“He’ll keep us advised. Ardan’s on the ground and he’ll get us information, talk to some people and find out if we got the target.”
The target.Joaquin Herrera.He was why we were here in the first place. It wasn’t a vacation where I found ways to fuck Cillian.
I nodded. “Thank you for telling me, sir.”
Jamie frowned and his curls were messier than usual. “Is something happenin’ between ya and Cillian? He’s in a bloody foul mood and told me to feck off.”
I snorted and smiled. “No problem he didn’t create on his own.”
Jamie laughed. “I don’t know how ya handle so many men. One’s enough for me.”
With that parting remark, he left, and I watched him walk down the hallway. The door to Cillian’s room opened, and Cillian walked out, freezing at the sight of me. I didn’t flip him the middle finger like I wanted or tell him to fuck off. No. I watched him with a cold stare, the way I always had when someone pissed me off. He winced and turned, heading back into his bedroom.
Coward.
10
CILLIAN
“Didthat poor punching bag do ya wrong? Did it tell ya one of your boys has a nice arse? Maybe the one sleepin’ like the dead upstairs while you’re down here?” Jamie chuckled at his own stupid joke, his laugh a bright jab of unasked for joy that irritated my brain. I caught his profile in the reflection of the dark window to my right and he was grinning, curly hair a fluffy mess. I had no idea what he’d been up to this evening, but running shorts clung to his legs and a sweat-soaked white T-shirt was plastered to his chest. Beyond the glass I was able to look out at the pool, glowing like a sapphire in the darkness.
Wonder if Corbin would shoot me if I took Jamie out and tossed him in the water?I’d say it was about 50/50 that he might help, depending on his mood.
“If ye were half as amusing as ye thought, ye still wouldn’t be funny.” I shoved off my left boxing glove and gave him a middle-fingered salute, not much in the mood to kiss anyone’s arse.
Jamie snorted as I slammed my right fist into the bag and it swung forward. I stepped to the side as it careened past me and whirled toward him while my chest heaved. My heart raced from exertion, but I was still wired. I slid off my other glove and tossed it to the floor. My body was covered in a fine sheen of sweat. I pointed at the towel I’d thrown over a weight bench earlier, and he was good enough to snag it, then lobbed the cloth at my head. I sputtered and swiped it out of the air.
“The bag got in my way. I don’t go around obstacles, I remove them.” As far as jokes went, mine wasn’t that good, either. I used the towel to wipe the sweat off my forehead, then swiped it over my pecs. Jamie’s eyebrows danced up and down, and I thought about calling him out for getting an eyeful, but it didn’t hurt nothing to let him look, and besides, I knew he was happy at home. He talked about Hunter any chance he got.
“Not that it is any of my business, but what is going on between ya and Aspen?” He squinted and tilted his head. “Seems like it’s a bit much.”
I narrowed my eyes on Jamie.
He shrugged as if to ask if I had a problem with him.
“Nothing is wrong.”
He snorted.
I sighed and tossed the towel at him, and he made a face as he stepped out of the way. “Nothing will ever stop me from doing my job. I’m loyal to Mr. Killough.”
As much as Jamie could be a jokester when he set his mind to it, he sobered quickly and offered me his hand. I thought about smacking him away, but in the end, I shook with him.
“Right. I certainly wasn’t concerned about that.” Jamie blew out a long breath. “We all know where your loyalties lie. This is a real friendly inquiry. Not everyone is trying to bite your head off, mate. Not all questions are work related.”
I sighed and rolled my eyes, picking up the gloves from where they’d landed. They weren’t mine, so I didn’t want to be rude and leave them around. The home gym was a nice size and I passed free weights and other equipment as I walked over to a metal shelf near the door and tossed them on it. “Nothing is going on.”
“Aye, right.” Jamie’s tone stayed light and airy, as usual, and he wandered toward one of the treadmills facing a window. “I believe ya, millions wouldn’t.”
“We’refine.”
He stepped up onto the treadmill, hooking his right hand onto his left elbow and twisting this way and that. “Aye, I can tell by the fact that you’re here, not with Aspen, you’re grand.” He flashed a smile over his shoulder that was less playful and more sincere.
“When did ye get so feckin’ nosy?” I asked, punching the air in his direction.
He laughed, the joyful sound bouncing around in the large room. “That’s your first mistake. I’ve always liked to know what’s going on with the people I’m on jobs with.”
I grunted because he had a fair point in needing to know if anything was going arseways.
