The Dom Identity (Masters & Mercenaries Reloaded 2)

Beating the crap out of Deke would make him feel better. And he might let Deke get in a shot or two. If he came home looking pathetic and damaged, Vanessa’s tender heart wouldn’t let her ignore him.

Although his mom would point out he’d probably started the fight and go into all the ways he and JT used to get in trouble.

He was calling his dad because he needed to get his mom out of here stat.

“Dude, I’m not sparring with you when your life is this fucked up,” Deke announced as he slid his security card to open the door.

Yasmin gave them a cheery smile from the reception desk.

“Morning, Michael. Morning, Deke. Michael, MaeBe asked me to tell you she’s got some info for you,” she said before touching her earpiece. “McKay-Taggart Security Services. How may I help you? Wow, that is a lot of gunfire. Hold on.” She pushed another button, her voice staying cool as a cucumber. “Big Tag, I’ve got Tennessee Smith on the line, and he is under heavy fire. Uh huh. I know you told him not to get involved, but I think he did. Sure thing. I’ll put him through now.”

So Ten’s latest endeavor was going gangbusters. “Thanks. I’ll go find her.”

Yasmin gasped and then hung up. “That was a loud explosion, but Mr. Smith was still talking. He’s very cool under pressure. It seems like he started a small war. I don’t think Big Tag gave him a per diem for arming rebel forces.”

You never knew with Tag.

“I’ll go and get right on that.” Deke stepped away.

Michael was about to go find MaeBe when he stopped. Yasmin was level-headed. She was a divorced mom with a daughter. Since every woman in his life seemed pissed at him, perhaps he should get an outsider’s view. “Hey, can I ask your opinion?”

Her brown eyes came up to find his. “About per diems? Big Tag is actually quite generous with them. He even gives a daily allowance for condoms. Even for the female employees. He’s a little too generous, if you ask me. Some of the guys take advantage. Like there’s no way they’re going through that many condoms. I’ve seen some of them. They do not have a whole box of game, if you know what I mean.”

The expense reports at MT could get kind of weird. “Not about that. All right. This is a hypothetical. You’re dating a man.”

Yasmin’s mouth went flat. “He’s wrong.”

“I didn’t finish.”

Yasmin nodded. “All right, but the answer’s going to be the same. And I assume we’re talking about a friend who is you, so you’re wrong. But go ahead. I can be fair.”

Oh, she so couldn’t be fair.

He was about to tell her to forget it when a deep voice spoke.

“He wants to know if he was right to not tell his girlfriend that he was engaged to a woman he had spy on her.” Kyle had slipped in behind him. “According to what I’ve managed to uncover, Vanessa knew he was engaged, but she didn’t know it was Tessa. Who seems to have slipped up and spilled the secret when she took over for me today because someone stole my identity and I need to talk to a lawyer. Also, I’m probably going to have to have my mom cosign for my car. So I feel very adult and ready to face the world.”

Yasmin’s eyes had widened in obvious awe. “You figured all of that out this morning?”

Kyle nodded. “I’m a good operative.”

He was an ass. “He found it out from his brother, who found it out from Tessa, who can’t keep her mouth shut. He’s not good at finding out intel. He’s good at reading texts.”

Kyle shrugged. “You say potato and all that. You should have straight up told her. I knew this would all go wrong, but hey, no one listens to me. Including the guy at the bank.”

Yep, he should have taken the day off. “I’ve got to go find MaeBe. You’re an asshole, Hawthorne.”

He strode toward the bank of cubicles where the tech team was located. Thankfully it was on the opposite side of the building from Big Tag’s office. Although he could hear the man yelling something about starting rebellions in foreign countries and how insurance didn’t cover that.

Those were management problems. He had worries of his own.

“Are you trying to put MaeBe back out in the field?” Kyle was right on his ass. “Because you saw how that went last time.”

“No, she’s got information for me.” Michael managed to avoid turning and confronting the kid.

“Okay, because she got hurt last time, and I’m not merely talking about the knife wound she took. She’s not like us, man.”

That did get Michael to stop. “What do you mean she’s not like us? She works here, too. You have to let her do her job.”