The King (Gentlemen Rogues 2)

Even Rook seemed concerned “Boss?”

I paused in the room full of three of the biggest, baddest men I’d probably ever met in my life, and I knew I had the upper hand.

Webster smiled when he saw me taking off my jacket, and he tsked. “I can't say I’m disappointed, but at least you're predictable. Come on now, why don't you give me the beating you're so desperate to hand out so I can hurry up and get out of here. Because you can't win. You won't win.”

I shrugged. “You're right. If I play the way you play, I can't win. But if I play my way, I always come out on top.” Then I palmed the gun that I’d pulled up from the holster as I was removing my jacket, and I tranqued him in the dead center of his chest.

There was nothing more satisfying than watching a massive tree go down.

* * *

Saffron

I wishI could say I felt something, anything other than pure numbness.

But I didn't. Okay, fine, maybe exhaustion. On my first mission, I had nearly gotten my entire team taken out, been kidnapped, gotten blown up, fought with my boyfriend, then broken up with said boyfriend. Then as a final topper, I’d captured one of the most notorious criminals in the world, the same one who happened to have killed my parents.

I was long overdue for a nap.

Yes, we had captured Webster, but even that felt too easy and not quite right. It was almost like he wanted to be caught.

And I had no idea why.

In our pursuit of Drake Webster, Rook had been shot, Lachlan had been injured trying to get to me, and Tabs… Well, Tabs was just pissed right the fuck off.

All because I made the wrong call about Graciella.

One bad call and we had lost Graciella, and I’d almost gotten everyone killed.

This was why they didn't let agents date. Too many distractions. There was a perfectly good reason for it, other than my brother being a dick.

But in this case he had good reason to be. And sure enough, even Lock questioned my judgment.

So yeah, everything was shit.

There was nothing worse than having the man you loved—okay, fine, I said loved—question your call in the field because you'd already made the wrong one.

There was nothing worse than having your own team doubt your competence because you'd already screwed up once.

Yeah, there was a reason they didn't let agents date.

I hadn't believed in it, hadn't wanted to adhere to that rule. I thought I was exempt and that the rules didn't apply to me. But even funnier was that they applied to me most of all.

The fucking heir. What load of bullshit was that?

I didn't have some great legacy to uphold. I was like every other Rook agent trying to survive. And I made a colossal mistake.

After the prisoner transport at the airport and during the long drive to Rogues Division, I was just relieved to be in one piece, prisoner intact, ready to go.

But I knew what was waiting. There would be no hot shower, no moment of respite. My brother would have a lot to say to me. And sure enough, he was waiting for me.

He glowered at me then at my whole team. "Mission debrief, now."

I could have argued. I could have pushed, but he had the right to be pissed the fuck off. Exhausted, I followed behind Gabe, and my team followed me. Because at the end of the day, we all screwed up together. In the debrief room we all took seats, and I glanced around at my team. They were all road weary. Tabs though, ever the faithful sidekick, was glowering at Gabe. Lock's expression was stoic.

My brother turned to me. "Explain yourself."

"Any mission protocols broken were mine. My team only followed my lead."