of a file and hands me the top piece of paper. “Here’s the transcript. They’re arranging funds to be wired overseas. We’re still trying to figure out who the recipient is and what’s being done with the money. But your gal,” Grady points to me, “and your guy,” he points to Bella who reaches out to grab my hand, “are in cahoots.” He continues to look at Bella. “Told you I’m a betting man, but I wouldn’t’ve taken that wager.”
I take the paper and Bella leans in to scan it too.
It’s true. And we’re talking a lot of fucking money—more than any senator should have at any given time if he’s serving his country, as he should be. This is where his kickbacks are going. But what is he supporting and what the fuck does Sisson have to do with it?
“Right,” Jarvis agrees and I look up. He’s standing there with his arms crossed. “This is enough to make my head spin. It’s so much easier putting a bullet through someone’s head.”
“This is all fun and games when it’s a mystery on the back of a cereal box we’re trying to solve with a sugar-coated magic ring. But this shit is real and not what we do.” Grady levels his glare on me. Gone is the fun guy who picked us up from the airport. “You might be the CIA but what we’re doing isn’t sanctioned by the Agency or anyone else. We didn’t sign up for this. We’ve got families to think about—wives, kids,” he throws Jarvis a glance. “Even my sister—who I still can’t believe is a part of this life—is now in the mix. What I’m asking is, what do we do when we get to the end of the maze?”
My jaw goes hard. I don’t take my eyes off him but I do put my arm around Bella and pull her front to my side.
Ozzy stands silent.
“Fuck,” Asa mutters.
Jarvis takes a step forward and his tone comes out with a warning. “Grady—”
“No, Jarvis,” Grady stops him and turns to Crew. “What do we do then?”
Crew looks down at the table where his index finger traces the woodgrain, as if it’ll lead him to the answer. His chest expands and he nods, as if finding the meaning of life in the complex lines of its history. Leaning forward, hands flat to the wood, he lets his head hang before lifting it and piercing everyone around the room with his dark eyes.
Those eyes finally settle on the woman I plan to marry and make a mother to Abbott and my future children.
You know, in time.
“Bella, you’ve done a lot for me. Dedicated and always coming through for me when I need you.” Crew looks to Grady and then to Jarvis. “She helped get to Gracie and saved your ass. She’s one of us. So when we get to the end, we finish it,” Crew says. “That, we know how to do. I’m not in the business of waiting on the justice system or letting politics or the media fuck things up. We’ll do what we always do. I’ll sleep better at night—we all will. We’ll do it for Bella and Carson and Red and Abbott. It’s what we’ve always done.”
“Fuck, yeah we will,” Asa agrees and looks to me and Bella. An almost evil smile plays on his lips as he hikes a brow. “Welcome to Crew’s fucked-up family.”
Chapter 24
Up Your Game
Bella
“I’m sleep deprived, haven’t worn makeup since we brought Aimée home, and am up to my ears in laundry,” she says without looking at me as she questions me about everything. “I don’t have the energy to be subtle,”
“Please, Addy, let me help with something.”
Crew’s wife, Addy, turns from where she’s standing at her kitchen sink loading the dishwasher. I have asked countless times to help. Food, dishes, change a nappy—though I’d have to figure that one out. She insists she’s simply happy I’m here since she hasn’t had the chance to dote over me like Gracie and Keelie have. She sits me down at her farmhouse table which is longer than an eight-day week and pours me a glass of wine.
“Are you kidding?” She sways as she talks, patting the baby on its bum where the little one snoozes, wrapped inside something that looks like a kangaroo pouch tied to Addy’s chest. “I’m thrilled you came because I want to know all the things. Crew thinks a lot of you and considers you essential to his