So no, we wouldn’t go there.
“You’re right,” I told him, tapping the kretek in the crystal ashtray. “I fucked up. I should’ve kept the tracker in, made my move, and apologized later.”
“Oh yes, because that would’ve beensomuch better.” King sighed and rubbed a hand over the stubble lining his granitelike jaw. “I’ll put up with a lot, Theo, you know that, and I give a lot of leeway, but this? This doesn’t just impact you. Why can’t you understand that?”
“I do understand that. I just don’t think it’s that big a deal. It wasn’t me. Everything on that video is fake.”
“Except the explosion and the fact you were in Istanbul.”
“But not where they said I was.”
“I’m not going to rehash this again.”
Thank God.If I had to explain this again, I might go to the top floor of Libertine and throw myself off.
“You’ve said your piece and I’ve said mine. What I expect now is for you to tell me you will never, under any circumstance, do this again.”
“So you want me to lie?”
“Goddamn it, Theo,” King boomed, and it wasn’t hard to work out thatwasn’twhat he wanted.
“I’m just trying to be honest. I’m not really known for thinking over my actions?—”
“Which in this instance has led to someone threatening your life.”
“Wait, what do you mean?”
King slid an envelope across the desk, and I put the cigarette in the ashtray and reached for it.
You have a snake in your midst. Cut off its head…or I will.
“The fuck does that mean?” I shot to my feet and shook the letter at King. “Snake? They’re implying I’m a fuckingtraitor?”
“They’re definitely not being subtle about it, and, well, you haven’t exactly been forthcoming, have you?”
I cursed in French and spun away from him. This was getting out of hand. I had no clue who was doing this or why. But one thing was for certain—they’d better hope they cut my head off first, otherwise they were going to wish they were fucking dead.
“But beyond that,” King continued, bringing my attention back to him, “I’m most concerned with the second part of the note. The threat.”
I scoffed. “I dare them to come for me.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
“I’m not.” I narrowed my eyes, my blood suddenly humming with the prospect of a fight. “I’d relish the face-to-face.”
“That’s exactly what I want to talk to you about. I think the smartest thing for you to do right now is go underground.”
“Excuse-moi?I’m sorry, but it just sounded like you said you want me to run and hide.”
“Not hide, per se, but keep a low profile.”
“A.k.a. hide.” I rested my hands on top of one of the high-back chairs and glared at my boss. “I’m not going to do that. Ican’tdo that. I have family obligations.”
King drummed his fingers on the tabletop, and I could see his mind working behind those dark eyes. If he thought I was going to run from a threat, he had another thing coming.I didn’t run, and I certainly never hid from a fight.
I was about to put up another protest when he held a finger up and picked up his phone. Seconds later, Shep stepped inside the meeting room, and if I thought the tension had been running high before, it now positively crackled in the air.
Put together as ever in his three-piece suit, Shep’s eyes immediately found King before shifting to me.
