Page 150 of What Remains

“So they were taken, but . . .” Hollis lets her words trail off, as confused as we all are.

“Can you track the vehicle?” Gideon asks.

“Hopefully,” Gwen answers, locked in on the work already.

“I think we’re safe to head to Heathrow now.” Natasha looks at Carter, but he’s staring in a daze at the floor, probably trying to understand what this all means.

Gray goes ahead and barks out the orders. Jesse’s the first to react, quietly heading to the cockpit to let the captain know to prepare for landing. Landing in a storm, too. We’re riding above the bad weather now, but it’s about to get dicey when we begin our descent.

“Why would Zoey take my brother’s laptop and cut and run?” Gideon asks a few seconds later.

I check on Carter’s reaction again, knowing he’s gotta be as stunned as I am. Because does this mean . . .?

Before anyone can respond, Natasha abruptly stands and covers her mouth with both hands.

“What is it?” Wyatt attempts to get up, but it takes both Jack and Griffin helping him to his feet for him to do so.

Gwen’s fingers hover over the keyboard, but she’s not typing anymore. She’s waiting for Natasha to go on. To say something I can only assume is going to give me a damn heart attack.

The cabin hum presses in around us as we wait.

Natasha lowers her hands to her sides, lightly shaking her head. “Zoey, she . . .”

“She what?” Wyatt closes the space between them and holds his wife’s hands captive between his.

“The night you left with her for the island to go undercover . . .” Natasha begins, eyes shooting to me. “She stopped by to see me before you two left. I—I never thought of this, because why would I? It’s Zoey.”

“What is it?” The words punch free from my lips, and I stagger forward, knocking into Griffin.

“Zoey’s the one who planted the seed,” she whispers. “She asked me how Gwen was holding up. I told her she’d been down, and she was going to be much worse now that Easton was going on an op without her, and⁠—”

“Zoey’s the one who told you to take Gwen on a vacation?” Wyatt asks in a strained voice. “It was her idea?”

“Not in those exact words.” Natasha’s eyes become like green glass, shimmering with unshed tears of regret and misplaced guilt.

Nope, not her fault.

Fucking A.

It’s Zoey’s from the sounds of it, but how can that be?

“Zoey casually said it always helps her clear her head when she gets away with friends. That’s all, but it was enough to get me thinking about it. And—and I forgot about that conversation, because who would ever think she’d betray us?”

If Zoey sent Gwen to Dubai so she could be taken, then she sent her to that island, too. Rage simmers hot beneath the surface as I try to get a handle on this.

I reach around to my back at the memory of the lash marks. “That’s why Jezebel never touched her like she did me. She was protected. On their side.”

“This can’t be,” Carter says in a hoarse voice. “She may have taken Julian’s laptop, but there has to be another reason. Someone got to her. Threatened her and forced her to take it or else.” He passes his phone to Griffin as if it’s on fire, and he can’t handle the coming inferno.

“Zoey genuinely looked shocked when she saw me on the island.” A shaky breath falls from Gwen’s lips. “Maybe Carter’s right. I can’t imagine she’d hurt me like that. I refuse to believe it.” The tears slipping down her cheeks say otherwise. “Whose cover story idea was it?” She looks over at me, her lower lip trembling. “Who said you two should go as husband and wife?”

My stomach bottoms out, and without a second thought, I reach for that chain to hold on to as if it can truly protect me.

Not from a bullet, but from something much worse.

Betrayal.

“Zoey’s,” I grit out. “The entire mission was her idea.”