Page 33 of Dichotomy

“Don’t worry, Eve. I’ll keep him in line.”

“You wish,” he fired back. The sound of their bickering faded as they left the room.

“I’m going to hack the sports bar security cameras,” Liam said. “So we’ll have eyes inside too.”

“I’ll help you put together a surveillance package,” Sebastian said, rising from his seat behind Alexander’s desk. Unlike Adrian, when Sebastian crossed the room, he kissed me on my lips. The kiss was hard and sweet. He dragged his teeth across my bottom lip as he leaned back. “See you soon, my darling. Try not to miss me too much.”

“Come on.” Marcus dragged him out of the room. He looked back at me, and I held in a shiver at the heat in his eyes.

Marcus hadn’t initiated intimacy since our conversation a few weeks ago. Sometimes I wondered if he had changed his mind, but I had a feeling he was waiting for me to come to him. Shoving that thought away for another day, I looked back up at my team. I rolled my eyes when they were all grinning at me.

“Goodbye,” I said pointedly.

Liam chuckled. “We’ll check in after lunch, Boss Lady.”

“They seem happy,” Alexander said softly, his eyes twinkling. He took my hand and helped me out of my seat, drawing me into his arms.

“They’re nosy,” I complained. They were my family. My over-the-top, overbearing family. But I didn’t mind that much.

“Come on.” Alexander guided me to his desk, then pulled me down onto his lap. “We can rearrange our calendars in here.”

I nestled into Alexander’s arms as he wrapped them around me. The mission tonight loomed over us, and my to-do list had just doubled, but at least now I had someone—multiple someones—to share the burden with.

CHAPTER 16

EVELYN

“Comms check, Charlie team,” Liam said, his fingers flying across the keys of his laptop.

Sitting next to him, Sebastian brought up the street cameras in front of the sports bar, Declan’s Pub and Grille, that Dominic referenced this morning. Unable to sit still, I paced behind them. The van wasn’t very large, so I was only able to go a few steps before I had to turn around, but the movement helped keep some of the anxious energy at bay. I should be out there with my team instead of stuck in the van. Sebastian and Liam could more than handle the electronic surveillance. I glanced at the door. Maybe I could just have a peek around.

“Don’t even think about it,” Sebastian said, his eyes dancing in amusement. “Alexander gave me permission to tie your pretty ass to a chair if you try to leave the van, and Adrian agreed.”

I rolled my eyes, ignoring the heat that flashed through me at the thought. “They’re not the boss of me.”

“Care to say that to my face, little warrior.” Adrian’s voice crackled through the comms at that moment.

“Charlie team, would you comms check again? I think you’re breaking up,” I said sweetly as I glared at Sebastian. He musthave turned on my comms during our conversation so Adrian and Alexander would overhear me.

“I think you heard him loud and clear, baby girl,” Alexander said. “Charlie team, comms check good.”

“Focus,” Marcus said before I could retort. “The streets are clear here.”

“Beta team, check in,” Liam said.

He pulled up the cameras inside Declan’s. The bar had a rectangular bar in the center of the space with booths on either side. Izzy and Maya sat at one of the booths on the far wall. Their vantage point let them see the whole bar.

“Beta team, comms check good,” Izzy said.

Her dark brown hair was pulled back in a low braid, and she wore a white T-shirt and jeans, her attire fit in with the rest of the crowd. Maya’s purple hair was pulled into two pigtail braids, and they wore brown corduroy pants and a faded green shirt. Both were well known among the local cops, although the cops mostly knew them as a security consultant and the daughter of the local captain.

“Targets are entering the bar,” Maya said.

The camera view on Sebastian’s screen captured the two FIA agents entering Declan’s. They walked through the crowded bar to sit at the rectangular bar top. Large screens hung from the ceiling, showing different sports games. Agent Mike Holden immediately started watching one of the screens intently. In contrast, Dominic scanned the room. Was he looking for me?

“Alpha team, comms check.”

“Alpha team, comms check good,” Grace said.