Page 117 of Fractured Future
“I agree.” Warner nods thoughtfully.
“Madden knew where Ember was. He saved her from Gael and delivered her straight into our laps. Why would he help us if he works for Gael?”
“Beats me. If he’s embroiled in the trafficking ring, he doesn’t stand to gain from double-crossing them.”
“Exactly,” I hum in confusion.
“We didn’t know Madden was sniffing around when this mess began. It will feel shitty, but we have to wait. We need more time to figure out what his play is.”
“Do we?”
Warner’s intense blue gaze fixes on me. “What are you suggesting?”
Stringing my thoughts together, I’m thankful Hyland isn’t here. He’d have my spine ripped out and tossed from the window in a heartbeat if he knew what I’m thinking.
“Madden contacted Ember to offer information. He gave her a location and invited her right in. We’d be foolish not to use his interest in her to our advantage.”
“Absolutely not,” Warner instantly disagrees, his forehead creasing. “I’m not letting that snake anywhere near Ember ever again.”
“This is our way in.”
“I said no! End of discussion. We’re here to keep Ember safe, not expose her to wanted criminals.”
“Right…”
“That’s final, Ax.”
“Sure. I hear ya.”
Hyland gets a bad rap for being stubborn, distracting from the fact that Warner’s just as hard-headed at times. His insistence on defending Ember is laughably transparent.
Even letting her on the team is a guise to have her close. No one searches for a missing person for half a decade out of brotherly obligation. I doubt he even realises what’s fuelling his desire to have her safe and sound at his side.
But I do.
Oh, I’ve noticed it alright.
His refusal to let her near Blaine Madden isn’t coming as a team leader. It’s not even coming from his sense of duty as Tom’s best friend. He’s simply longing for the one thing he can’t have, the one thing off-limits to him.
Ember.
“Now that we’ve identified the meeting location, we can stage an offensive at their next gathering.” Warner nods to himself. “I want those sickos arrested and interrogated.”
“There were twenty assailants, at least.”
“Then we have two weeks to plan a safe take-down.” He tears off a fresh sheet of paper from his memo pad then grabs a pen. “Enrolling the Falcon Team will bulk up our numbers. We take them hard and fast.”
Watching the invisible cogs turn in his mind, my thoughts stray back to the red-haired goddess with a tongue softer than velvet. Fuck, I can’t remember that hot kiss without getting hard.
I’ve been searching for the opportunity to pin her delicious curves to the floor and bruise her mouth with mine again. Now that the little minx is living with us… perhaps it’ll come sooner than I think.
“And Ember? You know she won’t sit this raid out.”
Warner swallows, his neck muscles working. “Then she has two weeks to train and be ready for her first active operation.”
Two weeks.
She’s in for a fucking baptism of fire.
