Page 68 of Wrecked With You

“I think we’ve already had this debate,” he said, making her laugh.

“I like working out our differences in bed. Maybe next time we should arm wrestle.” He laughed, then rolled over on top of her, holding her down. “You might be a bad ass, Ms. Tucker, but I think I could take you.”

“Oh yeah? Let’s see.”

He was about to take her up on that challenge. The idea of having her trapped in his arms was almost too good to pass up. But they were distracted by the ringing of the phone. He reached for it and when he saw that it was Quince, he hit the button for the speaker.

“We’ve got it,” Quince said. “The Serpent gave up the address for Clyde Morgan. We’re putting a team together. All we need is you.”

“A small team. Emma and I go in. You and Liam are back up outside. Denny in the van on communications and tech.”

“That’s what we thought you’d say,” Quince said. “Be ready in fifteen. We’ll come by to get you.”

“Where’s The Serpent now?”

“His name is Nicol Vartac, and he’s been remanded to the SOC. Seagrave is taking him into custody. I imagine he’ll be living under the government’s hospitality for a very long time.”

“And good riddance to him,” Tony said. “We’ll be ready when you get here.” He ended the call, then frowned at Emma’s expression.

“What’s wrong?”

“I need to tell you something. I shouldn’t, but I don’t want any secrets between us.”

Now it was his turn to frown. “I’m listening.”

“I told you that our missions aligned, remember? When you came to my house after the island. Because your father—well, you know.”

“Right. Was that not true?”

“No, no. Completely true. I just kind of left off the part about the rest of the mission lining up, too.”

“The Serpent,” he said, and she nodded.

“He’s been on my radar for years. He was the central figure in a case I worked on in Texas about a billion years ago.”

Tony frowned. “Okay. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Nothing to do with him or with you. But—well, you’re joining Stark Security. We’re together. And I don’t want you to find out accidentally.”

“I’m still listening.”

“I didn’t say anything because it’s Winston’s secret more than mine. We had an overlap on our cases. And The Serpent was right there in the middle of it. Some really bad shit went down and Winston—never mind.” She shakes her head. “I’m sorry. I’ll share most anything with you, but I can’t share someone else’s story. I’m sorry.”

He shook his head. “Sweetheart, you don’t have to be sorry. Believe me when I say I understand about secrets.”

“Good. This one’s a hard one. Not even Eliza knows.”

He laughs. “And yet you told me. I guess you really do love me.”

“Guess I do.” She rose up and kissed him. “I really do. Now let’s go see what the story is with your asshole of a father.”

* * *

“From what Vartac told us and what we could pull together quickly, it seems that your father went under the knife a lot to change his appearance.” Liam shook his head. “Not for the squeamish, that’s for damn sure. And apparently the surgeries didn’t sit well, because infections have been eating away at him for years.”

Quince nodded. “That and plain, old-fashioned ill-health. He’s not that old. But from the photos the man looks to be well over ninety. And apparently his days are numbered.”

Tony nodded, taking it all in, wondering if it made him a bad person because he really didn’t give a shit if his father lived or died. No, correction—he’d rather Clyde Morgan were dead. The world would be that much better.