Page 27 of Wild Card (The Trident Trilogy 3)

Mason, Virginia Beach, Virginia, 2020

After I watch Millie and Mack walk out the door, I spin around and charge at JJ.

“Man, what the fuck is your problem?” I say, shoving him up against the wall. “If you come at her again, I will kill you.”

He doesn’t try to fight back. He just stares at me. “So that’s your choice, huh?”

“Are you asking me to choose between you and Millie?” I take a few steps back, shaking my head slowly. “Because if you are, it’s her, hands down. It’s her before anyone. It’s her before anything. Not even close.”

He pushes himself off the wall. “I guess that’s it then. Fifteen years of friendship gone because of some girl.”

“You know damn well she’s not ‘some girl.’ I’m in love with her. I’m going to spend the rest of my life with her. If you end our friendship because of that, that’s on you, not me.”

“Why don’t you go on home to her then?” he says, purposely bumping my shoulder as he walks by me. “Echo Team’s got some things to talk about, and I guess that doesn’t involve you anymore.”

“I’m going home to her as soon as possible, but I’ve got something I need to talk to you about first. I asked Culver to let me be the one to tell you.”

He whips around. “What? Did you have him pull me off as team lead? I say something bad about your girlfriend and you try to take down my career?”

“I’m the one who fucking got you the job, asshole? Culver didn’t think you were ready to lead. I talked him into it.”

I regret saying it instantly. He looks like someone just shot him right in the face.

He takes a step back over to me. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m not talking about anything.” I look up and run my hands roughly over my face. “I told you, you’re going to be a great team leader.”

“But Culver doesn’t want me there? Is that what you’re saying?” His voice shakes with anger. “You had to beg him to take me?”

I put my hand on his shoulder. He shoves it off quickly. “I didn’t beg him, Jay. He just wasn’t sure. He probably wasn’t sure of me at first either. It’s no big deal.”

He laughs wildly. “You know damn well no one ever questioned the great Mason Davis. They’ve been rolling out the red carpet for you since the day you entered the program. So, is that what you want to tell me—that Culver isn’t sure of me? Message received. Thanks for that, best friend.”

I take a deep breath. “That’s not what I wanted to tell you. The CIA director wants Millie and me for a special assignment. We’re leaving tomorrow. We’re taking Butch, Hawk, and Raine with us. You’re going to have to get mission-ready with some new guys and a new agent. I know it puts you a few days behind. I’m sorry it’s going to jam you up, but it’s happening.”

“Un-fucking-believable.” He looks down and exhales a breath forcefully. “I thought you had my back, but you’re trying everything you can to sink me.”

“That’s not what this is, man.”

“That’s exactly what it is—everything for her. Just leave. Go back to her. You’re not doing anyone any good here.”

I nod and look at him for a few more seconds before I slowly turn around.

“She must have some really sweet pussy—”

The words are barely out of his mouth before I send him to the ground with a hard right hook. I jump on top of him and land a few more punches before Hawk and Ty pull me off.

“Don’t you ever talk about her again!” I yell as I wrestle to get free. I’ve almost broken away from them when Butch and Bryce step in front of me. The four of them start pushing me toward the door. I’m pointing at JJ. “You don’t look at her! You don’t talk to her! You don’t even fucking think about her!”

They manage to get me out the door. Hawk and Butch pin me against the wall with Ty and Bryce at the ready as reinforcements.

“Go home, Mase,” Butch says. “You’ve got to go home right now. Just walk away. It’s not worth it.”

“We’ll see you tomorrow, brother,” Hawk says, trying to guide me toward my car. “Let’s get to Rome and forget about all this over a bunch of Peronis.”

My eyes are still focused on the bar’s door, but I’m starting to nod. I know they’re right. I want to kill JJ right now, but it’s not worth it. I finally stop resisting and walk to my car. I nod at them as I get in.

It takes me about two of the usual ten minutes to drive from the bar to my house. I want to see Millie so badly right now. When I pull into the driveway, Mack’s sitting on my front porch. Millie’s nowhere to be seen.

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