“I’m sorry, but am I the only one herewho thinks this idea sounds absurd?”
I’ve kept my mouth shut longenough, and mainly because I was feeling so fucking lucky that Roeder didn’t flatout fire me without asking further questions. But as we allow this charade to continue,I’m starting to think everyone’s lost their goddamn minds.
“How do we even know this willwork?” I ask.
“It’s the best shot we have,”Debra says.
“And Roeder, if I’m out in theopen like that, what’s to keep someone from investigating me? Finding out Iwork for the FBI?”
“As far as the world is concerned,you’re Bryce O’Riley, a professional bodyguard with a history in the KansasCity Police Department. We’ll fudge a few more facts. We’ll do what we wouldwith any other undercover operation. And when reporters go fishing forinformation, they’ll find exactly what we want them to find. And when thisassignment ends, we can just say that you guys broke up. Totally believable.”
I look to Darren, who’s still wide-eyed,but now because he seems to be the only other guy in the room who realizes howinsane this all is.
Once again, everyone is busyworried about saving their asses, and no one is considering why I’m reallyhere: to protect Tad.
Twenty-Two
Tad
“What the fuck?” Bryce asks as he follows me into my hotelroom.
“I’m sorry. How did I fucking knowthere would be a camera on us? I don’t even get where that guy was hiding.”
“I can’t believe I didn’t lose myjob.”
“I know. That was so close.”
“This is why we shouldn’t havebeen fucking around.”
“It’s a little late for us to feelbad about what we’ve been doing. Bottom line is that we figured out the perfectsolution.”
“What’s perfect about thissolution? That I’m going to have to go public and lie about us?”
“You’re an undercover agent. Youalways lie, right?”
“Not on a fucking public stage.”
“Well, this is what happens whenyou fuck a celebrity.”
I wish he would calm down. We’rein the clear, and this could end up working out better for both of us. Ratherthan being upset, he should be fucking me so that we can both get some of thetension we built up in that meeting out of our systems.
“Come on,” I say, approaching himto offer a kiss.
He backs away and looks at me,bewildered. “Seriously? After what just happened, you think that’s a good idea?”
“Whoa. Just calm down. The goodthing about that is we don’t have to pretend about shit anymore. We can keepon…you know…doing what we’re doing.”
“The fact is, even if we did getaway with it so far, there’s still a difference between me pretending to be hookingup with you and actually hooking up with you. If Roeder finds out that Iactually am in a relationship with you, that leaves me without a job. Do youunderstand that?”
“No one will figure anything out.”
“Thinking that is what got us inthis mess to begin with.”
“We’ll just be more careful. Andcome on. It’s not going to kill you to play boyfriend with me, is it?”
“I don’t want to play boyfriends. I’mjust trying to do my job.”
“There are worse fates than havingto pretend to be with me.”
