The King (Gentlemen Rogues 2)

"Jesus fucking Christ. And Saff? What about her?"

Gabe exhaled. "Because she wasn't an active agent yet, she couldn't just come home. She buried her parents and then had to find her own way to safely return using her actual name and ID. She backpacked across northeastern America, made her way into Canada where she made it to a safe house, grabbed new IDs, and came home. It took her a month."

“Fucking hell."

“Yeah, she was paranoid. She didn't want to lead anyone back to home base."

“For fuck's sake. How did they even know who she was in order to target her?"

“I don't know. We were hoping our new mission with Massimo would give us some more of the inner workings of the Igno empire. At the very least, we’d be able to listen in."

"What about the bugs we have planted?"

"The moment we got the red notice, we sent a cleaning crew. While you lot were vanishing into thin air, we scrubbed the listening devices. At most, Igno might wonder where you went. We very publicly cleaned out your villa and had new agents move in just to make it seem as if the honeymoon was over. We’ve also planted some tabloid rumors, with your grandfather's permission of course, about how you were seen with a secret lady love in the Caribbean and then in Ibiza."

"Wow. Well, at least that tracks with the whole playboy image Massimo had of me."

"Thanks for laying the ground work on that."

“Is Saff okay?"

He shrugged. "I might not have been helpful on that front, but my sister knows she needs to play it close for a bit."

I lifted a brow. "Jesus, mate."

Gabe's brow furrowed. "She's your teammate and your training officer, but I’m in command, do you understand? You can either speak to me as her brother or as commander. You can't do both." He sighed. “As your commander, you broke protocol. You have to stay on and finish the mission."

"What is the mission now?"

"We have to regroup. Figure out where we are. I have to talk to Oversight."

"And my status?"

“For the meantime, you're still a Rogue."

Two weeks ago, before I left for the islands, all I wanted was out. But now, I owed Drake Webster a bullet to the skull.

And here I thought we were done with Saff.

Done or not, that twat deserves to die.

"As Saff's brother again, thank you for watching her six. You're dismissed."

“Is Saff grounded?"

"No. She's finally getting her wish, actually. To become a field agent."

I nodded. "Well, at least there's that."

I pushed to my feet and made to leave when he called out, "And King, whatever happened between you two in the Winston Isles, I don't want to know about it. But you understand the rules at Rogues Division, yes?"

I knew what he was asking. I turned slowly. “I know the rules. They won't be a problem. But I do have a question for you."

He shrugged. "What is it?"

"The forty-eight hours before I turned up here…"

“Yes?

"Was Saff responsible?"

His brow furrowed. "Why would you ask that?"

I scanned the way his eyes widened at my question. “I don't know. She said something in training that made it seem like she'd been in my flat before. And she was a little too familiar with my file."

"We don’t disclose those details for a reason.”

The only way you're going to find out is to ask her directly.

Too bad I was just as likely to throttle her as I was to kiss her. And either option could get me killed.