“Myfra. He came.”I couldn’t exfil her around him.Before that? I’d been distraught. She chose … him. Also had to hash out a new plan.
“Ourfriend. Stop with thisfrabusiness. Your Italian accent isn’t even authentic.” She laughed, clutching the pillow as if to protect herself. “So, you didn’t want to kill Jamie too?”
“I’d never hurt myfra.”
“You’re afraid to hit a man … but women? We’re fair game. So, you’ll go out tonight, flirt with Natasha. Torment?—”
“I told you,” I hissed, dropping the accent and shoving the chair back. “I run this! Don’t ask quest—” I broke off. A phone rang. My new burner. I answered.
“Ferri, what the heck, man?” Jamie’s brogue was deeper than usual. “NCIS! I see why you keep texting me from new numbers.”
I rubbed a hand over my jaw. “What did you tell them?”
“That I haven’t seen you. Don’t worry, I didn’t give them yournumbers. You-you murdered two MPs? We’re worried, brother.”
“Don’t. It was self-defense. The commander has it wrong.”
“If you need help, my family can?—”
“I can’t put you out,fra.”
“Jamie?” In an instant, Rain popped up from bed. A storm of desperation increased her voice volume. “Is that Jamie?”
My look shut her down.
“Howard, that you?” Jamie demanded, “Put the phone on speaker, Enzo.”
Damn. I complied.
“What’s this mess he’s in, Howard?” he asked.
“It all has to do with a girl.” She stared at me, wiping sweat beads from her brow.
My hand rested on the handle of my Glock. Breath caught in my throat. Would she squeal to my most trusted ally?
“Some girl down at the VA,” Rain said. “Obsessed with him. After a night full of passion, then rejection by this lady killer, she inputted crazy stuff into the system.”
My hand fell from the pistol grip.
“I tried to help erase her … mistake.” Rain’s eyes shimmered in a pool of her own tears, and I found myself mesmerized. “Now, I’m in hot water too, Jamie.”
I shook myself from the trance. Rainita Howard meant nothing to me. We both knew it, except that she held out hope that I’d fall for her after Natasha got out of my system.
Jamie chuckled. “So, the lassie’saff her heid.Lorenzo, at my wedding, we discussed all the women. Settle down with Howard. Stop sending mixed signals.”
Laughter huffed from my lips.
“You good, brother?” he asked.
“Yes—”
“No, he’s not.” Something in Rainita Howard shifted. The grin on her face was so bright, I saw the carpet’s piss stains in 3D. “Men believe they rule the world. They need a lady to fix things. I’ve got this. I need to strap on my hacker helmet and get proof for the military.”
“What about the MPs?” Jamie asked.
My palm kneaded my nape. “They … were the crazy broad’s friends.”
“Yep,” Rain agreed. “Anyway, Jamie, you’re right. Enzo should settle down.” Though she sounded like one of the guys, her eyes latched onto mine. As if to concludewith me.
