Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 87078 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87078 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 435(@200wpm)___ 348(@250wpm)___ 290(@300wpm)
She suited her original name of Iris.
“She loves coming to the office, so yeah, she can come,” I say.
“I swear you sometimes take her when it’s not needed just so you can turn her against me and try to become her human.”
“Oh no. You’ve discovered my evil plan to smother our dog with love.”
Iris nods seriously. “I thought so. Well, it won’t work. She loves me the best.”
“Does she?” I kneel. “Hey, Princess! Daddy’s here.”
She doesn’t move from where she’s sitting.
“Nu-uh. If you want her to come to you, you know what you have to do,” Iris says.
I sigh. “Princess Smooshy Face, come here.”
She immediately tackles me to the ground.
“You know she only answers to her full name.”
I’m suddenly regretting putting him in charge of training her, but in my defense, it gave him something to do while he was recovering.
I try to move her off me, but she refuses, and she’s heavy now she’s fully grown.
Iris sticks his fingers in his mouth and lets out a loud whistle. “Come on. Let’s get to work.”
Like the faithful puppy she is, she runs after him, finally letting me up. And now my shirt is covered in muddy paw prints.
“You grab your stuff. I need to change my shirt.” I run inside and change, and when I get back out to the car, Princess is sitting in the front passenger seat with Iris behind her, and they’re both wearing aviators.
Like father like daughter.
“Did Trav say what the job was?” Iris asks when we get on the road.
“Nope.”
“I’ll miss you if I have to go away.”
“Aww, I’ll miss—” I slump. “You’re talking to the dog again, aren’t you?”
“No?”
“Liar.”
“I will miss you both.” Iris leans toward me and kisses my cheek.
“That’s better.”
When we arrive at headquarters, Zeus and Atlas are there for the job also. We all take our seats in the war room and wait for Trav to tell us details.
Before he can get started, Domino enters the room, followed by someone familiar who I can’t exactly place. Then it comes back to me.
“Is that—”
Iris snickers. “Yep.”
“Who let you in here?” Trav barks at Rodriguez, Trav’s nemesis.
“Your guard dog.” Rodriguez gestures to Domino. “We need to talk.”
“What am I in trouble for now?”
Rodriguez just glares.
Trav turns to Domino. “Can you run through this with the guys while I deal with … him.”
Domino looks like he’s trying not to smile. “You got it, boss.” Domino takes over. “Councilman Rowling is—”
Iris dramatically sinks in his chair. “Noooo. No. No, no, no. I feel sick. Ow, my bullet hole. Ow. I’m dying. Can’t. Do. Job.”
“—flying into Vegas for unknown reasons,” Domino finishes.
Suddenly, Iris is upright again. “Vegas, you say? I’m listening …”
“We suspect it will be a weekend of booze, hookers, and gambling, but we need to know if he’s meeting up with anyone suspicious.”
“I thought we were going to drop this case when Trav found out all the sketchy details was because he was having an affair,” Iris says.
“The senator—the guy Rowling wants to go up against in the next election—hired us because he’s adamant Rowling is dirty. He has people in his pockets. Cops, drug dealers … he has someone on every side. And while Trav is convinced this is merely an excuse to kill his rising political career, they’re paying us. A lot. Yay for campaign donations being used inappropriately.”
Domino goes into more detail, telling the guys they need to tail him the whole time they’re there—twenty-four hours a day—which is why they need the three of them to go.
“Saint, you’ll have a bed here and be on call for when the guys need something from you.”
I mock salute him. “On it.”
Domino gives the guys twenty minutes until they need to leave for the airport to be on the same commercial flight as Rowling.
“Have you got any party clothes packed?” I ask.
“I’ll have to go get some from downstairs.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“Aww, you think we can get off in twenty minutes and find clothes for me to take?”
“Why do you always think I’m trying to get into your pants?”
“Uh, because you are?” Iris points out.
“Okay, true. But I actually want to spend time with you before you leave. Because I kinda miss you when you’re gone.”
“Kinda?”
I hold up my thumb and forefinger. “Little bit.”
Iris moves in closer, touching his forehead to mine. “I always miss you too.”
“Mm, this time you’re going to Vegas. I don’t think you’ll have time to miss me too much. Make sure you get some sleep in between following Rowling and partying with Zeus, okay?” I step back. “Oh God, I can see it now. Poor Atlas will be put on councilman duty while you and Zeus end up in some gay bar somewhere, and—”
Iris cuts me off with his lips. “You have nothing to worry about. I’m a taken man.”