The Revenge (The Insiders Trilogy #3)(52)

I looked up, my hand going into my duffel. “What?”

“Harden specifically asked for an in-person meet. This has to do with your grandfather. If he is isolated, you can just finish him tonight. We can have this all done tonight. We can all be flying back. Give it twenty-four hours. ”

I shook my head. “You heard Scott. I’ve given you guys strict orders not to force any of your charges to do something against their will. I am firm on that line, so that means someone has to talk sense into both of them. We’re not just dealing with Bailey here. This is Matt. I love the guy, but Scott’s not wrong. Matt will get her arrested if they’re as out of control as he’s saying. I don’t want my woman behind bars.”

Drake was looking between us.

I motioned to him. “We’re flying back commercial.”

“Commercial?”

I nodded. He knew what that meant, and right then and there, both of us pulled out our guns, our knives, and any other weapons we had. All were handed over to Josh, who was glaring at first. A second later, he relented with a grumble. “This is stupid.” But he took the weapons, finding room in his duffel for each one.

We handed the chambers over next.

Same thing. They were put inside his duffel bag, too.

Drake and I went through our bags one more time to ensure we wouldn’t get pulled over or questioned in customs.

I looked over. “Passport?”

Drake froze, then expelled a deep pocket of air. He patted his top breast pocket. “I almost thought I hadn’t brought it.” He pulled it out. “All good to go.”

Mine was in my inside pocket.

“Okay.” I nodded to Josh. “You’re in charge. Keep in contact. I want to know what’s happening on this end.”

Drake lifted two fingers in a salute.

Josh flicked his middle finger at us. “I hate this.”

“Boss, what about Victoria?” Josh asked.

“Her deprogramming?”

“They said it’s as good as they’ll get her. We do more and we run the risk of that gray area. ”

I didn’t feel right holding anyone captive, unless they shared my blood.

I made my decision, knowing I’d probably regret it. “Let her go.”





THIRTY

Bailey


Despite the glaring, Fitz and Scott didn’t say a word. Scott had to walk away for a bit, and during that time, we concocted a plan. It was more like blackmail, but the ends justified the means. We had Payton make a video in which she confessed to everything she’d told us in the elevator. The deal was simple. She went in that hotel room, taped her conversation while also having Matt’s phone open in her pocket. It was put on silent so anything incoming wouldn’t make a noise.

We listened to everything from my phone a floor below, and when Payton came back, the video was deleted.

It was easy-peasy.

Until we got home. Because once we got home, Peter was waiting for us.

Somehow Kash was told where we were.

Kash told Peter.

And Peter started laying into us.

All three of us got an earful, and after we got the basic general lecture, Peter called us all into his office for our own individualized and customized lecture. I knew this because each of us had to wait. It went Matt first, then me. Payton was last, and she looked more terrified than I imagined Seraphina would’ve been if she was waiting to be called into the principal’s office. In Payton’s defense, the meeting with Quinn had been exactly what she said—which was not told to Peter. We let him believe what Payton thought we believed, about how Quinn had called her. We knew it was only a brief text exchange, and that it seemed like it had happened before.

We were hoping it would happen again, or I was.

Matt and I whispered about it in the hallway, but Scott and Fitz kept trying to get closer so we had to stop talking. And if I were asked why we were keeping it a secret, I wouldn’t have an answer. If we found something vital, we’d share. We’d have to. But so far we hadn’t gotten anything vital from Quinn and I hadn’t had time to go through her phone data. Which is what I had planned to do for the rest of the night.

Matt was waiting for me in a chair outside my bedroom window. There was another one set up, so instead of going into the room, I sank down and kicked up a foot on the windowsill. This corner window looked out over the back end of the golf course on the estates. Right now, it was all snow.

“How was he with you?”

I shrugged. “Not that hard. I got the Chrissy factor working for me still.”

He grunted, running a hand over his face. “He lectured me on influencing you, and if it’s the right thing to do, me spending so much time with you.”

“What?” My stomach rolled over on that one. I didn’t like it. A flare of panic started in me. “We’ve been fine.”

We barely did anything slightly illegal.

He kicked up his feet, too, sliding down in his chair. “I should go to my room. I’m exhausted.”

“Me, too.” I slid down, mirroring him.

“Yeah. Your room is right there.”

He closed his eyes .

“Yeah.”

I closed my eyes.

Next thing I knew, sleep.

Kash

Peter was waiting for me when I got to the Chesapeake.