Keaton （Skee）
Matt has been talking for eleven minutes.
Eleven minutes and forty-three seconds, technically, but I've been making a conscious effort not to look at my watch because I'm fairly certain it would piss him off more.
I listen as he explains, for the third time, that I should have waited. Or called him. Or called literally anyone before entering a heavily guarded estate by myself and removing a woman whose husband has connections we still haven't fully mapped.
He's made several good points. I acknowledge this. Silently.
The problem is that I can't see Maeve from here.
The safe house door closed behind us over ten minutes ago, and while I know Maeve is inside with Rachel, Bullet and Wheels, that knowledge isn't doing anything to settle the growing tension between my shoulder blades.
I haven't seen her. For ten minutes. After not seeing her for more than three days. I don't like it.
"Are you even listening to me?"
My eyes move away from the front door and back to Matt. "Yes."
He stares at me. I wait. "What did I just say?"
"That my decision to act independently was reckless, endangered myself, compromised the operation, and undermined your authority as team leader."
His eyebrows lift slightly. "You were listening."
"I usually am."
"Could've fooled me."
I glance back at the door. Still closed.
He lets out a long breath before rubbing a hand over his jaw. "Skee."
"I know."
"Do you?"
"Yes."
"Because I'm having some serious doubts."
"I should have waited." Matt studies me suspiciously. "I should have called you," I continue. "I should not have entered the estate alone, and I definitely shouldn't have taken Maeve without having an exit plan that extended beyond Bullet's safe house."
"You didn't even know if Bullet would let you use it."
"I knew."
"How?"
"He likes me." Matt's expression doesn't change. "Fine. He tolerates me."
"Marginally."
"Still counts."
His mouth twitches, but he fights it off quickly. I look toward the house again.
Matt sighs. "I understand why you did it."
That gets my attention. I turn back to him. He leans against the hood of his SUV, folding his arms over his chest.
"I don't agree with how you did it," he adds quickly. "At all. I want to make that very fucking clear."
"Understood."
"But I understand."
Something in my chest eases. Only slightly. Because the door is still closed.
I shove my hands into my pockets to stop myself from tapping. "You're right." Matt's eyes narrow. "I promise I'll never do it again." His eyes narrow further. "You don't believe me."
"No."
"I sounded sincere."
"You sounded like someone trying to end a conversation."
I consider that. "Both things can be true."
"Not in this case."
Before I can defend myself, the front door opens. My attention snaps toward it so quickly that Matt mutters something under his breath. Rachel steps onto the porch and closes the door behind her.
Alone.
"Where's Maeve?"
The question is out before Rachel makes it down the first step. She stops. Looks at me. Then at Matt. Then back to me. "She's inside."
"Why?"
Rachel blinks. "Because that's generally where people stay when they're in a house."
"Is she okay?"
"She's fine."
"Did something happen?"
"Skee."
"Did Wheels say something?"
Rachel's eyebrows lift. "Wheels is always saying something."
I move past her.
She catches my arm. "Keaton."
I stop. Barely.
Rachel's expression softens. "She's okay. She's in the kitchen with the guys."
I look toward the door. "I need to make sure."
"I just told you she's fine."
"I know."
"Then why—"
"I need to see her." The words come out before I can examine them.
Rachel goes quiet. Behind me, so does Matt. I don't like either of those reactions.
I gently pull my arm free and reach for the door.
Voices reach me before I even make it through the living room.
"That's not how property ownership works." Wheels voice is always the first one I hear. Probably because he never quits talking.
"It is my property." Bullet sounds like he is arguing with a child.
"Right, but I know about it now, so it's kind of ours."
"No."
"Grayline communal property."
"No."
"A team retreat."
"I will shoot you."
"You always say that, but here I stand."
"Unfortunately."
I round the corner into the kitchen.
Maeve is sitting on one of the stools at the island, her elbows resting against the counter while she watches Bullet and Wheels argue over what appears to be the ownership rights of Bullet's house.
She's fine. My eyes move over her anyway. Feet. Legs. Arms. Shoulder. Neck. Face. No injuries. No fear.
Her hair is slightly tangled from running through the dark, and there are still faint traces of dried tears beneath her eyes, but she's safe.
I don't realize I've stopped walking until her eyes find mine. She smiles.
There it is. That strange shift in my chest again. I'm beginning to think I should see a cardiologist.
"Hey," she says softly.
"Hey."
Wheels turns toward me. "Oh, good. You're alive."
I ignore him.
Maeve's gaze moves toward the doorway behind me. "How bad was it?"
"Unproductive."
Wheels snorts. "Translation: Badger yelled at him and Skee pretended to listen."
"I listened."
"Did you?"
"Yes."
"What did he say?"
I look at Wheels. He grins. I don't like that this is becoming a recurring question tonight.
Bullet opens the refrigerator and pulls out a bottle of water. "Did Matt kill you?"
"No."
"Disappointing."
Maeve laughs quietly. My attention immediately shifts back to her. Still smiling. Good.
I look around the kitchen. Bullet is drinking my water. Technically his water, but that's irrelevant. Wheels has apparently made himself a sandwich despite being threatened with violence less than two minutes ago.
Rachel and Matt are walking back toward the house.
Maeve is safe. The situation is handled. Perfect. I clap my hands together once. "Okay." Everyone looks at me. "You came. Matt yelled at me. Maeve is fine." I gesture toward the front of the house. "You can all go now."
Silence. Wheels slowly lowers his sandwich. Bullet stares at me. Maeve's lips twitch.
"What?" I ask.
Wheels looks around the kitchen before pointing toward himself. "You want me to leave?"
"Yes."
"From Bullet's house?"
"Yes."
Bullet takes another drink of water. "I support this."
Wheels turns on him. "Traitor."
"It's my house."
"We've already established that possession is a fluid concept."
"No, you established that."
I close my eyes. This was a mistake. Not extracting Maeve. That was the correct decision. Letting Wheels know where Bullet's safe house is. That might be the decision that destroys Grayline.