Cam snapped, lurching forward, into Nic’s outstretched arm.“You don’t have the power to do that,” Nic said.
“But I can ask Justice to.”
“Do you really want to go to war with me?”Aidan said.“Do you know how many of your cases I can tie up?Send agents out on urgent assignment when they’re supposed to be in court?Prioritize our cases over yours?”Bowers fumed, no doubt adding more strikes against them in his head.And Aidan knew it.“Byrne’s my best agent and my partner.You’re not sidelining him because of a fucking grudge.”
“Cam did his job to a T,” Nic added, lowering his arm.“The artifacts are secure, the AD’s flash drives are returned, and no lives were lost.Everyone’s in custody, our CI is safe, and we have the evidence we need to close this case.”
“We’ll see if I agree with your assessment, Attorney Price.”Turning on his heel, Bowers stormed out, the little ding on the elevator a fitting end to his defeated departure.The collective whoosh of air in the room, all of them releasing their breaths, was audible.
“You’re on leave for a week,” Aidan said to Cam.
Cam shrugged.“I figured as much.”Standard protocol after undercover assignments.Time to realign and catch up on the email and paperwork.“Thanks for not saying so in front of Bowers.”
“Recovery, not suspension.Paid, you earned it,” Aidan said.“You too, Hall.Unless you need her for the prelim,” he added to Nic.
“You got a copy of that flash drive for me?”Nic asked.
Lauren dug around in her jacket pocket, produced another stick, and tossed it to him.
“I’m set, then,” Nic said.“I’ll call if I have any questions.”
“In that case,” Lauren said, “I’m gonna go home and sleep for a week.Any objections?”None made, she hurried out, probably thinking they’d change their minds.
Aidan sank down in his chair, looking like he needed to sleep for a week too.“You two good?”He reached for his coffee cup, took a sip, then sputtered a string of Gaelic curses.
Nic bit back a laugh; Cam let his out.He’d seen the string of the tea bag when Jamie had handed Aidan the cup.Seemed Nic was in on the joke too.
“Do I have you to thank for this?”Aidan asked Nic.
“I believe your husband brought that to you.”
“I’ll tell you how you can make it up to me.”
Nic smiled.“How’s that?”
Aidan’s brown eyes drifted down, toward where Bowers’s office was two floors below.“Get that asshole’s job, and soon.Otherwise, I’m gonna kill him.Then Jamie’s gonna kill all of you.”
Nic chuckled.“Noted.”
Aidan waved them toward the door.“Get the fuck out of here already.”
They were still laughing when they reached the stairwell door at the other end of the bullpen.Cam held it open for Nic, following him through.“US Attorney one day, huh?”
Nic tilted his head—an ear up, an ear down—then stepped closer, backing Cam against the wall.“Unlikely, especially as I’m fucking the local ASAC.”
That was what Cam wanted to hear.Running his hands up the wrinkled dress shirt, Cam grabbed two handfuls and yanked Nic against him.“Are you now?”
“Was planning to,” Nic said with a wink.
Cam’s jaw dropped open, exaggerating his genuine shock and amusement.“Did you just wink at me?”
“Lauren says I’m picking up your bad habits.”
“Oh, I’ve got plenty of bad habits for you to pick up.”
Like kissing in public stairwells.
Twenty
