Catching Teardrops (MAC Security 5)

I know he’s only voicing what we’re all thinking but I still don’t fuckin’ like it.

“What he said.” Evan hooks his thumb toward Dean. “The question is: why? Why doesn’t he trust you?”

I lean back in my seat, stretching my legs out in front of me and watching everyone. Every person in this room has their own skills. Evan is the computer expert, Ty is good at overseeing and organizing takedowns, Kitty is the slippery woman who can worm her way into any situation, and Kay is the one who sees things from a different perspective. Me? I’m the observant one, the one who sits back and watches, analyzing everything before making a firm decision. I may have anger running through my veins at breakneck speeds, but I can control it, use it when it’s necessary and never against anyone I love.

“He knows about you both; he knows who you are,” Kay announces.

West swings his head around to her, fire in his eyes which causes Ty to stand up, lifting to his full height as his eyes flash a warning at him.

The atmosphere crackles with tension, and my lip quirks as West slowly sits back down beside Seb, his face turning red as his anger overtakes him. “He can’t know, we’ve been fucking careful.”

“Let me do some digging,” Evan says as he closes his laptop and stands up. “If I find anything, I’ll let you know ASAP.”

He walks out of the warehouse, West and Seb following a few minutes after him. I don’t move, waiting until Dean and Kitty have left before turning to face Ty. I keep my eyes trained on him as he talks to Kay, knowing he can feel my stare burning a hole through his head.

Three weeks I’ve had to sit with that fuckboy next to me, not calling Ty out, but enough is enough. He hasn’t explained the look in his eye when he put me with him, and I’m done waiting.

“Spit it out, Luke,” he demands without looking at me.

I stay silent, waiting until his full attention is on me. When his chocolate-brown eyes connect with mine, I lift my brow. “How long?”

“How long, what?”

“Do I have to sit in a fuckin’ confined space with that dick.”

Kay chuckles before masking it with a cough when Ty whips his head toward her. “I’ll erm…” She stands up. “I’ll go and check the emails.”

“You do that, sweetheart.” He grins at her causing her to roll her eyes as she walks past me, placing her hand on my shoulder before moving across the warehouse and into the office.

Ty watches her until the door shuts and then the grin falls off his face. “I need you close to him.”

Tilting my head, I watch him for a beat. Does he get the same feeling about him as I do? “You think he’s up to something?”

He leans back in his chair. “Of course I do. He comes here for Kitty—which I get—but he knows everything about everyone?” He shakes his head. “There’s something going on, but the only way I can find out is by having him close.”

“Keep your friends close but your enemies closer.”

He nods in agreement before leaning forward, drumming his fingers on the table. “Evan has too much on with Darrell, and it’s the only case we’re working right now.” He looks around, narrowing his eyes at something. “I found a chip on the back of the unit next to Evan’s computers.”

“A chip?” I ask, standing up and pushing forward when he pulls something out of his pocket.

“We’ve had four people in this compound over the last few weeks that I don’t trust: West, Seb, Lexi, and Dean. One of them planted it.”

I grind my teeth together as I take the chip from him. Four weeks ago Evan brought an ex-con onto the compound, and although I couldn’t believe he’d done it, I instinctively know it’s not Lexi. So that leaves three people who it could be.

“I need you to find out who it is,” Ty tells me.

Pocketing the chip, I widen my stance, crossing my arms over my chest. “Who else knows about this?”

“Only you and me.” He stands up. “And that’s how I want it to stay.”

My nostrils flare, anger coursing through me at having someone in our space that can’t be trusted. It takes a lot for me to trust someone, but as soon as it’s broken, there ain’t no way you’re getting it back.

“I’m on it.”

Ty nods, clapping his hand on my shoulder as he walks past me and into the office.

I stare at the warehouse, noting how much things have changed over the last three years since Kay came to work here. Back then all we did was work, sleep, and more work. But she brought something out in all of us, made us want a family, made us become more than work colleagues.