Page 42 of Mad Max

I barely recognize my heart speaking, as it’s always been a silent asshole that just sits and beats in my chest. But ever since she showed up, it’s been beating a bit differently. Still keeping me alive and all that, but I swear it has its own tempo when she’s around or I’m thinking about her. Which is almost all the time lately.

I go with the bastard, giving it one chance. If this blows up in my fucking face, I’ll never trust the damn organ again.

“I’m in. Now tell me everything.”

He smiles, and it crinkles his eyes at the corners. “Think this is the first time you’ve spoken so much in one sitting before. Either the club broke you or someone else did.”

I don’t answer that. My relationship with the fairy is not up for debate. I already know he’ll be against it, so I’m not bringing it up unless I absolutely have to. Not hiding it, just not volunteering shit that can hurt her. The only family she has left is the man across from me. And there’s one thing I’ve learned that’s 100 percent true: that girl loves her uncle. He was the first person to accept her for who she is and not what she can do for him. Might be the only person who can say that. Even the club and I want something from her, and accepting her quirks to get the information we want is our price. Not much of the remorseful type, but I’m feeling that right now as I realize just how much I’ve used this woman without knowing it.

First time was just to get out of dealing with the bullshit at the club. The next time was to get a feeling that I’ve never had before, forcing her to take it, even if she liked it. The third is keeping her at the club against her will. She didn’t fight it, but no one likes to be caged. Trust me.

He just hums at my lack of response before he gives up what I want to know.

“The agency recruited her two years before I got locked up.”

I thought nothing could surprise me, but boy, was I fucking wrong. “The…?”

He nods, filling in what I ain’t saying out loud. “Yeah, same one I was with.”

She fucking works for the CIA? What the fuck? I know they lock their shit down, but fuck. This might explain why Flint didn’t find much on her. They clean their shit like the best of them.

“She still in?”

“No. Once I got arrested, we all made a deal. Boo wasn’t to be touched, and she would find other employment. Nothing would go on her record, and the entire thing would be swept under the rug. But….”

Fucking knew it wasn’t that simple. Leaving the agency never is, or so I’ve been told.

“But what? She didn’t want to go? They changed their mind?”

He snickers as he leans back, interlacing his fingers before resting them on his stomach. “You’ve gotten antsy since you left here.”

“Ain’t antsy, just want to know what the fuck is going on.”

“She left. She didn’t have a feeling on whether or not she should stay. She’s not one to let emotion drive her.”

“Yeah, I know,” I grunt but wish I hadn’t.

Travis glares for a second, and I feel the tension radiating off him. His jaw is set, and I know the cogs are turning in his head as he tries to figure out just how well I know his niece. He doesn’t ask, though, just continues on as if I said nothing.

“While they might have been the ones to let her go, it was also them who reached out again in the end, wanting her to do some consulting for them.”

“Consult how?”

He leans back in, getting as close as he can without the guards saying we need to separate. I lean in as well, not wanting to miss anything.

“Your club run a check on her?”

I nod. I don’t hate that we did it—it’s how we operate. Always need to check out anyone we bring into the club, especially someone who was attempting to buy a person a few hours before.

“You guys know what she does for a living?”

“Runs lie detectors. Finds cheating spouses and shit like that.”

He shakes his head, but at least he ain’t laughing at what we found.

“She doesn’t run them. She is one.”

I give it a second but still don’t get it, and I shake my head to show I’m misunderstanding what he’s trying to tell me.

---