Page 4 of Call Sign: King
“Scalpel it is, unless he can come up with something better later.” Torch answered. “Let’s just hope he doesn’t get much practice with his knife.”
Ryder silently agreed.
“I want to know why the King decided to come with us today. Didn’t you have any papers that needed pushing?” Someone teased from the safety of the other helicopter.
“He’s trying to avoid going home.”
The voice coming through everyone’s headset belonged to Ryder’s oldest friend, Axel. By the look on everyone’s face, they, too, had forgotten that while Wrath was on the ground back at The Ranch, he had full access to their communication link.
“Why the hell would he avoid that sweet Queen he has waiting for him back home? I’d never fucking leave the house if I had her waiting in my bed,” Tank teased.
Normally, Ryder would have agreed. But today was different, and he’d obviously made a mistake in confiding in his friend.
“I suggest you shut the fuck up, Wrath,” Ryder warned.
“You don’t scare me, King,” Axel countered bravely.
“Like seriously,” Tank pressed. “You have trouble in your kingdom?” he asked from the bench opposite Ryder. All eyes on him, there would be no escaping the team’s curiosity.
Ryder cleared his throat, unsure if he wanted to say the next sentence out loud. Maybe if he never vocalized it, it wouldn’t come to fruition.
He could tell them all to fuck off — that it was none of their business, only, what he was about to do was their business. His actions could potentially put them all in harm’s way and that meant he owed them the truth.
“The Queen and I recently celebrated our second wedding anniversary,” he started.
“Lucky sonofabitch,” MacGyver said as he heard similar comments from the other helicopter.
“You in the doghouse? Did you forget to buy her something?” Hawkeye asked.
His question was the perfect lead-in for Ryder. “She didn’t want me to buy her anything.”
“Oh man, they may say that, but they never mean it.”
“I’d have rather bought her something. That would be easy. The only thing she asked for was for me to join her on the red carpet tonight at the premier party for her newest release.”
Whistles and catcalls from most team members confirmed for Ryder just how big of a deal this was. Men like him lived their lives in the shadows. They don’t step in front of the paparazzi’s cameras.
“Brave man. No wonder you’re out here slumming it with us. I’d hate the thought of getting in a penguin suit too.”
“It’s not the tuxedo that worries me,” Ryder admitted. “I’ve been shot, stabbed, and beaten in the line of duty, and I’d rather live through all of those things a dozen times before getting my photo taken with her in public. It honestly scares the bejesus out of me.”
He’d never said anything like those words out loud before, and based on the wide eyes of the deadly team of mercenaries, Ryder had shocked them all into silence.
It was Reaper who was finally brave enough to ask. “So why the hell do it? Surely, she understands how facial recognition software works… how dangerous it will be to be seen in public with you.”
“Actually, she doesn’t. I rarely share the details of our missions with Khloe. When we first met, she understood, but we’ve had no problems for the last four years. She’s been lulled into thinking I’d been exaggerating the danger in the past.”
“It’s probably fine. You told me you rarely go out on missions anymore, right?” Arrow asked.
“It’s not our current targets I’m worried about,” Ryder admitted. “I was deep cover for thirteen years. I’ve left a string of enemies a mile long.”
“Yeah, but they’re all in Europe, right?” someone else asked.
“Khloe Monroe is an international star. There is no place on this planet she can go without being recognized.” Familiar dread coiled in his gut, thinking about what would happen if one of his old enemies knew how important she was to him.
How much easier their lives would be if she were a doctor or an accountant… someone outside of the public arena.
Ryder rejected the thought immediately.
