“I know. Fuck. I know.” Aarav scrunched his eyes closed. That had been the problem all along and it was only worse now. So maybe his tactic of trying to ignore the attraction zinging between them hadn’t been the right call. Maybe he needed to consider a new strategy.
Like burning his lust out of his system before they got to their destination. Damn Jordan for putting the idea of joining the mile high club in his mind earlier. What kind of boss did that?
One who cared for his agents as more than employees. That’s who.
Aven shut off the helicopter and removed her headset. “It’s a long flight. You’ll have plenty of time to get your shit together before the mission.”
Aarav realized he didn’t even know where they were headed. In a way, it didn’t matter. But he needed to find out exactly how to best transform into the weapon Jordan and the Shields needed him to be that day.
So he juggled his duffle and the tote, which looked to be brimming with portions from the banquet they were missing out on, then hightailed it after Sola.
When he ducked through the opening into the luxurious aircraft, their boss was already on the monitor situated across from the couch in the lounge area along one wall of the plane. Aarav tossed his bags onto a captain’s chair, then took a seat next to Sola on the supple leather Aven had been so protective of, letting his hand caress it to distract himself from the heat of Sola’s satin-covered thigh pressed to his.
Behind Jordan, who looked every bit the movie star version of a spy in his tux and the elegant watch his husband and wife had given him at their own wedding, a flash of unnatural red hair made it clear their geek girl tech extraordinaire, Ruby, was also missing some of the party to help out. She beamed their images to Sola and Aarav via a secure transmission from Jordan’s office.
“Can we get going? I didn’t like the way Ace was eying my cake.” Ruby flashed them a wink, though it was obvious she was only teasing. None of them would shirk their responsibility for taking out the world’s trash to protect the innocent.
“Girl, it isn’t your dessert he’s hungry for.” Sola snorted.
“You don’t want to start that with me.” Ruby straightened her replica elven tiara as she glanced between Sola and Aarav. Never piss off a nerd.
“Fair enough.” Sola cracked her knuckles. “Where we going, boss?”
“Greece.” Jordan got right down to business. “In exactly twelve hours, Cash Kalykalaos will be cutting the ribbon for a new casino called Dionysus’s Playground on a small island, which his father just happens to own, in the Aegean Sea.”
“You’re sending us on vacation?” Aarav highly doubted this was going to be fun and games for anyone.
“I don’t gamble.” Sola crossed her arms.
“No, we’re not taking chances today or any other,” Jordan assured them. “I apologize for the short notice, but Cash almost never attends public events and only announced his presence at this ceremony to the high rollers less than two hours ago. When the agency that hired us spotted the ribbon on an open air balcony, they knew we’d have a shot at finally nailing this bastard.”
“I don’t get it.” Sola tipped her head. “Are they forcing people to waste their life savings? Rigging the games even more than usual?”
“No.” Jordan frowned. “There are plenty of valid whales playing there, and at the family’s other casinos across Europe and the Middle East, voluntarily.”
“So what’s this guy done that justifies eliminating him?” Aarav already mentally calculated his odds of success for a shot at a man on a balcony of a casino on a tiny island surrounded by something other than solid ground. This was going to be a bitch.
“Their gambling operations are a front for a money laundering operation. They clean cash from a massive network of arms dealers linked to terrorism in more than thirty countries. Their latest customer was responsible for the bombing that killed one hundred and thirty-nine innocents including seventeen children in a market in Marrakesh last month. If we can cut off their access to their profits, we can make them a hell of a lot less motivated to trade this stuff in the first place.”
“I’m with you now.” Sola grimaced.
“Okay, so. The event is in twelve hours.” Aarav checked his own watch. It wasn’t flashy like Jordan’s and was scratched all to hell, but it was every bit as prized a possession. “How long does it take to get there?”
“Ten to the airport on the mainland and another forty-five minutes by boat.” Jordan pinched the bridge of his nose. “It’s not ideal, but we’ll have to make it work. This is the only chance there’s been in over two years of reconnaissance to get this bastard. Aarav, we’ve secured a position for you on a neighboring island. Well, that’s a generous description. It’s more like a big chunk of rock with some wind-blown trees. But it faces the balcony and is in range. Barely.”
“And me?” Sola wondered.
“We scored an invitation for you to attend the grand opening in place of a billionaire’s daughter you bear a striking resemblance to in case the conditions turn out to be impossible for Aarav.” Jordan frowned.
So did Aarav. Because as much as he wanted to promise both Sola and his boss that he would get that fucker no matter what, shooting at that range across open water and who knew what kind of wind conditions that came with sniping over the sea instead of land was sure to be a challenge. Even for him.
“I don’t like her going in alone.” Aarav would have said that about any of his teammates, but he could no longer deny that his bond with Sola amplified his concern.
“It’s risky enough to plant a single operative.” Jordan sighed. “And itisdangerous, I’m not going to lie.”
“Guys, we do hazardous shit every day. It’s fine. I’m probably going to be sipping champagne while that asshole’s skull explodes and then I’ll bail in the confusion afterward. No problem. And if thereisone, I’ll take care of it.”
Jordan nodded tightly. “I know you will.”