Page 83 of Defiance
Aaron sighed. “Sorry, I forgot you didn’t know. Smith told us this morning that the people they’re going to talk to are all CEG members. He’ll be part of the recon group and thinks he can get Cole time alone with one of them.”
“Isn’t that too risky for his first time out?”
Aaron shrugged. “They just want to meet him. Nothing more.”
Logan didn’t like it, but then he doubted he’d like anything that had the potential to put Cole in danger. “I want to see him.”
“I know. But we have no reason to be at his flat until tomorrow.”
Logan looked up at the sky, the beautiful clear blue mocking his dark mood. “I didn’t think it would be this hard.”
Aaron huffed. “Yeah you did, you justavoidedthinking about it.”
“Oh, fuck off.” He nudged him to show him he didn’t mean it. Aaron was right. He had avoided thinking about what would happen when Cole became a fully-fledged member of the HRU. Their teams didn’t mix.
He’d thought eventually they could start ‘dating,’ be out in the open, but the last month had shown him that couldn’t happen any time soon.
No one would believe it.
With a resigned sigh, he opened his car door. “Come on, Jacob’ll get pissy if we make him wait too long.”
* * *
Logan letthem into his flat to be greeted by an enthusiastic Smudge. She scaled him as soon as he shut the door, perching on his shoulder and rubbing against his ear.
Jacob stroked her as he moved past towards the living room, but paused in the doorway. “I’m sorry I didn’t get there earlier today. Simon had no fucking right to authorise that.”
“I take it he didn’t clear it with Michael then?”
“No. And I don’t think that’s the first time it’s happened, judging by Michael’s reaction when I told him.”
“That’s not good.” Aaron’s face was pretty much how Logan felt.
“Should we be worried?” Logan was all too aware that Michael had his faults, but better the devil you knew and all that. The last thing they needed was fighting at the top.
“I don’t know, but it’s something to keep an eye on.”
He ushered Jacob and Aaron to go sit down and headed into the kitchen.
“Anyone want a drink?” He shouted as he got a beer for himself. He poured himself a shot of whisky too and downed it. It wasn’t even lunchtime yet, but fuck it, Logan needed something after the morning he’d had. It wasn’t like it’d get him drunk.
Neither Jacob nor Aaron wanted anything, so Logan took his beer into the living room and sat on the sofa next to Aaron, Smudge jumping down to settle in his lap. “Is it safe for Cole to meet CEG members on Friday night?”
It had been eating at him all the way home.
He played with the label on his beer bottle. “It’s his first time out with the HRU. Shouldn’t he wait until he has a few under his belt? Won’t Paul be keeping a close eye on him?”
Jacob sat forward, elbows resting on his knees, and regarded Logan with the same expression he used to deliver news he knew Logan wouldn’t like. “Yes, ideally it’d be better to wait until Cole isn’t under so much scrutiny, but this is a golden opportunity. Who knows when the next time the people the HRU investigate will be actual CEG members? And if Cole will be on the team.”
“I know, but—”
“They want to meet him, Logan. Just for a few minutes to touch base. We can’t afford to say no. It could be months before we get another chance.”
“Do you trust Smith?” It was a stupid question, he knew it as he asked. If Jacob didn’t trust him completely, then Smith wouldn’t know anything about him or Cole.
To Jacob’s credit, he remained patient as he answered. “I trust him with my life. All of ours.”
Logan sat back against the cushions and drained his beer. “What are we supposed to do in the meantime?”
Jacob shrugged. “Exactly what you’ve been doing. Escort Cole to and from training, and that’s it.”
Easier said than done.
But what fucking choice do I have?
