The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

In the dead of night, with the lights off and still in the bedroom!

“Damn it, Percival! What have you done to my daughter? She’s still a minor!”

Percival looked into Dorian’s fuming eyes with a hint of resignation, “We were just talking.”

“Talking? Why in the dark? Were you two kissing like Isolde said, right here in the room?” Thaddeus giggled behind his hand.

Isolde had spilled everything to Thaddeus, including when she overheard Vivienne and Percival kissing in the bedroom!

Dorian’s eyes seemed to bulge even more.

Cordelia’s cheeks flushed as she pulled Thaddeus away. “Thaddeus, stop making things up. Vivienne and Percival were just… doing homework. Yeah, that’s it. Now you better finish yours.”

Thaddeus snickered and scampered off to his room with his backpack.

Percival deliberately avoided Dorian’s gaze and cleared his throat, “Mom, Dad, I should head out.”

With that, Percival made a beeline for the door.

The more he thought about Thaddeus’s words, the guiltier he felt!

Where the heck was Leopold when he was supposed to be on the lookout?

Leopold and Anna were indeed on duty, standing guard with due diligence.

When Percival emerged from the house, Leopold dropped his guard and approached. “All sorted out, Percival?”

Percival responded with a swift kick to Leopold’s rear. “Didn’t you see someone go upstairs?”

Anna and Leopold looked baffled, nodding in unison.

“We saw, we even texted you.”

Especially Leopold, rubbing his backside with a woebegone expression. He had sent Percival the message the moment he saw Dorian’s family within thirty feet!

Percival glanced at his phone, and sure enough, there was a message, which he had missed while with Vivienne.

his throat, Percival pointed at Anna and said, “Continue

turned to Leopold. “You’re driving

with your father-in-law because

hundred push-ups and six hundred sit-ups outside

of shock. Push-ups and sit-ups

about to split up,

HQ to the Vanguard Agency’s special squad, demanding immediate

City. Wolf leads the team. Depart

faces. Anna wanted to speak, but Percival cut her off. “You stick

saluted crisply, “Yes,

set out at

brow furrowed deeply,

White Tiger in Weststart City, a place known for its

relayed the sudden mission details to Vivienne, “It was all

in agreement. “I

aside the puzzling appearance of White Tiger in Weststart City, the mission

arrange all the details before a mission, including the command structure, snipers, and such. They would disseminate maps to squad leaders and decide

to plan within half an hour before announcing

death; they could not afford to act rashly for

White Tiger as its head honcho,

a high-profile target

furrowed her brow, “Anna, let’s go see

asked no questions. She donned her coat, checked her sidearm,

to Weststart City. Only en route did the team receive a brief terrain map, lacking detailed

through yet. Familiarize yourself with the basic layout,” Percival commanded from the

HQ would be commanding this operation through satellite. Micah would be in the field, in charge of the vehicles, while Percival would lead

squad covered the perimeter, and Soren joined Percival to head straight

because they were heading deep into

head honcho.

stay back and oversee the

it off, the deputy director, waltz into the lion’s den was unheard

vehicle

he heard it all; the whole situation was

person Percival had managed to tick off lately was