You Only Love Twice (Masters and Mercenaries #8)(93)

Theo was right behind her. He looked like he’d gotten as much sleep as Ten. “I’m just saying you have to watch out around that guy. He’s a playboy.”

Erin’s eyes rolled. “Funny, you sound just like that douchebag who told me I was dressed like a slut.”

“I never said that.” Theo looked over at Ten like Ten could help him out. “When did I say that? What does that even mean?”

Ten held up his hands. “I got nothing except to tell you that hookers don’t give a shit what you say. And I know a couple of very flexible ones.”

Her brother was a giver.

“Hey, did you blow Murdoch? Because he looked like he could use it.” And Erin was pure lady. She grabbed a plate and started filling it up.

“Oooo, someone got a little something?” Hutch asked as he walked out and immediately grabbed a Danish. “I thought we weren’t supposed to get laid here. I got a very strict ‘no touching the locals’ lecture and Erin threatened my balls if I looked at her the wrong way. What’s your problem with a man’s balls, woman? They’re sacred.”

“They’re delicate so that’s where I strike. Are you made of sugar, dude? How do you stay so thin?” She didn’t wait for Hutch to reply, simply shook her head and turned back to Phoebe. “So did you f*ck Murdoch so hard he forgot all about his troubled past?”

Phoebe couldn’t help but laugh, but Theo frowned.

“Don’t make fun of her. Just because Phoebe’s got a compassionate heart doesn’t mean you should tease her.”

Simon stepped up to the buffet, pouring himself a cup of coffee. “You weren’t angry with him? I was a little worried that you rushed him off for a private dressing down. I stayed up in case he needed me.”

“Why would I be mad at Jesse? Now the rest of you are idiots and we should talk about that.” She warmed to her subject because it was so much easier than the last one. “You treated him like he was the bad guy. Yes, he shouldn’t have taken off like that, but he was trying to do his job. He was supposed to identify the Caliph. He couldn’t see his face on the tape. Why didn’t anyone try to follow him on camera? He had to have walked past a camera.”

“I totally tried after I stopped watching Murdoch take the stairs three at a time,” Hutch said around his third Danish. The boy really could eat and he seemed to prefer sweets.

“Hutch did try, but al Fareed kept his face down until he got back to his room,” Ten admitted.

“So he knew we were watching. Did anyone think to follow him on foot? Hutch could have given you directions.” She didn’t wait because she knew the answer. “No. You didn’t because you were all too busy making Jesse feel like shit.”

“Baby, it’s all right.” Jesse stepped from their suite, his hair still wet from a shower. He was in jeans and a T-shirt and no shoes, and she wanted nothing more than to jump all over him and forget everything that was happening. When he kissed her, she couldn’t think about anything except him. “I knew why they were doing it. Now they know I’m here. He knows I’m here. Even if he didn’t see me himself, he heard about the crazy American who seemed to be looking for someone. He’ll have brought up the tapes and despite the hair color, he’ll remember me. A master doesn’t forget his unfinished work.”

The thought chilled her. She couldn’t stand the fact that the Caliph very likely knew Jesse was here. She got up and poured him a cup of coffee, one cream and two sugars. The least she could do was help him get ready for the day. He needed her support. “Come and sit down.”

“I think that’s my line.” He walked to the seat anyway.

“Not today. It’s mine today.” He could Dom her all he liked, but she was going to take care of him today. She handed him the coffee and then made a major decision on the spur of the moment. If she was in, she was going to be all in, even if it was only for a few more days. She sat down on his lap, nestling against his chest and letting her head find the crook of his neck.

She felt him sigh, a long, pleasurable sound, and then he relaxed around her.

“Ten, what’s my damage?” This time when he spoke, any hint of timidity was banished. “How can I fix it?”

Ten shook his head and then plowed forward. “It will help if you don’t show your face today. Stay in here and review the tapes. Phoebe’s right. He’s got to have screwed up at some point. We’ll catch him and you’ll identify him and then we’ll go from there.”

Phoebe winced a little as she hadn’t exactly given them all the information she’d acquired either. “We might have a bigger problem.”

Erin’s eyes widened. “Shitballs. We didn’t mention what we found. Damn. I’m blaming even littler Tag for that. He distracted me with his obnoxiousness. I’ve been getting the same lecture for twelve hours.”

“Well, that’s because you won’t listen,” Theo said.

“Erin, what have you found?” Simon asked with a sigh.

Erin exchanged a look and nodded, giving Phoebe the floor.

She sat up as properly as she could while she was still on Jesse’s lap. It was odd, but it seemed to give him comfort so she was going with it. “The little prick who’s working for the senator had the newspaper article from the Sanctum explosion on his desk. He seemed very interested in Jesse’s death and he had two names written down.” This was the really bad part. “Ian Taggart was the first one. Ian was listed in the article so I suppose he might have gotten it from there.”