In A Fix - Mary Calmes Page 0,36
wasn’t my place to blow their undercover operation, or whatever it became. “So he went home.”
“Good,” he said, sighing deeply before reaching out and taking hold of my shoulder. “You’ve been a real lifesaver, Croy. If you’re ever in Bridgeport, please look me up.”
I nodded and thanked him, because that was the human thing to do, but it was never going to happen. I’d spent a little less than twenty-four hours with Brig Stanton’s “crew,” and I couldn’t have cared less whether I ever saw a single one of them again.
Dallas Bauer, however, had all my interest. Him I wanted to dissect.
“Get home safely,” I replied to Chase, careful not to smile since I knew it would look not only fake but pained as well.
“I will,” he said, sighing as Aiden walked up beside him and draped his arm around his shoulders, leaning in close before he eased him away from the bar.
Watching Aiden lead Chase over to the group he was sitting with, I turned to find Dallas right behind me.
“Oh,” I said, startled, “I was coming back to talk to you.”
“How would I know that? You just walked away.”
“I told you to hold on,” I reminded him, surprised at how snarly he was, irritable and prickly. “Which basically translates to wait.”
“I don’t wanna wait,” he growled, his brow so furrowed that it looked permanent. “I want you to fuckin’ siddown and talk to me.”
“How could I say no to such a charming offer?” I teased him. The glare I got in return was more petulant than scary. “Come on, let’s sit,” I directed, grabbing hold of the lapel of his suit jacket and pulling him after me over to the sunken living room.
Flopping onto one end of a supple leather couch, I yanked him down beside me so we were shoulder to shoulder.
“Talk,” he ordered, but didn’t move, didn’t straighten up, content, it seemed, to be wedged against me.
“I think,” I began, turning my head to look at him, at the coppery scruff on his face, his carved mouth and hooded eyes, “that Brig is letting Eric know what he wants his future to look like, and that Nolan is, right at this very second, finally making his feelings clear to his brother’s ex-girlfriend before she rips out his heart and feeds it to him.”
“Wait,” he groused, holding up his hand, and then stopped. “What?”
“Your op is running concurrently with people figuring out the rest of their lives.”
“No-no-no—I don’t have time for this shit.”
“I don’t think what you have time for is really of any consideration.”
He rubbed his eyes with one hand.
“When do you imagine that Suárez will make contact?”
“We suspect very soon.”
“You know, I was serious at the office; I should take Brig’s place, because he can’t lie to save his life.”
“And you’re what, the world’s best liar?”
“No, but I’m better than Brig, and I’ve had training, not to mention that people have seen us together, so anyone Suárez asks about me will report back that we’re close.”
“All they have to do is run your ID.”
“Please, you’re the FBI, you can change my ID into anything you want.”
He was quiet.
“It’s safer for Brig if I play intermediary.”
“But not safer for you.”
“Who cares about me? I’m the bodyguard. It’s my job.”
“You––”
“And besides, like I was trying to tell you before, Brig is going to be useless to you anyway. He’s too caught up in figuring out his life.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
“It means that once he tells his board he’s going to marry a man, he might no longer be in line to be CEO, and you’ll be looking to get Nolan to wheel and deal for you.”
“That would be a disaster. There’s no way Suárez goes from planning to deal with Brig only to pivot to Nolan. It won’t happen, and we’ll lose this chance.”
“Then you should fix my ID now, and make me the contact.”
“You won’t be able to guard Brig, then.”
“What does it matter? If I have the target on my back, instead of Brig, I’m actively doing my job.”
He had no comment.
“And won’t I have you to guard me?”
“Yeah, but––”
“The only danger to Brig is this op,” I told him. “If I removed him from this situation, he’s no longer in danger, and my company has fulfilled its duties.”
“Your boss will never allow you to be placed in danger.”
“I’m here to protect Brig, and as I pointed out, what would be better than this? My boss will be thrilled.”
“He shouldn’t be. I know