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Eb backed away from the staircase.He did a sweep of the house, making sure all of the windows and doors were locked.The security was truly shit, and that annoyed the hell out of him.Hudson had possessed plenty of money.His first priority should have been making certain Naomi was safe.The house should have been secured.
Sadistic.Twisted.
He pulled out his phone.Didn’t call anyone yet.Just listened intently to the sounds around him for a few moments first.The howl of the wind.The creaks of the old place settling.
After a time, he made his call.It rang once, twice and then…
“Are we having fun on our latest adventure?”Hunter McQueen asked him.That was the man’s greeting.No hello.Typical.
As for the response to Hunter’s question, Eb supposed that would depend on a person’s definition of fun.“I knocked out four gang members earlier.”
“Dammit, why didn’t you invite me?”Real envy flashed in Hunter’s voice.“I told you, I’ve been bored as hell lately.Do you know how dull my boss is now that he’s settled into wedded bliss with your sister?”A long sigh.“Why do you get to enjoy all the excitement and I just sit around looking for trouble?”
“I may need help.”There was nomayabout it.Eb was calling because he needed a favor.The slightly illegal sort.
“Okay, now you are talking my language.I can be on a plane in two hours.”
“Don’t go packing your bags just yet.”
A disgruntled sigh was Hunter’s response.“You know I always have a go bag at the ready.”
True.They all did.It paid to be prepared.“Will you get Declan to work his tech magic for me?”
“Shit.If you want Declan’s help, then call your brother-in-law.Not me.”Definitely disgruntled.“And why the hell would you need his tech help?Don’t you have the CIA at your beck and call?”
Not exactly.“I want to know if there were ever any red flags with Hudson Wyatt.Things that the CIA might have kept from me.”
Silence.Then, “I thought this guy was your friend.”
“Friends can have secrets.And the CIA happens to be very, very good at keeping secrets.Even from its own agents.”
“Shit.”Hunter whistled.“The woman must be seriously pro-level skilled.You’re barely down there a day, and you’re already doubting your partner.She convincing you that he was evil so soon?What’s next, is she going to be justified in killing him?”
“Stop being an asshole.”
“Why?It’s who I am.Who you are, too.”
“Get Declan to dig for me.” Declan Flynn was a billionaire, Eb’s brother-in-law, and an absolute tech genius.Most of the tech that the government used came from Declan.So if there was a backdoor way to get access to confidential bits of data from the CIA, Declan would be the one holding the key to that treasure.
Declan was also Hunter’s boss and best friend.
“I need Declan’s help,” Eb said quietly.No getting around it.
“Then call him yourself.”
“I can’t.”Thus, the late call to Hunter.“Marley told me I couldn’t call him again after midnight.One of her rules.So I’m calling you, and you can tell him for me.”
“Oh, sure.Because it’s cool for you to call me after midnight.Not like you’re disturbing my beauty sleep.Here’s a fun idea…why don’t you just call during daytime hours?Did you consider that option?”
Yes, he’d considered the option and discarded it.“I’m spending the night with Naomi, and while she’s sleeping, I’m using the time to call so she won’t know what the hell I’m doing.”
“Whoa, whoa!Stop and back up.Are you staying with your prey?Like, in the same house?Damn, samebed?On night one?Shit.Okay, you get that she’s trying to trick you, right?Trick you, use you, fuck with your head and your body?”
His grip nearly shattered the phone.
“You called her a cold-blooded murderer yesterday,” Hunter continued.“I saw her pics.I get that she’s hot.But don’t let your dick lead you straight to death.She’ll fuck you and stab you.Hey, did you ever seeBasic Instinct?An oldie but a goodie with Sharon Stone.She fucked the guy and killed him right during the big orgasm moment, and you don’t want that shit to happen to?—”
“Shut the hell up,” he groused.“This is notBasic Instinct.I’m also pretty sure the killer used an ice pick in that movie and not a knife.”