Page 40 of Blood & Bond (The Bouchers #2)

When we entered Chance’s room, I was surprised to see that instead of a living room like the other brothers had, he’d turned his main room into a giant office.

There was a huge L-shaped desk with four computer monitors set up, a thousand cords and wires, and other assorted tech stuff that was only familiar because I had no idea what any of it did. Everyone stood around waiting for us.

“How’d you get here so fast?” Ambrose asked Danny.

“I was already on my way home,” he replied. His light-brown hair was a mess, and his beard was scragglier than I’d ever seen it. “You found a memory card?”

“Lucy did,” Ambrose clarified. He looked at Chance. “You can read it?”

“We’ll see,” Chance said. For the first time since I’d met him, he seemed unsure of himself.

“You’re offline?” Beau asked.

Chance nodded. “Closed system.”

My brother had been leaning against the fireplace mantel, but he moved to my side as we grouped around behind Chance.

At first, nothing happened.

Then, all of a sudden, a little box showed up on the screen. Inside were smaller squares. There had to be hundreds of them.

Charlie’s hand found mine.

“Files,” Chance said grimly. “Should I just start at the top?”

I held my breath.

“Top left,” Ambrose ordered, sliding an arm around my shoulder.

I didn’t understand what we were looking at when the file opened, but by the sharp inhales around me, the Boucher brothers did. They didn’t speak as Chance scrolled down, reading through whatever it was. After a moment, he opened the second file. Then the third.

I was too far away to read whatever was on the computer, but I stood beside Ambrose for a long time as he read them over Chance’s shoulder.

Eventually, I moved over toward the fireplace and sat down on the floor with my back against the wall.

Reese and Charlie followed me. We watched as the Boucher brothers scoured their baby brother’s files, discovering what he’d felt was so important that he’d hidden a memory card in the last place anyone would look.

“Is anyone else dying to know what they found?” Reese asked quietly.

I nearly laughed, knowing that they could hear everything she said and there was no reason for her to whisper.

“I’m cool waiting to get the CliffsNotes,” I replied.

I knew how Zeke must have died. I didn’t want to read any information that had anything to do with the people who’d killed him. Ambrose would tell me what they’d found when he was done, and I wouldn’t have to risk seeing something I couldn’t forget.

We sat there for hours. Beau and Danny sat down in kitchen chairs after a while, but Ambrose stayed on his feet, his hands on his hips and his eyes never leaving the monitor in the center of the cluster. Reese fell asleep, curled onto her side with her head resting on her arm.

Charlie and I just sat there quietly, pressed together from hip to shoulder, while we waited to hear what the brothers had uncovered. My thigh began to ache, but I ignored it.

And then they were done.

Chance pushed away from the desk with a curse. Both Danny and Beau turned to Ambrose.

“Baby brother was busy,” he said after a moment.

“Get some rest, and then this afternoon we’ll split this up and go over it with a fine-tooth comb.

Danny, you take the names. I want to know if someone had a cavity in one of their baby teeth.

Chance, you and I will follow the money.

Split it up however you think it makes sense, and then we’ll compare notes and see where things intersect. Beau?—”

“I’ll start tracking down their families,” he said quietly. “If we’re looking for answers, there’s a good chance that they are too.”

“Before you get in touch with any Vampire’s family, we need to talk it over and decide what we’re willing to share and whose help we’re willing to take. Just because they’ve lost someone doesn’t mean we can trust them.”

“Who’s going to tell Mom and Dad?” Danny asked, locking his fingers together behind his head.

Ambrose glanced at the window where the sun had come up hours ago. “I will after I get Lucy to bed.”

“I sound like a four-year-old,” I complained to Charlie.

Ambrose shot me a look over his shoulder.

I tried to rise as Ambrose strode toward me, but my legs and ass were numb for sitting so long on the floor. Both he and Charlie had to help me to my feet.

“What was it?” Charlie asked as we walked across the landing to his rooms.

Ambrose didn’t answer until we’d closed the door behind us. After a moment, I realized it was so his parents couldn’t hear what we were talking about until he’d had a chance to tell them.

“Zeke must’ve been looking into things before you met, because there’s no way he could’ve compiled so much information in so little time.

There are notes on experiments.” Ambrose grimaced and gripped the back of his neck.

“Including Vampire and mate medical records. Financial statements. Names and phone numbers of collaborators. It’s a mess of information, and we don’t have a clear view of it yet, but we will. ”

Charlie nodded. He let out a sad, hiccuping laugh. “I’m glad,” he said, smiling even as tears dripped down his cheeks. “I just?—”

“There’s a file in there with your initials on it,” Ambrose said kindly, reaching out to give Charlie’s shoulder a squeeze. “We didn’t look at it. If you go back in there, I’m sure Chance is waiting.”

Charlie’s eyes widened, and he was nodding before Ambrose had even finished his sentence. Without a glance, he hurried back out of the room.

“I hope it’s a letter,” I said as the door swung halfway shut behind him.

“Me too,” Ambrose said tiredly. “Come on. I’ll walk you to our room.”

“ Our room?” I teased, leaning my head against his shoulder.

“For now,” he replied. We walked across the house slowly, my leg still protesting the movement. “Beau and Reese are building a house on the property. We could do that if you wanted.”

I nodded, but I could barely even think of the pros and cons, I was so worn out. We’d only gotten a couple of hours of sleep before I’d woken Ambrose up.

I climbed back into bed and let my mate tug the sweatpants down my legs as I groaned and closed my eyes. A few seconds later, I heard him snap the comforter in the air and then felt it settle over my body.

“Do you want me to come with you?” I asked, opening my eyes again. “I don’t mind.”

“Sleep, baby,” he said, leaning over to kiss me. “I’m going to talk to my parents, and then I’ll be back up.”

“It’s been a long night,” I whispered, reaching up to smooth his beard.

“But we’re one step closer,” he whispered back.

Another kiss, and then he was gone.

I floated in that twilight space somewhere between wakefulness and sleep for a long time, thinking about the sacrifice Zeke had made.

If he’d had solid information before he’d seen us at that café, he must’ve been terrified when he’d realized that he’d found his mate.

Unable to walk away and pretend it hadn’t happened, he also hadn’t been willing to stop searching for answers.

He’d been stuck between a rock and a hard place, both wanting to stay with Charlie and knowing that if he didn’t leave, my brother might never be safe.

I just wished he’d reached out to his own brothers. They could’ve helped him the way they were following his clues now.

“You’re an idiot, Zeke,” I grumbled.

I could almost see him rolling his eyes as he flipped me off.

Sometime later, Ambrose came back into the room and crawled in next to me. He didn’t say a word as he wrapped his body around mine, careful not to jostle my legs. I fell asleep almost instantly.