“I searched everywhere. Emails. Texts. Files. My closet. And I just couldn’t find where I asked for your opinion on this,” I grinned.
“Ooooh, burn!” Wysdom held up her hand to give me an across-the-room-high-five.
I returned her gesture, then folded my arms. “We didn’t come here to discuss my love life or lack thereof.”
“Hey!” Flint sounded hurt.
“I need to tell you about something else that’s important,” I barreled through. “Again, not asking your opinion about it. But you need to know.”
Luke surveyed the room and realized he was outnumbered. The babies strapped to his body were too young to comprehend what was going on, much less vote. He let out a heavy sigh, nodded, then walked over to the couch in the living area. “Alright. Let’s hear what’s going on.”
Wysdom plucked Carmine out of the back carrier so Luke could sit down. Even though they verbally sparred moments ago, they sat down on the couch together, right next to each other. Not an inch of space between them. Luke placed his hand on Wysdom’s knee. It was automatic. The dance of two people who were in tune with each other’s physical presence.
It was awesome and depressing all at the same time.
I sighed and slumped into the chair in front of them. Flint sat in a nearby chair, on high alert, every muscle in his body primed for a fight. I guess we should have expected this. Luke was well-known for hisSaberventionsfor the guys who dared date a Saber Sister. Never mind Flint, and I, weren’t together. Luke wouldn’t relent.
“I’ve been suspended,” I began.
“What?” Luke whisper-screamed because he didn’t want to wake the twins.
“Well, I was strongly encouraged to take my vacation time while the investigation into Octavio’s murder is ongoing,” I blew out a breath. “My boss suggested I figure out who did it. Otherwise I wouldn’t be welcome back.”
“Boss, I told her we would do anything to help her,” Flint leveled his gaze at Luke but didn’t flinch when my brother’s mismatched eyes coolly returned the stare. “But, Celia wanted to make sure you were in the loop with all this.”
Luke stared at Flint for a few moments longer. Neither one of them spoke. This was one of those Alpha Male Stare Downs that my brother was famous for. The first person to speak was the loser.
Was it wrong that most of me wanted Luke to speak first?
Where in the world did that come from?
In the end, neither was the first to speak. That honor went to Wysdom, and I was incredibly grateful. She knew precisely when to butt in to help both men save face.
“Alrighty then,” Wysdom clapped her hands together around the baby in her arms. “We should probably talk to my favorite pocket-sized hacker to see what she can dig up on all of this. Then, talk to the witnesses. Then…”
“Mi amor,” Luke finally broke his Alpha Male Stare Down with Flint. “You’re not doing anything.Mendotais perfectly capable of directing an op to gather intel about this mess.”
My brother spit out Flint’s last name like it was acid. Flint rubbed the back of his neck, and I could tell he held his tongue.
“Luke, he’s the best tracker there is,” I leveled my gaze at my brother. “And Flint’s not doing this alone. I’m going too.”
It turns out there is one thing Flint and Luke could agree on - and that is me not being part of this investigation.
“No way, Ceel…” Flint grunted.
“Not on your life,” Luke agreed.
Wysdom ignored both of the big scary men in the room and turned to me. “Celia, aren’t you a highly trained federal agent?”
I ran my tongue over my teeth. “Why, yes I am.”
“An agent who’s trained in abouteleventy-millionforms of martial arts?” Wysdom raised an eyebrow.
“Indeed,” a grin broke out on my face.
“An agent who helped me find a Luke-sized needle in a worldwide haystack when her brother decided to imitate Liam Neeson, go rogue, and get himselfman-napped-TAKENinstead?” Wysdom tilted her head.
“Now, wait just a minute,” Luke started.
