“Driscol,” Derek said sharply. “You go in there and blow her cover, you don’t just screw her over, you screw us all. Stay put and let her do her fucking job.”
Bowen ground his head against the metal door once before denting it with a blow from his fist. “If something happens to her, I will burn this city down.” He turned a look on Derek. “How do you know he hasn’t already made her? She could be in danger.”
“Because I know,” Derek returned coldly, initiating a standoff. “Don’t question me.”
Sera hadn’t spoken in a few seconds, probably all too aware of how her husband was reacting to the offer of lunch. “Oh. Could we plan for another day? I’m…well, I’m seeing someone and I’m supposed to meet them for lunch today.”
Until Erin slipped from his arms, Connor hadn’t realized how quiet she’d been. She watched Bowen with concern, but there was something else happening behind her eyes. Plans taking shape, her sharp brain working overtime. She gave him a meaningful look and placed a finger over her lips to silence his questions before slipping out the front door of the van. Every instinct in his body demanded he go after her, but he knew what her look had meant. He recognized it too well. Trust me.
A third voice filled the van. Stark’s assistant. She reminded him about a phone call he had that afternoon with the state education chairman before clicking back out of the room. Stark cleared his throat into the silence. “Another day is fine, I guess. Although my schedule is very tight. I was so looking forward to—”
“Honey? Did you forget our lunch date?”
Connor jolted in his seat as Erin’s voice joined the conversation between Sera and Stark. Four pairs of eyes swung toward him, obviously noting for the first time that Erin was no longer in the van.
Austin and Polly both burst out laughing. He and Bowen exchanged a speculative glance.
Derek pinched the bridge of his nose and cursed. “What the hell, Bannon?”
Fuck if he knew. But he would support Erin. She’d proven herself to be a valuable member of this group and he’d damn well have her back if she’d made a call that would help Sera. Even if it went against basic orders not to be seen while they were undercover. He hated the fact that she might have just thrown herself into a dangerous situation, but he felt marginally better knowing Sera, a damn good police officer, was there with her.
“This…is who you’re meeting for lunch?” Stark’s voice. There was no mistaking the blatant heat in his tone. He sounded almost gleeful. “When you said you were seeing someone, I assumed—”
“I’d be a man?” Erin was closer to Sera and her wire now. “We get that a lot.”
Polly slow-clapped. “Well played, O’Dea. You are so getting that recorder planted today, Captain. Can we say distracted?”
Derek started to reply, but was cut off by the unmistakable sound of a kiss. Erin and Sera had kissed? Connor and Bowen exchanged a distinctly uncomfortable look.
Austin let out a hoot. “This shit is finally getting interesting.”
“Shut up,” Connor and Bowen shouted at the Brit.
“Lunch sounds great,” Erin said with a smile in her voice, silencing the van once more. “Where are you taking us, Mr. Treasurer?”
All right, so she wasn’t completely cured. That kiss with Sera had stung like a son of a bitch, but she’d managed to disguise her shock as arousal, which had probably worked in their favor. To be perfectly honest, she kind of liked knowing Connor was the only person it didn’t hurt to touch, to kiss, to allow access to her body. The wickedly sexual side of her he’d woken, this side of her that liked being dominated, wanted to give him that honor. For a man like him it would be the ultimate high, knowing his woman could stand only his touch. Maybe it was wrong or fucked up that she’d found a way to be happy about her affliction, but it made her feel secure somehow. She didn’t have to be cured completely. There was no pressure. She could still be Erin, but she’d been given an extraordinary gift to go along with all her screwy qualities. Connor. His hands, mouth…heart.