Secrets of Summer - THE SPECTER SERIES [book four]

Chapter FORTY TWO

Hunter Paxton

O'connor follows as I storm out of the elevator and onto the main floor of Specter's headquarters..

Im fucking pissed..

I dont know whos fault this cluster-fuck of a situation is..

All I know is it sure as shit isn't mine..

My strategy had been working perfectly, and Darby had been playing right into my hands..

So where the fuck had it gone wrong?..

And where the fuck did Greyson disappear to?!

Lucky had stayed with Colt and I had given him orders to take her to one of Specter's nearby safehouses until I figure out exactly what happened..

Iris, Ellerie and Ace stand around the bullpen.. Greyson snaps to attention when he sees me enter the room, and I can tell he knows how badly he fucked up..

"You better have a damn good explanation, kid.."

I leer at him and he drops his eyes, ashamedly, stepping aside to reveal an older, darker skinned gentleman in a black suit standing behind him.. "No excuses, boss.."

It only takes a second for me to recognise the guy from his military file.. He's a little older but this is definitely the guy.. Former Irish Army Ranger..

Iris steps forward in an effort to control the dynamic.. While Ellerie eyes me guiltily..

What the hell have these two been up to behind my back?

Iris starts.. "Paxton.. This is Interpol Agent St--"

"Stuart Diggle.. I know who he is.."

I look the guy up and down before extending my hand.. Forgetting for a second about the bullet hole in my shoulder.. I wince when he grips my hand with a firm shake..

"Axe?.. What is-- have you been shot?!" Ellerie takes two swift steps towards me, but I hold up a hand to stop her and she freezes..

Giving me those confused amber eyes that once would have made me feel empathy, but now I only feel betrayal..

"Ellerie, don't.." I warn her, she does not want to test me right now, or I might say something we both regret..
"What the fuck is going on here?"

Ace steps forward to own his shit.. Something I appreciate a hell of a lot more than excuses..

Hes a good man.. I know that, so I bite back on my frustration to hear him out.. "Diggle here picked up Darby and me on our way to the warehouse.. Held us in interrogation for hours.. By the time I could convince them to contact Iris and check my credentials, Darby's security protocols had already been triggered.."

Fucking Interpol.. In one fell swoop the international covert agency has managed to destroy months worth of work and preparation.. My whole operation is compromised..

"Declan's guys were ordered to take the sister as collateral if he were to be arrested.. I think he was gunna try and use her to force Kirby to act as his council.." Ace explains..

Of course he was.. Because in his eyes Kirby is just a means to an end.. And hes never going to stop.. He'll just keep on using her..

"Right, then where is Darby now?.." I glance around..

Diggle speaks up now.. "We had to release him.. I was instructed by my superiors to perform a routine arrest and search on him, against my better judgement.. I followed orders.. Interpol was not aware of your investigation, Mr Paxton.. I apologise for--"