Ian took a deep breath and sat back. “Or I can ask you to do your job and go to Houston with Michael.”
Case wasn’t about to let that happen. He stood, unable to handle being still a moment longer. “That’s a simple job and Bear can do it. I was wrong. There’s a third option. You can accept my resignation and watch me walk the fuck away. I’ll find my brother on my own.”
Ian’s hand hit the desk with a slap and he cursed under his breath. “Sit down, Case. This is exactly why I didn’t tell you in the first place.”
“Because I can’t handle it.” Maybe he would resign no matter what Ian said.
“No. Why the fuck would you say that? You’re emotionally involved and I’m worried about you. I’m emotional, but I’ve got Charlie. You’ll go out and you’ll put yourself on the line and I can’t lose another brother. Fine. Fucking fine. If I have to pick, you’ll stay here and figure out if 4L is coming after us. They could do it in a hundred different ways. Adam is stripping every system we have of their software right now. No backdoor action for that motherfucker.”
“What makes you think he’s with The Collective?” He eased back into his chair. Work. He needed to focus on work.
If Mia Lawless thought she could get one over on the dumb cowboy, she was in for a surprise.
Ian seemed to calm, sliding a folder Case’s way. “A couple of things. They’re all there in the report. I’ll forward everything we know about her. She’s your target and you make the decisions when it comes to her. I think the first thing we need to do is tag her phone. I want to figure out a way for you to stay close to Kai. He’s having to work with the feds on his brother’s case. I want to keep this as quiet as possible. But she’s a trainee. Kai doesn’t deal with trainees after the initial consult.”
Ah, but he knew something Ian obviously didn’t. “Mia’s gotten tight with Kori. You know damn well Kai’s going to be all over Kori if he thinks there’s danger.”
Ian sat back, his lips curling up in a weary smile. “It’s the only upside I see to allowing this clusterfuck to happen here. Kai might get off his ass and get his girl.”
But Case wouldn’t get his girl. His girl had turned out to be a liar and possibly a traitor.
He could still feel the warmth of her body as she pressed against him, her mouth opening for him. She felt so right in his arms, so trusting and sweet.
She’d known exactly how to play him. She’d probably studied him beforehand and carefully come up with a plan. Her every word and soft look had been crafted to ensnare him, to bring him in so he would trust her. “If she’s with The Collective, she’s probably here to ensure we don’t find Theo.”
That was what killed him. She’d sat there and listened to him tell her about their childhood. About the crappy trailer they’d grown up in and the room they’d had to share. About how weird it had been to not share a room with his brother once they’d joined the Navy. About how he’d been jealous of Theo’s relationship with Ian and Sean and even Erin. For so fucking long Theo had been all he had. It had been the two of them against the world, and then Theo had bonded with these other people and Case had felt like the world was collapsing. She’d listened and the whole time she’d likely known Theo was alive and being tortured by Hope McDonald.
“Case, are you sure you want to do this? I saw you with her tonight. I know this has to sting.”
Case felt himself go cold. Actually, it was kind of nice. Numb. Cold and numb. She’d made him feel so much, but now she was the one who’d managed to make him freeze over. Theo needed him to be icy. He didn’t need some lovestruck asshole who had the worst taste in women. He needed Case to think of nothing but finding him, taking care of Erin and his child. He’d been selfish to think of himself.
“It’s fine. She’s pretty and I’m going through a dry spell.” The words came out. He felt a little like a puppet. He heard himself talking, but he couldn’t feel shit. He’d flipped a switch off. “It’s not a big deal. I’m the best man for the job since she obviously thinks I’m the one she can get to.”
Because he was too stupid to see through her. She’d decided to go for the dumb grunt. He could respect that. The easy kill.
Ian stared for a moment as if deciding his fate. “I don’t feel good about this. I don’t like feeling shitty, Case.”
“I told you. I’m fine. I’m better than fine. Theo might be alive. That’s my only goal now. Bring my brother home.”
“And the girl?”
Case forced himself to laugh. “Isn’t my type. She’s not even a redhead. Everyone knows Taggarts only marry redheads.”
Ian huffed. “Damn. I never thought about that. We have a type. Red headed and a little mean.”
So lying and blonde and traitorous didn’t fit into his family. “I’ll be fine, Ian. Forget about the girl. I’ll deal with her and I won’t even have to fuck her.”