She could see his point. “It wasn’t your fault. You trusted me, and I—”
“You tied me up and tossed me in a closet with a bunch of Russian Mafia.” He paused to let it sink in. “Gabby, you didn’t evenhave training, and you took me out of the game before it even started.”
“It wasn’t just you. I tied up Alice, and I tranquilized Valentina. I had to. I didn’t know who to trust.”
“I remember,” he said. “I was there. How many agents would have been able to pull that off?”
“Everyone underestimates me. That’s the only reason it worked.”
“That mission was a huge success,” he said.
With a smile, she acknowledged, “Yeah, I got a lot of congrats for that one.”
He held up a hand. “You did get a lot of congratulations. Do you know how much ribbing I’ve gotten in the office since then?”
Her jaw dropped. “Are you sure it’s not in your head? Ed just said he wished you’d hang out more.” How had she missed this? “I’m sorry. It probably didn’t help that I was brand-new.”
“Yep, and a foot shorter,” he reminded her. “With about a week of training.”
It was the first time she’d thought about that mission from his perspective.
She nodded solemnly. “I understand. I’m sorry. Sometimes I forget that you are even human. You are so confident and handsome.” She had been so wrapped up in her own world, what she needed, what her family needed, that she’d forgotten that Markus was a person with needs and wants and insecurities.
“I’ve got your back, partner,” she said.
“Same.”
This was a real mission with real people who depended on her. She had a job to do.
Valentina’s voice cut through the gym. “Agent Greene, my office. Now.”
Gabby startled at the sound of her boss’s voice.
Standing over them and tapping her toe impatiently, Valentina gave Markus an up-and-down look, stopping on his pants and then drifting to his muscle shirt. She shook her head with exasperation. “Markus, what are you wearing?”
“What?” He held up his hands defensively.
“We’re all onto the gray sweatpants trick by now. Quit playing.”
He feigned innocence. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Do I need to start picking out your clothes again?”
With a hint of “na-na, na-na, boo-boo” in his voice, he said, “I get to dress myself these days.”
She gestured for them to follow her. Without even looking back, she volleyed, “I can institute a dress code.”
Gabby followed Valentina out of the training gym. With a glance over her shoulder, Gabby said, “I got you.”
The tension went out of his shoulders. Markus needed her.
Thursday, one day before the mission, EOD headquarters
Gabby sat down across from Valentina, the clean expanse of Valentina’s desk between them. The only decoration an award. There were no personal photos. Gabby’s desk was the opposite. She had a recent picture of her family in its most current form, taken at Granny’s favorite bingo hall. At first, Gabby had been upset about the kids gambling, but it was mostly just time with their grandma. In the picture, Lucas had a plastic water cup sucked to his face. Kyle was looking at the ceiling, waiting for the aliens to rescue her, maybe. Granny wasn’t smiling because her partial was at the shop. Burt was beaming. Justin had also given her a framed headshot of his drag persona, Betty Danger. Beside the photo was a tray of succulents that were hanging on for dear life and some reminders about upcoming school events.
Was Gabby doing this wrong?
“I have a separate assignment for you to complete while you’re at the resort.” Valentina didn’t smile.
