Once inside, I locked the door again, then used my phone’s flashlight until I got a lantern lit.I pulled the sat phone from my pocket.For a moment, I just stared at it, wondering what the fuck I'd say to Tori when I called.I owed the man the truth.Besides, since he’d ordered me to form a friendship with Wren, I considered this as much his fucking fault as it was mine.Even though it sounded far too much like I was an amature who couldn’t keep his dick in his pants, I prided myself on my ethics.I’d do whatever I had to, but I didn’t hurt innocents.In any way.
I'd fucked women on jobs before.Used sex as a tool, a way to get information, to solidify cover, but never with someone who was completely innocent or ignorant of the situation.This was different.Wren was different.The way her eyes had seen through my bullshit, the way her laugh had cut through my defenses like they weren't even there.The way I couldn't stop thinking about her, even when my life depended on focus.And I had no idea how she felt about me.Kind of ironic.Or poetic justice.
I also had information he'd want.The fragments I'd been piecing together over a couple of months.I dialed Tori ’s number from memory.
"Rocky?"Tori sounded puzzled but he hadn’t been expecting my call.I had another couple of days before our next scheduled call.Tori had guided me since I was seventeen and he’d helped me kill my father after the bastard had killed my mother.I’d followed him loyally ever since.
"Yeah," I said, my voice steady despite the tension coiling through my body."We need to talk."
“Do we need to do it face to face?”
“Up to you.”I scrubbed a hand over the back of my neck.“Honestly, knowing what I’m about to tell you, I think I’d rather do it from way the fuck over here.”
There was a beat of silence.Then he said what I knew he would say.“You bastard.You fucked that girl.Didn’t you.”He didn’t phrase it as a question and I didn’t feign ignorance.
“It was more like a mutual fucking.”
“Christ, Rocky.How long did you wait before dragging her to your bed?”
“You make it sound a lot worse than it was.”
“Yeah?So you didn’t fuck the daughter of Bound in Blood’s VP, who, by the way, is barley in her twenties.”
“You’re the one who put her in my path.Youorderedme to make nice with the girl!”
“Don’t remember telling you to have sex with her.”He sighed and there was a long pause.“Kind of expected it, though.”
“Wait.What?”
“Wren is a wild child.You’re exactly the type of man she goes for.At least on the surface.”
“Tori , after all these years, please don’t make me finally give in and kick your ass.”
He laughed, sounding genuinely amused.“Look, just be careful with her.Is she clinging?Getting too obvious with her interest?I’ve been waiting to read Bloody Jack into what we’re doing until I’m ready for him to move, but I can tell him to have Ghost lock his daughter down for a week if I need to.”
“That’s kind of the problem, man.It’s been three days.I finally gave in and texted her.Much as it pains me to admit it, I’m not sure I made that big of an impression.”
“If it wasn’t your safety in the balance here, this would be funny as shit.”
“Swear to God, Tori .I will steal every last Mars bar you have if you tell anyone about this.”
“No promises.”His chuckle said he was telling his brothers first fucking second he got.“How’s everything else?”
“Well, so far so good.I’ve got a file I uploaded to the server.Have Gabriel look it over.The patterns are unmistakable.My only question would be the fact that they are so clear.It’s almost like they want to get caught.”
“Or they’re careless.”
I snorted.“If you look up ‘careless’ in the dictionary…”
“You get a picture of a Copperhead next to it.”
“Smart these guys ain’t, Tori.At least all of them but Acid.He’s intelligent but lazy.”
“Same as being stupid,” Tori muttered.“I’ll get Gabe on it.In the meantime, do you think you can salvage anything with Wren?She’s the quickest way for you to get in touch with Jack if you need out because he’s not going to wait by the phone for you or even my brother.”
“But he’ll pick up for Ghost’s daughter if she calls.I get it.Honestly?I’d have to actually speak with her to gauge where I am with her.It was a one night stand.I gave her my number and she still has it because she answered, but I’m not holding my breath.”
“You need anything?”
