Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 144571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 723(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 482(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144571 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 723(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 482(@300wpm)
Her eyes went wide.
Kala stood. “Hey, we need to talk about this.”
“Now you want to talk? You didn’t think about talking before you blew up my entire childhood?” He loved her but damn it could be hard sometimes.
“I wasn’t certain.” Kala’s tone was so even, he knew she was forcing herself to stay calm. “I thought she might be talking about you, but I wasn’t a hundred percent. I didn’t think it was a good idea to stop the conversation. You know some people freeze up.”
“So it was all for the op.”
She nodded like it was good he understood. “Of course.”
He was afraid he understood all too well. “I kind of thought you cared more about me than an op.”
“I do. Didn’t you want to know? Coop, Zach is your brother, and he’s doing all of this to protect your mom.”
“Eve McKay is my mother,” he insisted. “I doubt he’s protecting her. And Zach is not my fucking brother. He’s a liar who betrayed his whole team. That team. That’s my family.”
“And he was part of it. Babe, I know you’re upset, but think about how he treated you.”
He didn’t want to think about anything at this point but getting home to his parents. He wasn’t being reasonable, and there were warning clangs going off in his head that he should slow down. Cool off. “That was my family, but if you Taggarts kept this from my dad…”
“You Taggarts?” Kala asked.
“I mean your dad.”
She shook her head. “No, you didn’t. Which Taggarts are you talking about? My mom? I’m pretty sure if Dad knew she did. He likes to play the spy, but he’s actually a surprisingly gossipy old dude. My sisters? I don’t think so. You’re talking about me. You’re sitting there wondering what? If I knew about this the whole time and suddenly decided to spring it on you here and now? Do you think I set the whole thing up?”
Of course he didn’t. “Did you?”
She huffed. “Why, Coop? Why would I do this? You’re not acting rationally. I know it’s a lot to take in, but I need you to be Cooper McKay right now. You know I wouldn’t do this to you. I’m as surprised as you are.”
He couldn’t tell. “I would bet your blood pressure didn’t even rise.”
“Ah, we’re at the cold-blooded snake phase of the argument. Well, I’m sorry. I was trying to do my job the only way I know how, and it did not include a bunch of drama.”
He got into her space, something nasty twisting inside him. “Oh, because you never cause drama.”
She stared straight at him. “I don’t. I handle this job with precision. Do you think I lost my shit when I found out my sister got shot? I didn’t. I did my job.”
She was bringing this up? “You’re mad at me because I was upset I thought you died?”
“You blew a whole lot of cover,” she shot back. “Why do you think Ben Parker wasn’t there when Kenz got to Canada? We lost a valuable asset because you couldn’t keep it together.”
“Because I thought you were fucking dead.” He shook his head, anger flaring. He loved this woman and she was bitching at him because he was upset she got hurt? “I suppose if it had been me, you would have shrugged and moved on, Ms. Magenta to the core. Do I mean anything at all to you? Is this your way to get back at me?”
Her shoulders fell. “Of course not, and yes, you do. But Coop, what we do is important, and we can’t allow personal feelings in. Not until we’re alone.” Her head shook. “This is stupid.”
“Of course it’s stupid. It’s my feelings so it’s stupid.”
“Damn it. I didn’t mean that.”
He shook his head. “No, you didn’t. It’s all feelings, isn’t it? You don’t have any so all emotions are useless.”
A blank expression spread across her face, and he could see her shutting down. “I think you should go and call Henry. I’ll handle the rest of the interview. You’re obviously too close to this. If I’d known you were Zach’s brother, I would never have brought you with me.”
He felt his fists clench. “Oh, do you think you can bench me, baby?”
“I think I just did, and don’t call me that again,” she said quietly. “If this is what you think of me, our relationship is over.”
He should have known how she would handle this. “One fight? One fight is all it took? The great Kala Taggart can’t handle a single argument?”
“I’m not doing this with you right now.” She turned to Joyce, who stood watching them, hands shaking. “Joyce, I’m not bringing you in, but I would like to talk further with you. Is it all right if I hang out with you? Maybe bring in my dad? Your sister is in real trouble, and so is Zach. It’s serious, and I want to help.”