Page 56 of Embedded
“Look, I don’t want to be that guy,” John made us whirl around, “but these little bro talks that you two keep having is giving me a fucking complex.”
I rolled my eyes as I walked by him. “You’ve been spending way too much time with Mark,” I growled.
“First, fuck you, and second, whose fault is that?” He followed as I headed into the living room to find my son and eat something. “You know you’re still in the doghouse.”
I laughed. “You gonna wear a fedora next?”
“Words hurt, guys,” Mark, who was fucking everywhere yelled.
John rounded in front of me and stuck a finger in my face. “Okay, tell me what went down in Washington.”
“What?” I spotted Nicole and Chase in the kitchen. She smiled at me when we locked eyes. God, she was pretty. John put a hand on my arm and raised a brow at me.
“Soooo, anything else you want to share?”
“What? No.”
“Uh-huh. Okay, we’ll let that go for now. But hey,” he smacked my shoulder, “Cole said Frank pulled you aside, and afterward you went all shut down. What happened?” The heavy weight I’d carried since my meeting with Frank doubled and my face fell. “All right, so it’s something big.”
“John.” I couldn’t find the right words to even say it. “I?—”
Sloane, who could sense her husband’s mood, was suddenly by his side. “Why do you look like this? What’s going on?”
“Paul?” Frank suddenly appeared. Fuck, when had he gotten here? “A word.”
I wanted to tell my brother everything, but I couldn’t.
TWELVE
NICOLE
“What is in these things?” The women behind the counter with the push up bra and plastic boobs snarled as she awkwardly lifted one of the boxes onto the scale. “This is going to cost a lot, you know.”
“I know.” I gave June a sideways glance as she gently bounced a sleepy Chase in the stroller. He was making great progress but was still not a hundred percent. He got tired quickly and mostly wanted to be held by me. I had to work hard not to hold him as much. Ivy warned he was becoming too attached, and when I had to leave, it would be hard on him.
“This one will be ninety-five.” The woman raised her drawn-on brow.
June moved to stand next to me. “She’s under Cole’s account, Christina.”
Oh, boy. The woman’s face went from pissy to full-on disgust. “Is that so?”
“Yes.” June rolled her eyes then did a three-number countdown on her fingers where the woman couldn’t see them.
“Let me guess. Since Keith has some bimbo from out of town, you must dating Paul.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. June was right on the money. She warned me the UPS office in Redstone held a few generations of crazy women, and this one did not disappoint.
“I’m a cousin of John’s, actually.” As much fun as it was to play, I didn’t need any enemies. “My husband and three kids are down the street getting hot cocoa.”
Her expression eased, and I could practically hear her claws retract.
“Oh, good.” She tapped the computer screen a little kinder. “The total for the three boxes is $32.55.” I handed her my credit card, thinking Blackstone had quite the discount. “You have friends in Mexico?”
“No, just preparing for my next adventure.” I smiled and held up the receipt as I headed to open the door for June. “Thank you for your help.” I knew I was low on supplies and had to make sure my contacts in Mexico would have what I’d need when I got there. I also made sure I sent my friend Mari her favorite perfume as a thank you.
I glanced at June once we were away from the door. “Wow!”
“Let me guess,” Mark rolled his eyes as he stepped out of the running vehicle, “you met the famous manhunter Christina?”
