Say It Again (First Wives, #5)(88)

She grinned and picked up an empty glass with her right hand. She lifted it to her lips and started to talk. “You avoid detection with normal conversation. Like this. Headmistress . . .” Sasha said the word while the glass was close to her lips and then switched it to the other before extending her right hand toward AJ. “She shakes your hand, probably asks why you’re there, we hear what she has to say. You talk with your hands, so the glass switches over, you point with it.” Sasha demonstrated. “Before the glass becomes obvious, a scratch to the side of your neck, a pat on someone’s shoulder. If you detect someone is watching you, say nothing. You’re our eyes and ears. Richter’s security detail will blend.”

She reached up and secured a micro piece of metal just inside the lobe of his ear.

“So you can hear us,” she told him.

He looked in the mirror when she was done, turned his head from side to side. “That’s awesome. How many Olivias will be in the room?” he asked.

“I don’t know. Assume there is at least one. And for God’s sake, channel your inner girl and don’t put your drink down, giving someone the opportunity to slip something into it.”

He grinned. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Really, AJ. Someone in that room commissioned the hit on your sister. Chances are they’re going to recognize you.”

“My parents will recognize me.” He’d called them shortly after they devised a plan. True disappointment swam in AJ’s face when he learned they were planning on attending the Richter board alumni gathering.

Sasha sat beside AJ during the call, the conversation on speaker for everyone to hear. His dad answered the phone. “I got the strangest call today,” AJ told him. “I think they thought they were calling you and Mom. Something about a school board emergency meeting. I didn’t know Mom was on the school board at Richter . . .”

Alex admitted she had been while Amelia was in school and that they had been notified of the meeting and were en route to the airport now.

AJ’s whole expression slid to the ground.

Sasha gripped his hand, kept him calm.

“Your mother insisted,” Alex said.

“Are you going?”

“Of course. It was Amelia’s school.”

Neil waved his hands in the air to silence anything AJ might have said at that point. AJ said his goodbyes and hung up.

Sasha ran her hand up his arm, caught his eyes. “Play it easy. Tell them what we rehearsed and see what happens.”

“When will I know it’s time to leave?” he asked.

Sasha winked. “Oh, you’ll know. Until then mingle, charm the ladies with that smile, and avoid corners where someone can escort you from the room without notice. Keep one eye on your parents.”

“You got it, sweetheart.”

Her eyes narrowed, this time with a playful smile. Apparently his endearments were growing on her.

“I’m stepping out of the room, let’s test the microphone.”

AJ watched her sleek ass exit with a slight sway of her hips. He waited a few seconds before lifting the cuff to his lips. “Can we get this over with so I can peel you out of those clothes and get you under my tongue?”

“Loud and clear,” he heard her in his ear.

AJ licked his lips.

Sasha ducked her head back into the room and waved him out.

Unable to help himself, he slapped her butt.

She jumped, looked up at him as they walked into the war room. “By the way, everything you say is heard by everyone on the team.” Inside the room, all eyes were on him.

“If you two are done with the slaps and giggles, we have work to do,” Neil barked. “Skip the unnecessary chatter.”

Claire laughed. “Somebody’s in trouble,” she said in a singsong voice.



Sasha had run more than one of these jobs, but never had it been this personal or had people she truly cared for been on the team. Okay, that wasn’t true. But somehow AJ had moved to the top of that list.

Claire sat in the van with them, a stick of gum in her mouth, her smile was cheek to cheek.

Much as they wanted to leave her back at the warehouse, the firewalls inside Richter would make it impossible to relay intel to the outside.

The van stopped by a waiting town car.

Sasha’s heartbeat sped up. Her eyes met AJ’s.

“You’re out first. Any sign of trouble, you know what to do.”

He nodded and someone opened the back door. “Take care of her.” AJ pointed to Cooper and Claire.

As he passed Sasha, she sucked in a deep breath. “Watch your back,” she told him.

He reached for the back of her head, kissed her hard, and smiled. “Take care of you.” Then he was out the door.

The van sped off the second the door was closed.

“Hello, Isaac. Nice hat,” AJ’s voice sounded in her ear.

She heard a car door close and then AJ’s voice. “Can everyone hear me?”

“Team One,” Sasha said.

“Team Two,” Cooper replied.

“Team Three,” Neil finished.

Ten minutes later, they’d found the first drop-off point. Neil, Olivia, and two more men exited the van and took off on foot.

Once they were back on the road, Neil did the same sound off.