Page 39 of Perfect Vengeance

“Bug,” Kinsey corrected. “It’s called a bug, not an insect. With your love of cop movies, you should know that.”

“Bug, insect, worm, whatever.” Annabelle flicked her hand in a dismissive gesture. “I still want an answer to my question, Jack.”

“Be nice to the hunky federal agent.” Kinsey winked at him.

Quantico didn’t train agents for this level of abuse. Facing off against Gina’s sharp wit was like standing in front of a firing squad and waiting for them to shoot. Now Annabelle wanted to slice him up for shark bait, while Kinsey looked ready to eat him for dessert. God only knew what Margo had in mind. Winning an argument against one woman was statistically a losing proposition, let alone four of them simultaneously.

“We don’t have a choice about this,” Margo cut in. “We broke the law and Jack is only doing his job. Isn’t that right, Agent Gates?”

He looked at each of the women. “I gave Gina my word that after tonight, your obligations to the FBI are over. That promise extends to all of you.”

“How do we know you won’t⁠—”

“That’s enough, Anna!” Gina’s eyes flashed, and something silver glittered in her hand. Chocolate.

Despite his body’s involuntary shudder, he stood, a tribute to the etiquette his mother had pounded into his and his brothers’ heads to stand when a woman entered the room.

“As Margo said,” Gina continued, “we’ve already discussed this as a group, and as a group,” she emphasized, “we agreed to go through with this to pay our debt. There’s no need to keep rehashing things. And don’t forget,” she said, pointing a finger at Annabelle, “you were the one who said we were bound to get caught sooner or later, and better to be caught by the good guys than by the mob.”

“I’m starting to rethink that.” Annabelle fell back against the sofa.

“Well, don’t.” Gina’s voice softened as she took a seat next to Kinsey.

Jack sat, noticing the other women looking expectantly at Gina, as if waiting for her next command. It was clear she wasn’t only their leader but the very heart and soul of the group.

“We’ll do this job as professionally as all the others we’ve undertaken.” She unwrapped the silver foil-covered chocolate in her hand and tossed it into her mouth.

His stomach took a nosedive. Apparently, she’d forgotten about their truce.

“As much as it pains me to say this,” she said, sliding her hand into her pocket and coming out with another piece of the offensive stuff, “for tonight, we take orders from Jack.” Her mouth worked as she sucked on the candy.

Jack couldn’t tear his gaze from her lips. The things he imagined her tongue must be doing to that warm, melting⁠—

Hell. Her words finally sank in to that mushy gray stuff between his ears. Or what was left of it. She’d actually relinquished control of this op to him. It was a good thing he was already sitting or he’d have fallen on his ass.

Kinsey cleared her throat and grinned at him, dragging his brain back on line. Sweat broke out on his forehead. Was it a tropical rainforest in here, or was it just him? He stripped off his bomber jacket and draped it on the armrest.

“Oooh, nice toys.” Kinsey eyed the gear strapped to his belt—Glock, extra mags, expandable baton, tactical Master knife. “Do we get to play with those?”

“Sorry, no.” He chuckled. Kinsey was exactly the kind of woman his crazy youngest brother, Deke, would go for. Even the FBI hadn’t mellowed that kid out yet.

“Too bad.” Kinsey bobbed her dark brows like Groucho Marx. In a deep, sultry voice, she added, “Your gun looks so big and powerful. Is it true that size doesn’t matter?”

“Puh-lease,” Annabelle elbowed Kinsey in the ribs.

Margo stifled a laugh.

Gina clapped a hand to her forehead.

“Will there be any other agents out there with us?” Margo hiked up the sleeves of her jacket.

“No.”

“Why not?” Annabelle pinned him with suspicious eyes.

Time for more half-truths. “As I already told Gina, the fewer agents who know you’re involved, the better off you are.” Truth being, as an unsanctioned FBI op, he couldn’t request backup. Not even Smitty.

“What if something goes wrong?” Annabelle asked.