Hadley shrugged. “There are lots of juicy targets.” Including some of her family. She turned and caught sight of her parents.
Lord Charles Lockwood, Baron Astley, and Lady Caroline Lockwood. They looked as they always did—posh, rich, and aloof. She’d already said hello to them, and kept it mercilessly short.
She didn’t always like them, but they were her parents, and she cared about them. If something went down tonight, she didn’t want to see them hurt.
Killian gave a sharp nod. “I’ll look around.”
Her shoulders relaxed a little. “Thanks, Kill.”
He squeezed her arm. “Ready for the meeting tomorrow?”
She nodded. It was the reason they were here, instead of back in the huge warehouse in New York that Killian had converted into the Sentinel Security headquarters. They had a meeting with MI6 about a classified project. Killian hadn’t told her anything.
“I’m always ready,” she said.
“So you are. Keep an eye out.” He stalked off, cutting through the party crowd like a knife. Several women looked at him, then cast Hadley envious looks.
“There you are,” a cultured voice said. “Pleasetell me you’re shagging him and it’s amazing.”
Hadley’s older sister Annabelle sidled up to her, wearing a classy Stella McCartney dress.
“He’s my boss,” Hadley said.
“So? He isfine.” Annabelle smiled. “How are you, darling? Still off saving the world?”
“My little corner of it.”
Annabelle rolled her eyes. She had their father’s brown eyes, while Hadley had their mother’s light-blue shade.
“It sounds so tedious,” Annabelle said. “You should come home, enjoy the good life.”
Annabelle’s idea of the good life was attending parties like this, shopping, ensuring the kids were with the nanny, and the odd ski trip to France. She’d married a wealthy London businessman, and had a very cool, British marriage. They both cheated, but did it discreetly, and neither of them cared.
All so icily civilized.
Hadley knew that was life. Real love was a crapshoot. Oh, it happened, of course. Two of her fellow Sentinel Security friends, Nick and Matteo—men she cared for deeply—had recently fallen in love with two wonderful women. Hell, they’d charged into it.
Thankfully, Hadley loved Lainie and Gabbi. They were both so good for the men.
But those couples were the exception that proved the rule.
Real love required trust, and Hadley had a short supply of that. Her family had been the first to give her lessons in not trusting. She loved them, but she wouldn’t trust them as far as she could throw them. They were all selfish to the bone.
Then, at MI6, she’d learned the rest of her lessons. She’d seen many accomplished liars and expert betrayers.
And as a young, idealistic agent, she’d let one idiot fool her. She’d thought she’d been in love, and she’d learned a very hard, almost deadly, lesson.
She sipped her champagne again. Trusting someone was a risk usually not worth taking.
She trusted her fellow Sentinel Security team members, but that was it.
“Come home and stop working so hard,” her sister continued.
“Annabelle, have you seen the weather here?” As if to help make Hadley’s point, fat raindrops hit the glass. “I’ll take New York weather and shopping any day.”
Her sister nodded. “Fair point.” Then she lowered her voice. “Not to mention some strapping American men to sample.”
Hadley hid her eye roll. “How are the kids?”