Page 58 of Wild Card (The Trident Trilogy 3)

The news makes her hesitate like I knew it would. As she double-clutches her grip on the gun, I jump up and land a right hook squarely between the top of her cheek and temple—just like Dad taught me. She crumples to the ground.

“Millie! Back up!” I look up to see our agent Brad following some Italian SWAT into the piazza. They slowly circle us.

I raise my hands as I back up. Brad leans over Amina and checks her pulse.

“She’s alive,” he says, looking up at me, “but damn, you knocked her clean out.”

He stands up and reaches his arm up for a high-five.

“How did you lose her? She almost killed me, you asshole,” I say, slapping his arm away from me as I take my cell phone out of my pocket.

“Dad?”

“Millie, oh my God, sweetie.” He lets out a huge breath. “What happened? Are you okay? Are you safe? Who’s this guy you’re talking to? Put me on the phone with him right now. Is he responsible for this?”

“Dad, I’m fine. It was Amar’s wife. She was involved in Sayid’s network. She had a gun. I knocked her out. I’m fine. I’ll explain later. Stay on the phone with me, okay?” I swat Brad’s hands away again as he tries to help me toward the waiting car.

Brad opens the car door. “Let’s get back to the villa. The director’s jet is waiting for you when you’re ready, but I guess it’ll just be you since Raine’s headed to Jbad with the team. I can fly home with you if you want company.”

“Hard pass,” I say, scowling at him as I block him from getting in the back with me. “You’re in the front with the driver. Raine, are you still on the phone?”

“Yeah, Mills,” she says. “You okay?”

“I’m fine. Did you hear everything?”

“Yeah, I’m on it. I’ll find out who’s responsible for losing her.”

“I didn’t know you went with the team. I thought you were still here,” I say slowly. “Maybe don’t tell Mason about this for now.”

“Tell him about what?” she says, laughing. “I’m hanging up now. I’ll call you later.”

I hear her line drop. “Dad?”

“Millie, what the fuck?”

“It’s my job, Dad,” I say quietly. “It happens sometimes.”

“You could have died—”

“No, not this time. She wasn’t any match for me. Someone taught me how to defend myself at a very young age.”

“I taught you self-defense to fight off asshole men,” he says sternly. “Not to defend yourself against armed terrorists.”

“Well, you’ll be happy to know it works on both,” I say as the car pulls up in front of the villa. “Hey, Dad. I need to get cleaned up and pack. I’ll call you when I get on the plane. Will you pick me up at the base when we land?”

“I’m headed there now—”

“Dad,” I say, smiling. “We won’t arrive until tomorrow morning.”

“On time is late, Mills.” He pauses for a second. “Just get back here, okay? I’ll be waiting.”

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