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“Oh, I thanked her. Multiple times.” He was in such a good mood, he caught himself teasing.

Nick caught it, too. “You know, until this moment, I didn’t realize just how different you’d become on the job. You used to joke and laugh all the time. For thepast few years, until today, I can’t remember you being lighthearted at all.”

“What was there to joke about when I was surrounded by thieves, murderers, anarchists, traffickers, and all the other bad elements that come with the job?”

Nick nodded, letting him know he got it without having to say anything. He bent and picked up the two large duffel bags at his feet and carried them in. “We cleaned out your place this morning, got all the surveillance stuff.” Nick dropped the bags by the sofa. “Are you going to stay here for a while, or head home?”

“I’m staying here until we find Rick.”

Nick’s gaze filled with approval. “And you want to spend time with her.”

“She wants to introduce me to her parents.” He ignored Nick’s wide-eyed surprise. “I want to take her home to meet the family. I want Mom and Dad to see me happy for a change.”

The bathroom door opened behind him. “M, who are you talking to?” She stopped dead in her tracks when he turned to her.

Hair damp, wearing a simple Dark Horse Dive Bar T-shirt and jeans, she was gorgeous. And his.

“Come officially meet my brother, Nick.” He held his hand out to her.

She took it and immediately leaned into his body, then held out her other hand. “Hi. I’m Lyric. It’s so good to meet you.”

Nick took her hand but didn’t shake, he held it in both of his. “Thank you for bringing Mason back.”

Lyric glanced up at him, then back at his brother. “He doesn’t have to hide to survive anymore.”

Nick’s gaze locked with his. “She’s perfect.”

Mason knew exactly what Nick meant. Lyric understood him in a way few others did. Not unless they did the job he did. Nick got him, but even he hadn’t dug deep enough to the core of Mason and what had slowly chipped away at him all these years. Because Nick didn’t want to see the damage done to his brother at Nick’s command as his boss.

Nick tugged Lyric’s hand, bringing her right into his chest. He hugged her close. “Welcome to the family.”

Lyric stepped back into Mason’s embrace. “Oh, well, we haven’t quite gotten that far.”

Nick held Mason’s gaze. “Oh, I know my brother. It’s a done deal. He’s never going to let you go.”

“That’s good,” Lyric replied, “because I decided to keep him a while ago. So yeah, he’s stuck with me.”

Nick grinned. “It’s good it worked out this way, then.”

Mason wrapped his arms around Lyric, keeping her back to his chest, close. Exactly how he liked her. “Any updates on the case?”

“You’re on leave. So let me handle it.”

“Okay.” Mason’s answer surprised Nick again. Mason never let anything go. He had to see every detail of the case done. But this time, he had other priorities.

“Who’s in charge of finding Rick now that the lieutenant has been arrested?”

“What?” Lyric gasped. “Why?”

Nick filled her in. “Because he nearly outed Mason to the Wild Wolves.”

Mason appreciated Nick’s fury at the officer. “Hedidn’t blow my cover,” he explained to Lyric, “but he was helping Maria check out the people who hired her to kill someone for them.”

“What did he get out of that?” she asked.

Nick frowned. “Maria. He put his whole career on the line for some hot-and-sweaty nights with her. She used their affair to make him keep doing the background checks for her or she’d tell his wife he was cheating. He couldn’t afford the divorce or for his kids to find out he’s an asshole. Cheaters are the worst.”

“My sister Aria agrees with you.”