Page 34 of Sloth
“Yeah, Barry. He got the girl, and they’re happily married. They saved our lives. Because of their sacrifice, the Deadly Seven protect the innocent and the redeemable, every day.”
Barry’s eyes glistened and he gave a curt nod.
“Instead of destroying them, you can save lives too, Barry.”
Walking away, Sloan knew she’d done the right thing. Barry could be reached. He’d call. And if he didn’t, they had his fingerprints, and a high definition photograph of his face. It was all she needed to create a synthetic match to fool the biometrics at the black site. They’d get into that black site one way or another.
When Sloan left the ballroom, she disconnected the call with Flint and made her way to the elevator. She checked to make sure no one was around, then said loud enough so Parker and Tony could hear. “We got what we came for.”
Crackling feedback was her response, then Parker’s:“And more. Risky, Sloan. Not happy. Not happy at all. You could have completely taken away our anonymity. If he snitches, they’ll know we’re coming.”
“They know our true identities. And if he snitches about us being here, we’ll know by the morning,” Sloan added. “But he won’t.”
Parker cursed. “You’re done for the night. Go back to the room.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but shut it, heat flaming her cheeks. Why was she defending herself like a child? She was a grown woman, a part of this team, and he was sending her to her room like a naughty kid. This leadership role was going to Parker’s head.
“Good,” she said. “I don’t want to stay out here with you losers anyway.”
“Harsh, Sloanie.”Tony’s voice was punctuated by some feminine giggling. “You should use the time to work out your shit.”
Work out my shit?Oh, now she was definitely pissed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You will soon.”Tony laughed. “Don’t wait up. I’m off to do what I do best.”
Ass-wipe. While he got to have fun, boozing it up and no doubt satiating his desire for gluttony with women, she was told to relax and work out her shit. Riled and irritated, she stormed toward the lobby.Damn these heels.And the thong giving her an eternal wedgie. She was dying to get back into her Converse.
After a few moments, the elevator doors opened. Empty. Thank God. She entered and swiped her card for the top level. Just as the doors were closing, a tall, lithe body slipped in on light feet.
Max.
He waited for the doors to shut before speaking. “You and I need to talk.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t want to talk about the mission. Had enough from my jerk brothers.” She pulled her mic at her strap and growled into it: “Jerk. Jerk. Jerk.”
Max’s wince of pain made her smile. If Parker and Tony still had their pieces in, they would feel the shout in their ear too.
She plucked the little instrument from her strap and stuffed it into her clutch, along with her earpiece. She made the gimme sign to Max until he did the same. Damn her brothers listening in on every word she said.
“You know what I meant.” Max untied his tie and popped his collar. “You and me. I think we need to get it all out in the open.”
She blinked, looking at him properly for the first time all night. She hated to admit it, but he worked that simple tuxedo like a model. The understated charm suited her much better than the flash of most gala attendees. His hair, as usual, was trim and simple. Still always somehow lighter at the tips, as though years of time in the sun and salt water had ingrained in his DNA.
“Sloan?” He angled to face her. “I swear to God if you avoid this conversation—”
The elevator jerked to a halt and she stumbled, palm flying out to his hard chest for support. What the hell?
They both stilled at the contact, and then Sloan jumped back until her shoulders hit the cold press of the mirrored glass around the cabin.
Max swiped his room card at the security fob, and hit their floor button, but the elevator wouldn’t move.
“Are we stuck?” he asked. He pressed the emergency call button, but it didn’t connect. When his wary gaze met Sloan’s, she knew something was up. For a second, she feared Parker was right. Barry had gone straight to his employers and this was their doing. They were trapped in an elevator, half way up a multilevel hotel building. Shit.
“Give me a minute.” Sloan pulled out her cell and dialed. “AIMI, it’s Sloan.”
“I’ve been expecting your call.”
“Hey, I said maybe I’ll check in. Not definitely.” Sloan put the cell on speaker so Max could hear.
