certain they were thinking. “You don’t have to act like I just told you I had cancer.”
“Boss, you have a mate.” Leave it to Seamus to state the obvious.
“Yes I do.”
“Shit , ” Donovan snickered . “ You okay? I mean, it’s not every day one of us finds a mate. ”
“Yeah, for us it really is like a one-in-a-million chance,” Seamus added.
“Like I said, it’s not like I have cancer. It’s just a mate. She — she’s my mate,” Madden took a breath and shook his head . “ Her name is Layla , a nd I am sure you will meet her soon enough . But she’ll need some time to get used to our life here at the compound.”
“Sure,” Donovan agreed . “So what can we do?” Leave it to Donovan to get them back to business.
“There’s a new lead on Abdul - Nassir . You two will go check it out. Under the radar. And remember as always, we do not exist. Lucas will be your go - to guy until I can check back in.”
Madden ha nded the file to Donovan just as his computer beeped with an incoming message. “That’s Caedon with the research I’m waiting for. Be safe.” With those simple words, Madden sent his agents from his office and turn ed his attention to his computer.
“What do you have for me?”
“I’ve worked all angles on the family. All seems in place. She’s not on any radar — clean and clear, that’s your girl.”
“Good. Consider this me issuing a permanent watch on anything regarding Layla. So much as her name popping up on anything, you shut it down and let me know.”
“You got it, boss.”
“She’s vulnerable, Caedon. And I can’t allow anything to happen to her because she was unlucky enough to be my mate.”
“I doubt she’s thinking about being unlucky right now.” The knowing taunt in his voi ce al luded to Caedon knowing more than he spoke aloud .
“Want to tell me what you know?” Madden wasn’t used to this tightening in his gut when he talked to any of his men about women they’d spent time with. It was different with Layla and Madden expected a lot to change at the compound in the coming months.
“I’m watchin g her out on the far lawn with Anton. He’s showing her the gardens and she seems happy .”
“ Right. Those cameras you have, C aedon … ” Madden paused , not sure how to ask what he most wanted to know.
“ … Are not anywhere in anyone’s personal quarters,” Caedon finished before Madden needed to ask his question. How fortunate he was to have such good friends. They’d been together since most of them were just boys in their early twenties. Five decades together meant knowing one another on a whole different level. He’d had Caedon’s back and vice versa more times than Madden could count. There were no other men he trusted more. Caedon, the department’s computer geek, was solid in both stature and beliefs. Caedon was n ot your typical computer geek . T he other TEU agents got a laugh every time a newbie met him and realized that Caedon was the one behind the screen.
“Good then. I need to go. I’m off. ” Madden clicked the key to terminate his chat box. He c los ed up his computer , forward ed his calls to his cell, and made his way to the gardens. It was good to know he was going to find a happy Layla. He’d have to thank Anton for that later.
* * * *
Layla wrung her hands while she waited for Madden to get dressed for dinner with his parents . With her boiling nerves, she’d gotten ready early and began pacing. Nothing he said seemed to calm her.
“Layla l ove, my parents will love you,” Madden reassured her, “and if they don’t, I still do.”
“Thanks but that isn’t so helpful. I’m not good with people, Madden,” Layla confided her fear. She trembled and Madden was certain she would explode any moment u nless he could relieve some of that tension . Moving quietly into the palatial c hanging suite where Layla now sat moving the empty hang e rs by controlling the air , Madden lowered
“Boss, you have a mate.” Leave it to Seamus to state the obvious.
“Yes I do.”
“Shit , ” Donovan snickered . “ You okay? I mean, it’s not every day one of us finds a mate. ”
“Yeah, for us it really is like a one-in-a-million chance,” Seamus added.
“Like I said, it’s not like I have cancer. It’s just a mate. She — she’s my mate,” Madden took a breath and shook his head . “ Her name is Layla , a nd I am sure you will meet her soon enough . But she’ll need some time to get used to our life here at the compound.”
“Sure,” Donovan agreed . “So what can we do?” Leave it to Donovan to get them back to business.
“There’s a new lead on Abdul - Nassir . You two will go check it out. Under the radar. And remember as always, we do not exist. Lucas will be your go - to guy until I can check back in.”
Madden ha nded the file to Donovan just as his computer beeped with an incoming message. “That’s Caedon with the research I’m waiting for. Be safe.” With those simple words, Madden sent his agents from his office and turn ed his attention to his computer.
“What do you have for me?”
“I’ve worked all angles on the family. All seems in place. She’s not on any radar — clean and clear, that’s your girl.”
“Good. Consider this me issuing a permanent watch on anything regarding Layla. So much as her name popping up on anything, you shut it down and let me know.”
“You got it, boss.”
“She’s vulnerable, Caedon. And I can’t allow anything to happen to her because she was unlucky enough to be my mate.”
“I doubt she’s thinking about being unlucky right now.” The knowing taunt in his voi ce al luded to Caedon knowing more than he spoke aloud .
“Want to tell me what you know?” Madden wasn’t used to this tightening in his gut when he talked to any of his men about women they’d spent time with. It was different with Layla and Madden expected a lot to change at the compound in the coming months.
“I’m watchin g her out on the far lawn with Anton. He’s showing her the gardens and she seems happy .”
“ Right. Those cameras you have, C aedon … ” Madden paused , not sure how to ask what he most wanted to know.
“ … Are not anywhere in anyone’s personal quarters,” Caedon finished before Madden needed to ask his question. How fortunate he was to have such good friends. They’d been together since most of them were just boys in their early twenties. Five decades together meant knowing one another on a whole different level. He’d had Caedon’s back and vice versa more times than Madden could count. There were no other men he trusted more. Caedon, the department’s computer geek, was solid in both stature and beliefs. Caedon was n ot your typical computer geek . T he other TEU agents got a laugh every time a newbie met him and realized that Caedon was the one behind the screen.
“Good then. I need to go. I’m off. ” Madden clicked the key to terminate his chat box. He c los ed up his computer , forward ed his calls to his cell, and made his way to the gardens. It was good to know he was going to find a happy Layla. He’d have to thank Anton for that later.
* * * *
Layla wrung her hands while she waited for Madden to get dressed for dinner with his parents . With her boiling nerves, she’d gotten ready early and began pacing. Nothing he said seemed to calm her.
“Layla l ove, my parents will love you,” Madden reassured her, “and if they don’t, I still do.”
“Thanks but that isn’t so helpful. I’m not good with people, Madden,” Layla confided her fear. She trembled and Madden was certain she would explode any moment u nless he could relieve some of that tension . Moving quietly into the palatial c hanging suite where Layla now sat moving the empty hang e rs by controlling the air , Madden lowered
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