Code Name: Ghost - Sawyer Bennett Page 0,36
her conviction like a badge of honor, and everyone in this room knows it was with the utmost integrity she took the fall for her crimes in order to save her country. It’s the highest order of heroism, and we both spoke via speakerphone with President Alexander this morning as he was signing the pardon, and he made sure Bebe understood our country was indebted to her for her actions.”
It’s at this moment Kynan risks a glance at Bebe, who is no longer blushing but actively crying. It stuns Kynan as he takes her in—tears streaming down her face as she listens to him.
He wisely decides to wrap it up. “So, let’s everyone toast to Bebe’s pardon, proclaiming our gratitude that she belongs to us, and well… everyone, let’s just have a great time tonight.”
Everyone yells and cheers. Kynan grabs Bebe and gives her a hard hug, then releases her so she can melt down the staircase and disappear into Griff’s arms.
“You’re crying,” Malik observes, tipping his head to look at my face.
I hadn’t realized it, and I brush the back of my hand across a wet cheek. “It’s just so wonderful, right?”
“Right,” he replies. He puts his arm around my shoulder, giving me a slight squeeze. I take a moment to lean my head against his shoulder before we break apart.
There was nothing awkward about it, either. Just a second where I got emotional, he acknowledged it without making a big deal or making me feel stupid about it, and then it was over.
“Want to get some food?” Malik suggests.
“Sure,” I reply, following him through the crowd to the buffet tables the caterers had set up.
There’s a short line, and we file in behind Cruce Britton. He glances over his shoulder at us, smiling brightly.
Turning, he holds his hand out to Malik, who takes it for a short pump. “Hey, man… good to see you back here.”
“Thanks,” Malik replies. “Good to be back.”
It’s strange in a way how even though Malik has technically been a member of Jameson for over six months, he’s still such a newbie since five of those months he spent as a prisoner. No one really knows him all that well and vice versa. In fact, these two men have only met on one other occasion, and that was the night before Jimmy and Malik were shipped out to Syria. It’s ironic it was the first time Cruce had met Jimmy as well, but he would never get the opportunity to know him any better. It’s a bitter pill to swallow as I watch the two men chat as we inch forward in the line.
Cruce’s gaze comes to me as he asks, “How’s the peanut? Growing like a weed?”
“Yes,” I exclaim, promptly pulling my phone out of my shoulder clutch to show him pictures.
“You need to send these to Barrett,” he says with a laugh. “She has baby fever.”
“Really?” I drawl, my eyebrows raised. “You two are trying?”
“When we’re on the same side of this continent,” he replies with bitter exaggeration.
Malik looks a little lost, so I fill him in. “Barrett travels back and forth to California. She’s helping a private research consortium out there develop a reactor to generate fusion energy.”
Malik looks slightly confused as he blinks his eyes. “Sounds like a smart woman.”
“Double PhDs in electrical engineering and physics,” Cruce replies proudly, his chest puffing out a little. Then he leans in toward Malik, gives a sly look around to ensure no one else is listening, and murmurs, “But don’t let that fool you. She’s hot as hell, too.”
I snort as Malik bursts out laughing. “Duly noted.”
We load our plates up with slices of carved beef tenderloin with spicy horseradish, Cajun boiled shrimp, glazed carrots, pasta salad, pork dumplings, and samplings from a charcuterie board. My plate has little piles neatly arranged while Malik’s is weighed down by a mountain of food.
Cruce joins us at a table already occupied by two other Jameson agents, Ladd McDermott and Jackson Gale. They were both hired after Malik got captured, so I make introductions.
Both men are easygoing and make Malik instantly feel welcomed. Ladd is one of our older agents at forty-one. He has premature salt-and-pepper hair he wears cropped short and brushed forward. His piercing blue eyes can look frosty at first glance, but he’s a pretty nice guy from what little interaction I’ve had with him. Kynan told me that he’s former CIA, which means he has some really good stories to tell I