Page 23 of Inked Hearts
Wolf:Since when do you check in on the clients?
Spence:Since always, shithead.
Frustrated that he is still holding back information I decide to throw caution to the wind and press the green call button. He answers on the second ring.
“Wolf.”
“You left a lot of information out of that brief, Spence,” I cut right to the chase. Leaning my head back against the seat in the SUV and staring out the windshield at the sprawling front window of the mansion.
He sighs and I can hear him shutting a door before he starts explaining, “It’s…sensitive information. I needed to know you’d take the case and if you chose not to then it was a risk to give you information.”
“But then we accepted, Spencer. You had time to tell us. Fuck, man, you had time to put it in the goddamn file,” I grouse, running a hand through my hair.
Again Spence lets out a sigh, “Someone on the inside has to be telling Rodrigo where she is. He’s obsessed with her, sure. But if he finds out about Aiden? It’s over…he would bring the entire Cartel down on their heads.”
I shake my head, confused, “The inside? You think there’s a mole?”
“It’s the only thing that would make sense, Wolf,” he replies, his tone sullen, “How else would he continually find her?”
Well, fuck. That makes this extra sensitive. But the list has to be fucking tiny. Who has access to witsec files? Only Marshals on guard and higher-ups. The mole would need to be someone with a lot of power.
“Do you have any idea who?” I ask.
“No,” he grumbles, “If I knew, I would have already taken care of the problem.”
I raise a brow and that jealousy I felt from yesterday floods me. Lucas saying theirrelationshipis their own suddenly hits me and I find myself asking before I can think to keep my goddamn mouth shut, “You with her, Spencer? You seem awfully invested.”
I can almost hear him bristle from across the line. I know I hit a nerve when he grits out, “I always take care of our clients.”
“Not like this,” I reply immediately. See, the thing is, I know Spencer. I know how he runs his cases and how he takes care of people. I know how his attitude is towards them and how he is careful to maintain a professional atmosphere at all times.
So I know for a fact that this situation is different. He’s invested. Far more than he usually is. And I refuse to let him brush me off. I’m done having secrets when it comes to this case and it’s only been one fucking day. If I have to back out and force Colton to come here I will.
“Wolf,” He begins slowly. His tone sets me on edge like he’s communicating with a child and not a grown-ass man.
“No,” I bark out, annoyance and frustration warring inside me, “Tell me the fucking truth, Spencer, or find a new goddamn team.”
He’s silent for so long that I wonder if he really will choose to find a new team rather than tell me what the hell is going on. I wouldn't be surprised. He clearly is protective over his relationship with her but I need to know the stakes. I need to know if he's going to hold my team and me to an impossible standard because he's fucking the client. That’s something that weneedto know. It’s why he never should have asked us to take this case if he wasn’t willing to be completely open.
“She’s my sister, Damian,” he replies quietly, his tone breaking when he uses my first name.
I stiffen and remain silent while I once again ruminate on another revelation. I’m hoping it’s the last one that we have because I am running thin on patience. Really fucking thin. I honestly don’t think I can handle any more surprises.
“No one knows,” he continues when he realizes I don't plan on responding, “That’s the best way to keep her safe. None of the previous guards knew and no one other than Aiden and her are actively aware.”
I grunt and grip the nape of my neck. That impossible standard I was just thinking about? Yeah, pretty sure it's going to be firmly in place because the guy has us guarding his fucking family. And he didn't even have the decency to tell us. He is breaking so many protocols and rules set by the Marshal Service that I don’t even know where to begin. But his logic behind keeping it hidden is sound. I get it, really, I do. Family is everything and he is doing what he thinks is best to protect them.
But at the same time, I think it's important for us to know. We need to understand the stakes…we need to know all the connections. And he willingly left us in the dark. So while I get where he is coming from, it doesn’t change the fact that I am pissed off at him.
The front door to the house opens and Sebastian appears with Dakota on his tail. God, even in leggings and an oversized sweatshirt the woman is a bombshell.
“No one will find out,” I find myself saying, my eyes glued to her as she walks towards her blue sedan, “I need to tell my team but we won't say a word otherwise. I gotta go, Spence. We can talk more later.”
He grumbles out a thank you and hangs up as I climb out of my SUV and approach the sedan. Seb sees me and stops in his tracks, raising a knowing brow that has me rolling my eyes.
“I’ll take her,” I grumble, reaching out and taking the keys from his hand.
He chuckles but doesn't say anything as he heads back into the house. I climb into the front driver's seat and glance over at her, “Where are we headed?”