Page 175 of Override

I lower my voice. "What the hell is a Skee?"

Wheels hears me. His grin becomes almost blinding. "Oh, I like her."

Keaton's fingers flex once against my back. "Don't."

"I didn't do anything."

"You were about to."

"You don't know that."

"I've known you for ten years."

"Which makes your lack of faith in me hurt even more."

The woman finally moves farther into the room, shaking her head as she passes Wheels. "No one has faith in you."

"Rachel." Wheels looks genuinely offended. "I thought we were friends."

"We are."

"Then why are you like this?"

"Because we're friends."

Something about the exchange pulls a startled laugh from me. Every head in the room turns in my direction. The sound dies immediately. Keaton looks down at me. Wheels looks delighted. Bullet is still standing near the door with his arms crossed, looking like he's trying to determine how many people he's willing to murder for invading his house. Rachel smiles at me.

And Badger...Badger looks at me for only a second.

Then his eyes move to Keaton. The entire room changes. It's subtle. So subtle I don't think anyone else would notice it. But I've spent months learning to read the smallest changes in a man's expression. The tightening of a jaw. The shift of a shoulder. The difference between silence and silence. Disappointment settles over Badger's face. Not anger. Somehow, I think Keaton would prefer anger.

His hand leaves my back. The loss of it is immediate. Badger's gaze drops briefly to the movement before returning to Keaton's face.

"You took her." No one laughs now.

Keaton straightens beside me. "Yes."

"You went into that house alone."

"Yes."

"You didn't tell anyone."

Keaton pauses. "I told Bullet."

Every head turns toward Bullet. His arms fall from his chest. "The fuck you did."

Keaton looks at him. "I called you."

"You called and said you needed my safe house!"

"Correct."

Bullet's mouth falls open. Wheels makes a choking sound that might be an attempt to hold back laughter. It doesn't work. Badger closes his eyes. Rachel presses her lips together. Even I have to bite the inside of my cheek.

Bullet points at Keaton. "You called me from the goddamn car, didn't you?"

Keaton doesn't answer.