Jansen didn’t show any hint he was able to read their emotions and call them on the lie. Not having Katie at their back to ensure the solidity of their mental shields in the face of Jansen’s power was frustrating, and to some degree, frightening. Alexei was well aware how damaging the mental powers could be. They knew Jansen deployed his empathy in a subtle, terrorizing sort of way that didn’t show up untillater.
Full scan when we get home,Alexei thought tohimself.
“Not the kind of Marine I’d want to work with if you’re anything like Callahan,” Declanfinallysaid.
“What that supposedtomean?”
“Sounds like Callahan is in it for the glory, not the Corps. The press conference back in January just proved it. I wouldn’t trust a man like that to watchmysix.”
“You think Marines talk about Jamie at press conference on their own?” Alexei asked derisively. “Father is running for presidency. Think he not have connections to keep name clean for election? Think he not reach out to helphisson?”
“Callahan shouldn’t be proud about being singled out by the Marines. That’s not how it’s done if you truly believe in yourcountry.”
“Not in Marines for years. Worked better to hide fact we cleaned up problem for Niko’s employer that way. Not crime to have connection to governmentstill.”
“Being obvious about your connections isn’t the best way to dobusiness.”
“Wedidfine.”
“Considering what you all apparently walked away with, I’m not surprised you still pull strings through Jamie’s father. They have some tech you might be interested in for your own company, Declan,” Jansen interjected before the argument got too heated. He tapped the side of his head with a finger. “Neuronets.”
Declan snorted derisively. “Thosedon’twork.”
“You’d besurprised.”
Alexei didn’t care for the undercurrent running through their side conversation. Sean must have felt the same way, because he deftly drew Adrian into a conversation about who they could expect to meet tonight. Apparently quite a few casino owners and other rich friends of the Wolcotts who Alexei could’ve done without as he listened in. His stomach sank at the thought of so muchsmalltalk.
“They’re interested in what Root Source, Inc. can provide for them,” Adrian explained as he caught someone’s eye and wavedthemover.
That started a nonstop cycle of people slipping in and out of their presence. They alternated between potential clients coming to them, with Adrian’s presence to entice them, to wandering slowly through the well-maintained backyard to introduce themselves to othergroups.
Alexei followed Sean through the growing dinner party crowd as Sean chatted his way through new introductions. Alexei’s idea of a small party definitely didn’t match the Wolcotts’ definition. He was glad Sean was here to take the lead on being personable. Still, the cocktail hour was almost finished, and then they had a long dinner ahead of them. He wasn’t sure when they’d find the time to slip away from the crowd to plant thesurveillancebugs.
Sean seemed to have the same thought, because he excused them from their current group of guests interested in the cybersecurity company in favor of finding the bathroom. Alexei followed Sean back inside the large home, impressed with the easy way Sean slipped free of people hoping to catch theirattention.
Alexei’s sharp eyes caught sight of security personnel posted at the outskirts of the milling dinner party guests. For all that this party seemed to be for friends, Adrian, or possibly Declan, didn’t seem to trust easily. He wondered if last week had anything to do with the number of guards onwatchduty.
Alexei wrapped an arm around Sean’s waist as they walked, easily steering him toward the hallway that would take them back to the front of the house and the main staircase. The handful of bathrooms near the party area were in use and provided the perfect excuse to bypass them and look foranotherone.
“Follow me,” Sean said under hisbreath.
Alexei let him pull away from his touch, but didn’t get very far before he grabbed Alexei by the hand and tossed a sultry smirk over his shoulder. Alexei stared, knowing that the heat in Sean’s gaze wasn’t real, that it was only for their cover, but that didn’t stop his cock from twitching hard in his pants. It didn’t stop the fleeting burn ofwantfrom coursing through his veins. Alexei admired the way Sean’s dress pants clung to his perfect ass, unwilling to look away. It wasn’t out of character to look, so he let himself. He’d feel guilty about itlater.
Ornot.
They slipped away from the crowd, even if they couldn’t hide from the security cameras Alexei knew watched their every move. They climbed the front stairs quickly, arriving on the quiet second floor. Sean went inside the first bathroom they found, closing the door behind him. Alexei leaned against the wall between two ugly framed pieces of art consisting of colored blocks. A few minutes he heard the toilet flush and the sink faucet run, hiding the fact that Sean had most likely freed the surveillance bugs from their casing in hisshoes.
When Sean stepped out into the hallway, Alexei did his best to put on a show for whoever was watching. “Go back?” heasked.
“Or we could explore?” Sean asked with a flirtatioussmile.
I could explore you,Alexei thought. “Like that ideabetter.”
From the blueprints they’d studied earlier, they knew where Adrian’s office was most likely located and that it was probably biolocked. Trying to break in wasn’t worth the risk. The surveillance bugs would crawl to their pre-programmed destination no matter where they planted them. It would be easier, though, if they could get as close as possible to the targeted room for thedrop-off.
Pretending to make out in the hallway outside Adrian’s office was too risky. The room Sean chose instead turned out to be a guest room with a balcony overlooking the backyard. Music and the buzz of conversation could barely be heard through the plas-glass doors. The furniture looked like it was made of actual wood as opposed to synthwood, and while the bed looked comfortable, it wasn’t conducive to their needs for the mission, even if would work very well for Alexei’sneeds.
The second the door slid shut, Sean turned to face him, gaze half-lidded but hot with a desire Alexei knew wasn’t real. That didn’t stop him from grabbing Sean by the hips and walking him backward to the closest piece of furniture, which happened to be the sturdy, low-level dresser. He pressed Sean against it, sliding his left leg between Sean’s without thinking twice about it. Alexei was acutely aware of the warm hands tucked against the small of his back beneath his suit jackets, moving against the fabric of hisshirt.
