There’s something about his single-minded devotion to her at the expense of everything else in his life that is very convincing to everyone except Nox, but he’s not exactly known for being reasonable about anything Bond related.
Bassinger is quiet for a moment while the elevator doors close, but once it starts moving, he clears his throat, his voice coming out steady enough. “I don’t want to see my sister. I know you’re probably going to try to convince me, and I get it, it makes sense to have me in there to get her talking and thinking shit but… that’s my line. If it’s not about Oli’s safety, I’m not doing it.”
I look at him and shrug. “It might come down to that. I’ll talk to her and see what I can get, but if I need help with it—”
He cuts me off. “If you need it, I’ll do it. If Oli needs it, I’ll always do it, but not unless it comes to that.”
I can respect that.
I can respect a lot of what he’s said actually. If it weren’t for his last name, his parents, his entire upbringing, he’d absolutely be climbing his way up to my inner circle of people I trust.
I can’t do that though, not right now, and not with so much at stake.
I nod at him right as the doors open to reveal Black and Rockelle waiting there for us, both of them in full Tac gear. Heading out of the Sanctuary means needing at least three fully trained operatives per group, and there’s no one I trust more than these two.
Even if they are the mouthiest assholes on my damn team.
“So we’re not taking the harbinger of death this time?”
I already know Rockelle is attempting to stir shit about Oli, but I’m not going to let him. “North is dealing with the council bullshit as remotely as possible these days, so he’ll be here. Or did you mean Nox? He’s sleeping off a hangover.”
He grins at me and shrugs it off, easy and friendly as always. “Sure, those two Death Dealers were the ones I was talking about. I’ve already been warned.”
Bassinger stares him down. “Obviously it didn’t sink in.”
Black and I share a look. Bassinger is never going to make friends with the blunt and cutthroat treatment he gives everyone when Oli isn’t with him, but I’m also starting to figure out that he doesn’t really give a fuck either. He doesn’t want friends. The weird companionship he’s found himself in with Gabe seems like the only concession he’s been willing to make… that and the truce he just declared with North.
Anyone outside of our Bond Group is fair game to his acid tongue.
I motion for him to step in closer to the other two so that we can get this job over and done with. Rockelle is grinning at him with an edge to it like he’s itching for a fight. They’re as bad as each other, and I’ll need to remember to keep them apart in the future.
As we get within touching distance of each other, Black cocks his head at me before shaking it, clapping his hand onto my shoulder to transport me a little more forcefully than usual. “New cologne?”
My eyes narrow. “Don’t breathe a word. I have enough shit on you to bury you.”
He just smirks at me and motions like he’s zipping his lips shut, which is the biggest fucking lie because the asshole just thinks everything he would say, which is just as effective.
He knows how to send me information, has for years, and it’s been useful in our line of work, so I find him thinking in my direction. I’d call you a degenerate but… I guess you’re Bonded and it’s to be expected.
I answer out loud, “You shouldn’t call me anything as your superior and definitely not in Councilman Draven’s hearing.”
He has been friends with North almost as long as I have been, and I don’t have to say anything else for him to get what I’m saying, loud and clear. He snorts and shakes his head again. “They’re both as jealous as each other, and yet neither of them have figured it out yet. Fucking hilarious.”
Bassinger doesn’t like any of this conversation, and the smirk he gives Black is all sorts of venomous. “How’s your Bond Group treating you?”
Black has gone toe-to-toe with Nox for decades; Bassinger’s shitty attitude is nothing to him. “Well, there isn’t a Resistance snake in mine, so better than others for sure.”
Bassinger just raises an eyebrow at him and snarks back, “Are you so sure about that?”
No one here wants to think about the Riley and Giovanna mess we’re still attempting to untangle for Sage, or what doing so is going to cost us.