Page 28 of Lethal Salvation

“So, you don’t think Carter or Project Cradle has someone inside MI6?”

Gideon glanced at Hurricane as he asked Nadia and it felt surreal to even be having this conversation.

“It wouldn’t shock me. We all know there are some real assholes in both agencies as well as the good people.”

“Yeah, except the good ones quit.”

Nadia smiled at Bás. “Well, good for you that I did or you’d be wrangling these assholes on your own.”

“Hey, who are you calling an asshole?” Titan winked at Duchess who laughed.

“Wait, you were MI6?”

Nadia glanced at him and nodded. “Yes, before this job I was.”

“Okay then.” He wanted to say so much more but shut his mouth so he didn’t look like a bigger idiot in front of these people.

Hurricane slapped him on the shoulder. “It’s okay, man. We’re a lot to handle, especially these two.” He pointed at Lotus and Reaper who flipped him off.

“Focus,” Bás snapped as he rubbed the spot between his eyes, frustration creeping into his features.

“What else do we know?”

Gideon listened as the team reeled off everything they knew so far and for a slight moment he worried that they were being so forthright in front of him. Was he going to end up in a body bag at some stage to keep these secrets? He knew this team were secret and that they were linked to the team who initially contacted him, Eidolon or something, but he didn’t know who they worked for or the details. Just that he’d signed a stringent NDA when they began the work.

A hand landed on his arm, and he fought the instinctive flinch.

“You, okay?”

“Yeah, just trying to take it all in and process it.”

Nadia tilted her head, and he had the almost overwhelming desire to sink his teeth into the soft delicate skin of her neck and mark her.

“It’s a lot to deal with but if you have any questions, just ask. They don’t bite, honest.” Her eyes warmed and it took everything in him not to pick her up and take her to his bed, fuck this, fuck Carter, fuck his father. All he wanted was a night to lose himself in her body.

“We do bite, so you might want to lay off the fuck-me eyes, buddy.”

Gideon blinked, pulling his gaze away from Nadia who was blushing and looking at Lotus with a thunderous expression. She had a smart mouth and a chip on her shoulder the size of the Grand Canyon.

Nadia went to respond “Lotus….”

He held up his hand to stop her. Leaning forward he looked Lotus directly in the eye. “And you might want to remember you’re in my home. I might not be the person with all the answers or even have any control over what the fuck is happening in my life right now, but you’ll show me some respect in my own home, or you can show yourself out.”

Lotus looked like she wanted to castrate him with a blunt fork, but Gideon held her stare, not flinching or backing down and the room fell silent. So silent he could’ve heard a flea fart it was so quiet, and he wondered if he’d just signed his own death warrant.

“Point taken. I apologize if I was out of line.”

It looked like her jaw might crack from the effort as she spoke through her teeth as if she wanted to drag the words back. “If?”

Lotus sighed. “Fine, I was out of line, but this,” she pointed around her, “this is my family and I’m just looking out for Duchess.”

“I get that, but there’s no need. I’d never hurt her, and anyway, it isn’t like that.” He lied through his teeth because he wanted to be that and every person in the room knew it, except for perhaps Nadia.

Hurricane snorted. “Yeah okay.”

“Would you like Lotus to leave?”

Gideon turned to Bás who was watching him with no obvious expression indicating his thoughts on the last few minute’s interactions.