Page 188 of Red Marked

“Oh.” His eyes widen. “That’s true.” Another few nods. “Send the paperwork over. I’ll approve it by the end of business.”

I huff out a breath.

That was too fucking close.

“Okay, then.” I check my watch. “I’d better go. My team will be assembled.”

“Good luck.”

“Thanks.”

The pad is full when I get there. Atlas gives me that weird fucking grin the second he sees me, and I look straight through him.

I really messed up.

It could have been someone else. Someone who would tell the world.

I got lucky.

Oh, I’ll get shit for this, but at least I won’t lose my job.

Star comes past me at a jog with her hair in a ponytail and her shirt half-tucked and disappears behind the screen.

“Morning,” Rift calls. She sounds chipper. Then she coughs. “Holy shit, Pearl.” She laughs. “How much perfume are you wearing?”

“I know.” Star’s voice comes from behind the screen. “I didn’t realize it was so strong. I overslept a little, so I couldn’t do anything about it. You’ll have to deal.”

Atlas starts laughing.

Brian looks over at him. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing at all,” Atlas says. “Everything is just fine.” He looks over at me and laughs some more. “Never thought I’d see the day,” he says under his breath.

“What was that?” Brian asks.

“Check your dart gun,” Atlas tells him.

“Let’s fly in five, everyone.” I raise my voice over all of them. “Be ready.”

I check my cell phone, and there’s already a list of names attached in a PDF document.

Thank fuck!

That prick had better be one of them.

There’s something about Star that makes me lose my ever-loving mind. I’m not sure what it is.

This has to stop, though.

We need to save those females, but maybe I’m the one who needs saving more. I feel like I’m getting in too fucking deep.

“You okay, boss?” Brian asks me.

“Yes, of course.”

“You were just standing there looking out over the jungle with this strange look on your face,” the human tells me.

Atlas starts laughing again.