East Bound by Nana Malone (best value ebook reader .txt) 📗

exactly. I would never quit. What, and give Denning the satisfaction?"

"That's a good point. I should have known something was up when you told us that you would no longer be on the team, per your choice. I guess I interpreted that as you quit, but now I think your choice was to tell him he was an arsehole to his face."

I grinned. "Well, I still have my mouth."

"And what a mouth it is."

We were buzzed in the gate and marched right up to the front door.

She fidgeted nervously, shuffling from foot to foot. "Are you sure this is okay?"

"Well, East knows you're coming, so I'm sure he's warned the others. If Bridge brings out the pitchforks, I'll protect you."

"At least I can count on you for that."

"I know, right?"

When the door opened, Bridge's gaze went straight to Amelia. "Great, more coppers. None of the mates I grew up with would ever believe any of this shit. But since you're here and are apparently saving our lives, come on in."

I had to give Amelia credit. She didn't falter in the least at Bridge's stern gaze or at his dark words. She gave him a wide smile and stuck out her hand like we were strolling into a business meeting.

Reluctantly, her complete indifference forced him to be polite. He shook it as she said, "Agent Amelia Jansen.”

”Welcome to my humble abode."

She coughed at the word humble, but nonetheless she followed him, and I trailed behind.

When we walked into the study, everyone had a drink. Livy and Telly gave me warm smiles and Amelia curious glances. Ben, well, he scowled. But more at Amelia and less at me. Completely untrusting this crowd.

But don't they have a good reason?

I sought out East, who came over from the bar and held out a drink for me. "Vodka tonic. For the nerves."

I took it and then handed it to Amelia. "Something tells me, I'll need all my senses tonight."

"Yeah, by the time Bridge is done with you, probably."

Amelia sighed. "If me being here is a problem, I'll go. But at least let me tell you what I know first, and then I'll be out of your hair. And for the record, I'm the one with the murder wall. Not Nyla."

He nodded slowly. "Right. I suppose you were just doing your job."

She shrugged. "Yeah, but getting in bed with the devil is never a good idea."

East seemed to ease up a little as he grinned at her. "Well, it depends. How good is the devil in bed?"

Amelia studied him for a long time, and then her lips quirked into a smile. "I can see why she likes you."

"Well, I am pretty brilliant."

I could only shake my head. "Yes, and so modest."

When everyone was seated, I saw that Prince Lucas and Bryna had joined us. Ben gave Amelia the floor. "Everyone, obviously, we have a special treat. We have a real live Interpol agent with us."

I frowned. "Hey, I'm an Interpol agent too."

Ben rolled his eyes. "Sort of. If you get suspended, then people start to squint at you when you say you're an agent."

I muttered under my breath. "I got suspended one time."

Ben ignored what I said and nodded at Amelia. "This is my family. I understand that you're Nyla's family?"

I gave him a firm nod, and winked at Amelia.

She sighed. "Yeah, I am. Look, whatever you dragged her into, I don't love it. But I also trust her and her gut, and she wouldn't believe you so passionately if she wasn't on to something. And I'm inclined to believe you now because of what was found in Bram Van Linsted's cell."

Everyone leaned forward. She pulled out her phone and passed it around. "Obviously, I couldn't get the original, but that's a note from his cell. Someone, we suspect Garreth Jameson, passed it to him from the visitor's lounge somehow. There was no touching allowed, so we’ll have to watch the tapes to see how it happened. But it's a confirmation of an attempt on your lives at Grimwald Square.”

Everyone was dead silent and so still they could have easily been mistaken for statues. But it was East who spoke first. Ever watchful, ever vigilant, the most concerned about safety. "Theroux? But why double cross us?"

I frowned at that. "I don't think so. He had to run just like us. If anything, he would have tried to take us out himself. And he would have gotten the job done, and we would never have even seen him."

Bridge leaned back in his seat, clinking the ice cubes in his glass together. "She has a point. Theroux can get to any of us. We're not hiding. We're easy to find. If he wanted to take us out, he could have. Besides, he's made it clear that he needs us for something."

Ben rubbed his jaw. "So who is Van Linsted working with?” Livy patted his knee, trying to get him to calm down.

She chewed her bottom lip before adding, “It makes absolutely a hundred percent sense why Van Linsted would have a vendetta against you guys. Because of you, he's not where he thinks he belongs. Because of you, his father is in jail, and your hatred of each other is well documented. I mean it stands to reason Jameson is involved."

Bridge continued to clink his ice cubes. "The question is, who was the original mastermind of this plan to take us out? Jameson or Van Linsted?"

Drew stood quietly, impassive. "They plan to pick us off."

Bridge stood and approached him. "We’re surprisingly hard to kill. Especially pretty boy."

Drew pushed away from the fireplace. "You think this is funny, do you?"

East stood to separate the two of them. "Jesus Christ, this doesn't help. We're on the same team."

Amelia's eyes went wide. "Wow, that’s some family dynamic shit."

I shook my head. "It's a long, complicated story. But yeah, fun times."

Amelia leaned forward. "I feel like I’m missing backstory here."

I sighed. "Yeah, I guess we have to catch you up. Um, the Elite