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“Malik’s going?” I ask hesitantly, hoping the quaver of fear in nizable

No such luck Cage tilts his head, exa me speculatively “Yeah I anization He’s forht up his alley”

“Yeah, sure,” I reply, ive way

“I know you and Malik have becoe says hesitantly “But you shouldn’t worry about him”

“We’rehad any real intention to do so

“More than friends?” he queries with raised eyebrows

“Lovers,” I clarify, and Cage winces “What?” I demand

“Just… bro code,” he ”

“It’s so not wrong, you jackass who is lying to his wife,” I snarl “We have a connection, and it’s deep and built upon so you would never understand Don’t ever di as mundane as a violation of bro code And, for your information, Malik has been hesitant to take this farther with me for exactly that reason, so I’d appreciate you not ever saying anything about it to hi I need—”

“Okay,” Cage exclaiet it You two are deeply involved, and bro code isn’t a consideration at all”

“I’e,” I warn “He’s important to me, and I am to him No one here had better—”

He cuts e loud and clear I’ll crack skulls on anyone who dares to invoke bro code Got it”

“Thank you,” I reply stiffly

“Wow,” Cage says, sinking back down into the chair but in a relaxed way, his probleotten “You have it bad for him, don’t you?”

I shoot him a pointed look “You have no idea And now I’ on a mission”

“But it’s his job,” Cage points out carefully

“Yes, I know that,” I snap “And well, when Jimmy went to Syria and I would say to ht anything bad could happen But now I know it can and did, and that changes things I’ with a man whose job is to face death on a routine basis”