Rough Edges by Shannon K. Butcher Page B

know?”
    â€œOnly that there’s some kind of important cargo being moved tonight.”
    â€œAnd you think it’s Gage?”
    â€œOne of them slipped and said
he
instead of
it
. We’re assuming the cargo is human rather than a lab animal.”
    She shoved away her exhaustion and forced herself to start putting together a plan. “Where?”
    â€œAs soon as I tell you that, you’ll fly out of here to go after him.”
    â€œHe’s my friend—a concept with which you’re doubtlessly unfamiliar.”
    â€œBella,” he said, in that paternal tone that set her teeth on edge.
    â€œDon’t. Just don’t. There’s no time for one of your lectures. Where is Gage?”
    â€œI’ll tell you under one condition.”
    She didn’t want to bargain with the devil, but this was not the time to be stubborn. Gage needed her. “What?”
    â€œWhen this is all said and done, when Gage is home safely, you and I are going to sit down and hash things out. We’ve spent too many years together to let our relationship fall apart the way it has.”
    The need to scream at him surged up her throat. She had to grit her teeth and swallow hard to hold it in. “Fine. You want to talk, we’ll talk. Just know that it’s not going to be some polite chat. You were part of the project that ruined my life. You hid that from me for years. Lied to me. That’s the kind of thing that deserves some raised voices. Possibly broken bones. You’re going to sign a waiver stating you’re okay with that.”
    â€œI understand. You can yell at me all you like so long as we work through our differences. I love you, Bella. You’re the only family I have left.”
    â€œI’m not your family. Never have been. Family doesn’t do the things you did to me. But if you want to pretend like a few nice words are going to clear the air, then fine. Whatever you have to tell yourself. I don’t care anymore. All I want is to find Gage and kill Stynger.”
    His face fell with disappointment, but he hid it fast. “I want that, too. I’ve already called in a team to meet us at the Edge. A helicopter is waiting for us.”
    *   *   *
    As soon as Victor arrived at the Edge to board the chopper heading out on some secret assignment and saw Bella, he knew why Payton had insisted he come along. She was out of control, and not a single one of her employees had the guts to stand up to her when she got like this. Except him.
    She was pacing like a caged beast on the building’s rooftop, her black hair flying around in the wash of the helicopter’s blades. It was dark, but the roof was bathed in more than enough light to see her clearly. She was dressed in clinging black. A small arsenal of weapons and armor was strapped to her lean body, disguising the sleek curves he knew lay beneath. Each step she took vibrated with the need for violence, but it was her eyes that pulled him in.
    She looked up as he approached, and the fear he saw on her face—the worry and pain—broke his heart. She covered her emotions as he neared, pulling on that mask of badass indifference she frequently wore, but he knew the truth.
    Bella was hurting. Afraid. Gage was still missing, and it was tearing her up inside.
    Victor was drawn to her, wishing he could pull her into his arms and offer her some kind of comfort. But with the pilot looking on and Payton lurking nearby, Victor knew his efforts would be both unwanted and futile. He’d already pissed her off once tonight. He really had no desire to do so again.
    â€œTook you long enough,” she yelled over the sound of the chopper.
    He didn’t bother wasting his breath with excuses. He’d grabbed his gear the instant Payton had called. The only way he could have arrived faster was if someone had invented teleporters.
    â€œIs this about Gage?” He couldn’t imagine