mayhem had set, not letting Delta know about the rigged explosions in case they wanted to be “save the day heroes” and help the bad guys in addition to clearing the weapons, Victoria knew that he’d make sure the right thing happened.

His team respected him. She’d conveyed what she could.

And now the Russians were dead.

Lenora lit her joint and took a long, slow pull from it, offering it to Victoria as she had a bottle of beer. Victoria graciously refused the joint as well.

“Feels good, doesn’t it?” Lenora asked.

That two men had died? Would she admit to that out loud? “I’m glad they can’t take anyone else and sell them.”

Lenora rolled the edge of the burning tip along an ashtray, sculpting the red ember, then rolled the joint carefully in her fingers as she inspected her work. “I hope they burn first. Nice and slow.”

Victoria did too. Maybe that didn’t make her innocent or an angel. But she never claimed to be. “Maybe I’ll take one hit.”

Lenora passed her the joint.When in Rome…

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