“You’ve been on the assignment for a little over eight months. So far, and correct me if I’m wrong, you’ve been treating it like a fucking vacation. Going shopping with your new girlfriends, doing God knows what with your new boy toys, and strutting around the damn clubhouse like you own the place. Yet, you’ve given us fucking nothing.”
His words were all venom and ice. I felt the tendrils of rage curl in my gut, and it took conscious effort to keep my voice even. “A vacation? Are you fucking serious? Have you lost your fucking mind? Do you not see where we are at?”
His eyes flashed, and we glared at each other.
“Williams, meet me at the car,” he said.
She had been watching the whole exchange with rapt attention, and her eyes jerked to him in shock. “Sir?”
He didn’t look at her. “The car. I’ll meet you there in a few minutes.”
She scoffed in disbelief and stomped out, slammingthe door behind her.
Braxton leaned over me, and I once more cursed the fact that I couldn’t move. “What are you doing with the Mills brothers?”
I raised my chin. “Nothing.” My voice was calm as the lie left my lips—I was embracing my inner Nicky.
“I thought we put you under to gather intel on the DiAngelos.”
“You did, and I am. I am telling you everything I know, but it was you who told me this wasn’t going to be a quick and easy job.”
“You are getting awful close with Ms. Gonzalez and Ms. Morgan.”
“They’re good people.”
“Have you forgotten why you’re here?”
“Is this an interrogation?”
“Should it be?”
“Fuck you. I’m giving everything I’ve got to this assignment. You’ve got more details about the Steel Saints and Silas Greyson than you’ve ever had before. The Saints aren’t the way into the DiAngelos family—Silas Greyson is. I’ve made that clear in every report I’ve given you.”
“Remember who you’re speaking to, detective. I am your handler; this is my job. You’re getting too close to the Saints. I’m pulling you out.”
I stared at him. “Like hell you are! I’m already in it this far, and I’m not stopping until the job is done.”
“Can I trust you to keep your distance?”
“Of course.”
He finally paused, still leaning over me. I wanted to tell him to fuck off, but that was more of a Nicole move than it was something Katie would do. He startled me when he laid his hand on mine. “I’ve been watching you closely, Katie. You’re getting in pretty deep. I don’t want you getting hurt.”
I pulledmy hand out from under his. “I am literally in a hospital, Agent Braxton. But I signed up for this. I knew there were risks. I’m fine—or I will be. You don’t need to worry about me. You trained me for this, remember?”
A glimmer of displeasure crossed his face when I pulled away from him. “You are not Nicole. Remember that.”
I couldn’t help but defend my alter-ego. “Nicole isn’t a bad person. She’s a lot like me. That’s why you chose me for this job. Like Lieutenant Hartwell said all those months ago, she and I aren’t much different.”
“I want you to double your reports, and remember, I’m always nearby. You got one more chance at this. You end up at the hospital again, you’re done. And stay away from the Mills brothers.”
I glared at him—the only thing stopping me from hitting him with the IV pole was my inability to lift it. Hell, if I could’ve made it to the bathroom without assistance, I might’ve decked him with the call button just for fun.
“Are handlers usually this hands-on? I thought there was supposed to be a certain level of trust.”
He didn’t answer me when he opened the door, but he turned to me just as he went to shut it back behind him. “Caring about the detective under my command isn’t a crime. Get some rest, McGrady.”
Chapter 13
