Chapter 32

“I didn’t wantto alert you or the team until I had more information.”

Avery faced Mason, her eyes searching his for any sign of anger. She had been keeping her suspicions to herself, not wanting to alert him or his team until she had more information. But now, with the truth out in the open, she could only hope that he would understand her reasons.

“I didn’t want to waste your time, or deflect your energies from rescuing Paul. It could be anyone from a director to an administrative assistant to a janitor. Or I could be completely off-base altogether.”

Mason’s eyes softened, a flicker of understanding crossing his features. “You didn’t want us focusing on Goshiro. Starting trouble he didn’t deserve.”

Avery’s mind went from red alert to green in a heartbeat. The panic that had been coursing through her veins fizzled out, replaced by a sense of relief that was almost jarring.

He understood, even without her having to explain. It was a testament to the bond they had formed, the trust that had grown between them.

“You do have a tendency to jet off on your own,” she said, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. “I didn’t want to set something in motion I wouldn’t be able to control.”

“Like a runaway train, maybe?” Mason chuckled, the sound warm and rich in the stillness of the room. “I’ve got a great crew,” he said, his eyes twinkling with mirth. “But we don’t exactly play well with other teams, if that makes sense.”

“Totally. I feel the same way,” she admitted, her voice wistful. “Only I don’t have a team of my own.”

Yikes. She hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she had to say next. “I need to identify this inside person working with Rain Bay,” she said, her voice low and urgent. “I was worried that it might be my supervisor, Ryan. So far, I haven’t been able to find any evidence to support that, which makes me happy.”

The light in Mason’s eyes flattened. “You like him.”

“I trust him,” she corrected. “He’s a friend.”

Was it her imagination, or did Mason’s broad shoulders just relax?

She shook off the idea. Probably just wishful thinking on her part.

“Paige did a deep dive on Goshiro’s background when we first met you,” Mason said. “She didn’t find anything to suggest that he’s dirty. In fact, he’s a success story. Kid from the streets makes it into college on an academic scholarship and catches the eye of an FBI bigwig who mentors him into the academy.”

A tale she knew well. Ryan wasn’t shy about telling stories about himself. She had been so focused on her own suspicions that she had forgotten about the resources Mason and his team brought to the table. If Paige hadn’t found anything, then it was unlikely that Ryan was involved.

“It’s going to take some time for my FBI contact to dig into this,” Avery cautioned. “She’s got to be careful.”

Mason’s eyes met hers, a flicker of concern crossing his face. “No kidding. You trust her?”

“Completely. She’s smart, and she’s a friend.”

“Good enough.” Mason grinned at her, the tension gone. “If you trust her, that’s good enough for me, Special Agent.”

“Good to know.” A new kind of tension swirled between them. The kind that gave her butterflies, not stomach aches.

Graham waved at them from the living room, dissipating the delightful feeling. “Paige has a plan,” he called out.

Avery followed Mason back to the group, feeling ten pounds lighter. No more secrets. She could trust him, and his crew, to weigh her ideas with the same seriousness they gave each other.

“If we want to throw Stenberg off-balance, I’ve got an idea,” Paige announced. “He’s co-hosting a gala at the art museum. Tonight. Might be a good time to let him know we’re onto him. See how he handles it.”

Mason shared a wolfish grin with Graham and Tai. “Oh, it’s on.”

Kate looked between her and Mason. “Avery should go, too. A little FBI action’ll help rattle his cage.”

“Definitely,” Mason agreed quickly. He cocked his head, his expression endearingly boyish. “Would you do me the honor of being my plus one?” he asked her.

Go as Mason’s date? No brainer there. But this wasn’t a date. And there were too many dangers.

Fenn jerked a thumb at Mason. “Fair warning. He can’t dance.”

“Dancing’s overrated,” Mason cut back.

“Not if you do it well.” Tai put a hand to his face, blocking Mason from view. “Which he can’t.”

“Whatever,” Mason muttered.

Much as she wanted to join in their light-hearted banter, she couldn’t imagine showing up to rile Stenberg when she’d been ordered off the case. “What if someone from the Bureau recognizes me?”

Mason scoffed, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “This is a thousand-dollar-a-plate affair,” he said, his voice dry and knowing. “When’s the last time anybody at the Bureau rubbed elbows with that crowd?”

Fair enough. The donors at the gala were so far removed from her world that they might as well be on another planet. “Sounds like a plan.”

“Great. It’s a date. You. Me, and five special ops soldiers listening in on comms.”

Avery nodded, her cheeks flushing with a heat that had nothing to do with the temperature in the room. A date. With Mason. The thought sent a thrill of excitement through her, a sense of anticipation that she hadn’t felt in a long time.

But even as she basked in the glow of his smile, she couldn’t shake the nagging sense of unease that tugged at the edges of her mind. The longer she spent with Mason and his team, the harder it would be to go back to her old life.

The sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted Avery’s self-assessment. Fenn’s sharp blue gaze swept over the two of them. “You two are going to need some serious wardrobe help. The rest of us, too.”

The gala. They’d need clothes. She considered her closet back at her condo. There was one black dress that might do …

Tai grimaced. “The gala’s black tie. Stores’ll be closing in a couple hours. Where are we going to find gowns and tuxes this late?”

Fenn sketched an elegant bow and waggled his cell phone. “Ladies. Gentlemen. Leave this to me.”

“You can phone in a tux order?” Mason sounded skeptical.

Fenn’s handsome mouth dropped open. “Uh. No. We’re not wearing off the rack. Do you have any idea how bad we’d look?”

Mason made a sound. “Who cares?”

“Uh, me? But that’s not important now.” Fenn turned his back on Mason, clearly a lost cause, and addressed the rest of them. “Unless you want to look like rent-a-guards, we’ll be wearing tailored tuxes. The mobile tailor will be here in less than an hour. Don’t worry,” Fenn added, addressing Avery. “He’ll have a whole rack of choices for you, too.”

Although she was closer to Mason’s who-cares style of fashion than Fenn’s haute couture, his thoughtfulness touched her.

Mason, not so much. He glared at his friend. “You’re enjoying this way too much, Scarborough.”

Fenn looked up from his phone. “Copy that.”

Kate looked almost as glum as Mason. “This means serious heels.”

Paige’s face fell, too. “Ugh.”

“Look on the bright side,” Tai said. “Stilettos make for nice weapons.”

“Yo, guys.” Paul waved to get the room’s attention. “What about me?”

Mason stiffened. “What about you?”

Paul opened his mouth to add something, but slumped in his seat instead. “Stay here and stay quiet. I know.”

“I think we can do better than that,” Mason quipped, but his voice was softer than usual. “It’s probably not a great idea for Stenberg to see you. You might look familiar, but Paige could probably use some help running comms from somewhere safe.”

“Totally.” The cyber-wonder smiled enthusiastically.

Paul blinked, clearly surprised to be included. “Sweet.”

Fenn checked his watch. “Four hours until go time. Let’s get this party started.”

As the team dispersed to their respective bedrooms to primp, Avery couldn’t help but feel a pang of envy at their family vibe. It was like watching a bunch of siblings getting ready for a big night out, teasing and joking with each other. She’d never had that kind of closeness with anyone, not even her own family.

But she couldn’t dwell on that now. Nope, she had more pressing matters to attend to, like the fact that she’d have to wear heels for this undercover assignment. It had been a blissfully long time since she’d had to squeeze her feet into those torture devices masquerading as footwear.

She could already feel the blisters forming, and the night hadn’t even started yet. Oh, the joys of being a female agent in a man’s world.