“We did that for good reasons.” Charlotte put a hand on her husband’s thigh, a sure sign of her support for his decision. “The Agency has changed. We don’t have anyone there we can truly trust, and to open the relationship back up means putting ourselves on their radar.”
The Taggarts wanted some peace after years of dealing with the spy shit. They wanted to raise their unruly brood and enjoy their lives. He couldn’t blame them, but Kyle was family, and now Hutch realized he’d been set up in more ways than one. “You want me to figure out what’s going on with Kyle.”
Big Tag shrugged. “I want you to guide him through his first major case, and if you happen to find out what those fuckers did to make him wake up screaming in the middle of the night, then I’ll consider it a plus. His mother is worried about him. I am, too. We all told Grace we thought the military would be good for him. I think we might have been wrong about that.”
Big Tag was capable of carrying the world on his shoulders. “I’ll find out what I can. In the meantime, I heard Eve talked to Noelle this morning. I’d like to know what your thoughts are.”
A smile broke over Eve’s face. “I think she’s lovely. She’s been through a lot and she wasn’t broken by it. She loves her family and her work. I would be cautious about underestimating her. She’s intensely intelligent and far tougher than she looks.”
“She’s used to people underestimating her.” She looked soft and sweet and vulnerable. “She’ll find it annoying, and she’ll also use it if she has to.”
“Very astute. I concur with that opinion,” Eve said with an encouraging smile. “You’re attracted to her.”
He shrugged. There was no point in denying that. “Yeah, but again, made an ass of myself. I’m not sure she’ll give me another shot, but that’s honestly for the best. I know Charlotte thinks the world should be all paired off, but I don’t know that I would be good for anyone.”
“Says the man who made sure he gets to live in her apartment and play her boyfriend for the next few weeks,” Alex pointed out.
He’d been running on pure instinct, and that instinct told him he should stick close to Noelle. “She’s not happy about that either. I’ll have to watch her or she’ll try to find a way to put me on the sidelines.”
“Don’t forget that this isn’t merely about attraction.” Charlotte toyed with the water bottle in her free hand. “She’s in trouble. She’s downplaying her original fears. It’s like that sometimes, especially with intelligent people who’ve been taught to trust data instead of their guts. There’s a reason she called her father. She was scared. Now she’s got some time and distance and she’s questioning those original instincts.”
“I think it’s worse than dismissing her fears.” He’d seen her pale when he’d leveled his accusations against her. He’d made a direct hit. “She’s playing detective.”
“Her father was a damn good one,” Big Tag pointed out. “Don’t underestimate Armie LaVigne. If he thinks she’s in danger and you’re not taking care of her, he’ll show up here and he’ll take control.”
Yes, that was a big part of what he had to overcome with her. He’d insulted her father, though he hadn’t meant to. He’d been a dumbass playing to stereotypes. “I’ll keep him as updated as I can without breaking Noelle’s confidence. Armie might have called in favors with you, but Noelle is my client.”
Big Tag nodded slightly, an unmistakable sign of approval. “Keep me up to date on everything relevant. Charlie’s got some worries about this one.”
Charlotte’s lips turned down. “I don’t like her boss. I’ve read up on Jessica Layne and she worries me. And it’s not because she’s a woman in tech. I get any female CEO is going to have to be tough.”
“It’s the crazy eyes,” Big Tag offered. “She’s somewhat hot and all, and she plays that up as much as she can. But it’s all in the eyes. There’s pure bugout crazy in those baby blues.”
“I think you should be careful,” Eve agreed. “And so should Noelle. I believe Jessica Layne is a narcissist, and potentially a malignant one. I’ve read her interviews and watched her publicity spots. She’s as interested in her own image as she is in the science she backs or the money she makes. If you come into contact with her, do not challenge her view of reality.”
“So don’t call her on her shit.” He’d known people like that. Of course they didn’t usually have the same money and power someone like Layne did. “Or she’ll sue me.”
“The lawsuits are a way to break her victims,” Alex explained. “You know she had a partner in the beginning. Another woman who insiders believe was probably the brains of Genedyne. At some point, Jessica decided to cut her out. Not only did she bury the woman in lawsuits, but she sent her social media followers after her. Oh, she said everything in public that she should have, but there’s evidence she was manipulating things behind the scenes. Her partner was crushed on many sides and eventually took what the police called an accidental overdose of sleeping pills. Then Layne cried prettily on camera and made it all about her and how she’d had to survive a relationship with a person with mental illness.”
Eve sighed. “She looks like a model, and she’ll be good at putting the people around her at ease. She’ll be charming right up to the moment she decides to devour you whole.”
Alex stood and held a hand out to Eve. “Good luck, Hutch. I think you’re going to need it. And keep us updated on Kyle. Also, try to remember that just because your past taught you how a bad relationship works, your present has a whole lot of good ones in them. I would hate for you to miss out because you’re still worried there’s a piece of your father in there.”
He shook his head. “It’s not that.”
Eve started to lead her husband out. “Sure it’s not. Come on, babe. I’ve got to go through about a thousand employee reviews before we can leave. The kids all have afterschool activities that include dinner of some kind, and we’re not on carpool this week. We’re picking up some Top and watching TV that includes actual human beings instead of cartoon characters this evening.”
They were still talking about drinking wine and watching TV as the door closed behind them.
“Ah, that’s the dream. All the kids out of the house for the evening,” Big Tag said. “All my monsters are grounded after the whole ‘let’s play spies’ thing. Do you know that kids get grumpy when they’re not allowed to do anything but chores?”
Charlotte’s head dropped to Big Tag’s shoulder. “So grumpy. And Hutch, I really thought the two of you would get along. What I saw today makes me think I made a mistake. I’m sorry. I won’t try to do it again.”
“But you were right. We’re definitely attracted to each other.” He knew it was perverse, but he felt the need to argue with her.
“But there wasn’t a lot of peace there,” Charlotte mused. “It’s good for sparks to fly, but that was more like war than ‘hey, I just met my future spouse.’”