Page 47 of Exposing Adonis

I snorted. That didn’t seem right. He wasn’t a mean person. He wasn’t a malicious man.

“Taking the lessons from Afghanistan and their Arbakai armies,” Joe said, referring to the informal militias that had been prevalent in the Pashtun areas. “He might not seem like it, but fits the personality.”

“How?” I brought my hands to the table, completely baffled. “He’s the most congenial guy I’ve ever met.”

“It’s all an act.” The two men said together.

Joe gave me a sheepish grin. “I’ve worked at his house for three years, and he’s not as nice as he seems.”

“What? Does he secretly whip you guys? Lock you in a crate?” Joe had to be joking. Right? I had worked for him too, and I had never heard a cruel word uttered about him.

“He’s a control freak.” Joe gave Brett a side eye, then sighed. “I know it’s hard to see, but he has a temper. Like, throwing-objects-at-his-staff, kind of temper.” He shook his head. “Or the threatening-to-get-you-deported temper.”

I couldn’t believe it. The man was all about charity and forgiveness …

“And he’s done it, too.” Joe interrupted my thoughts before I could get them fully formed. “Four times in the time I’ve known him. He accused people of snooping around his office.” He leaned forward, whispering, “He even had one guy arrested for stealing, because he overheard something between him and that creepy, tall body guard of his.”

“I don’t believe you.” Except I did. The twitchiness, the parallel lines he would make with his cutlery, his laptop, the way he fidgeted with his buttons. He was a perfectionist.

Joe smiled, sadly. But he didn’t push me. They both knew I believed them. It must have been written on my face. Again, I was shit at this trade craft.

“We need proof of this.” Brett turned to Joe. “We can’t make these accusations without proof. He’ll cover his tracks. Can you get into his office? His computers?”

“Maybe, but …” Joe looked over at me. “But Baas is anal as fuck about his office.” He shook his head. “He’s anal as fuck about his house, in general, but that office is a whole different thing. It’s always locked up. Plus, that weird Jason guy.” He put a finger to his lips and thought for a moment. “If we can get them all in one place with a distraction, we could probably break in, but I’m shit with lock picking.”

I groaned, inwardly. “I can get it open. It’s just my least favorite task.”

“That’s okay. That’s good, in fact,” Joe said, nodding. “I’m just not sure how to distract everyone.”

“You’ll have to find yourselves a target of opportunity,” said Brett. “I’ll get you a USB drive, stick it in his laptop and we can backdoor into his system. I’ll have my hacker get you something today.”

Brett tapped his finger on the table, as if the hamster in his head was working overtime again.

“We have a ma— apersonon the inside.“ He finally nodded, as if making up his mind to let us in. “I’m not supposed to make contact, because they’re in deep cover, but I can see if I can get word in. Get you some help.”

“Who is it?” I asked, knowing I wouldn’t get an answer.

Brett cocked a brow, then pursed his lips, making a zipping motion with his hand.

“Either way, I probably have to force my way back into the room with these people to help figure it out, huh?” I said.

“Bingo,” Brett said with a wink and a gun-finger point. “See? You’re not as dumb as you look, kid.”

Chapter 21

Callum

“Hey,sleepy.”Thedooropened a crack, and a little face peeked in. My woman. Finally.

I let out a sigh of relief and raised my good arm toward her.

She walked with hesitant steps, reaching a hand out. Her fingers touched my palm, grazing delicately against my skin. I used what feeble strength I had to pull her to my chest.

I wrapped my arms around her, not caring that the cables and IV tubes on my hands got snagged between us. I breathed that jasmine scent into my lungs, needing to feel her in all my senses. This was better medicine than whatever numbness they were pumping into my blood.

“Is your brother okay?” I asked, knowing that this would have been her first concern.

“Yes. You brought him back.” She tried to pull her head away from my chest, but I held her tighter. I wanted the clothes between us gone. I wanted to feel her skin. Her heat. I wanted her bare against my body, even if I was filthy under all the antibiotic creams, and sweat, and grime from the attack.

---