And I’m glad for that, but now it’s happening, and I don’t want it to change her.
She hums and reaches down to cup Grant. He grunts and takes her hand.
“I didn’t wake you for that, baby girl. Up.”
Like she remembers why we’re here, she shoots upright with wild eyes.
The comm blinks again, and I tap it open without responding. Static and breathing fills the room. I’ve set the tracking software to find him, but it takes a little human intervention that has me typing furiously on my silent keyboard.
“Harper,” the voice drawls, smooth and poisonous. “I thought you were coming to rescue your friend. What a disappointment.”
Anger bleeds red into my vision.
“And that attempt by your men…you’d think amongst the three of them, they’d know a trap when they saw one, but I guess good pussy can distract even the best soldiers.”
“You will not talk to her like?—”
“Oliver. Cute that you’re pretending to matter here. But I didn’t ask for you, did I?” After a second’s pause where I grind my teeth, I remind myself why we set this up.
Iwillhave his life in my hands by the end of this.
“Harper, wake up, sweetheart. You’re missing the show. Sunny’s beenbeggingfor you. You wouldn’t want to disappoint her, would you?”
Harper is beside me a second later, and she leans into the desk where I’ve set up the comms.
“I’m not a patient man. The clock’s already ticking. Every second you waste letting Oliver play hero is a second closer to her not needing rescuing at all.”
“I’m here. Let me talk to her.”
“Mmm, not quite yet. Since I’m confident your hacker lover won’t find me for longer than he’d like. And I feel the need to ensure you understand me. Sunny is alive, but how long that lasts depends wholly on my discretion. Hear me, sweetheart?”
“Yes. I hear you. But you need to prove to me that sheisstill alive. Hear me?”
His laughter is warm, genuine. “Ah, there’s the attitude I’ve heard so much about. Your father did love to talk about you. So fond of his little brat.”
Harper’s face turns cold. That analyst comes out in her. “Aw, how sweet. Daddy talkandpet names? Careful, you’re going to make me think you actually like me.”
Her voice is bratty and needling, and I grin at the way she wields it.
“Now let’s skip the small talk and get to the part where you try to impress me with your hostage-handling skills.”
Trent slips back into the cabin, eyes narrowing.
The little fuck is right. I’m being bounced around the goddamn world trying to track his location.
“Mmm, I can’t wait to find another use for that smart mouth.”
Trent and Grant growl in unison, but Harper barely bats an eyelash. “You won’t be the first to try, nor the first to fail. Put Sunny on before I write you off as some limp dick who’s all talk.”
There’s a tense pause before he chuckles. “Challenge accepted, sweetheart. But again, before we get to Sunny, and I let her try to use whatever code the two of you little girls have, I’m going to give you your orders.”
The words travel through the room, and we’re all prepared to eviscerate this traitor.
“Since your men were so inept at retrieving her, you will leave them behind when you deliver my thumb drive and all your evidence to me. And then, you can have Sunny. Don’t mess it up.”
“When and where.”
“Wait at the little Italian cafe on Willow Ave in the morning. I’ll send you details when it’s time.”