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“There she is!” Ty grabbed Ivy and kissed her hard.

“How’s our houseguest doing?” Ivy, Shadow’s second to newest therapist to work with team Blackstone, smiled indulgently at her husband.

Their son, Hudson, had just started to stand and was on the go from the time he woke until he was down for the night.

It was nice she was able to take a little break.

Her uncle, Doc Roberts, had been with Blackstone for a long time and had moved over to Team Dark Water when Ivy came.

Ivy was a hit with everyone, an amazing woman who had worked wonders with Keith after his terrible loss. I stopped that memory dead in its tracks and forced it down. That had been a hard time for all of us, and this was our night to relax.

“He’s good.” She nodded. “This was the second time for him, being captured, I mean, so he already knew the steps to help his head and that definitely was a factor. I think he’s rattled, sore, and just needs a few days to get himself together and he’ll be fine.

He’s been well trained and did everything by the book. ”

“That’s huge,” Ty agreed as he hugged her, and we all took a breath and digested that.

It wasn’t often the house took in someone who could handle what they’d just been through.

It was one of the main reasons we needed Ivy and Doc Roberts and, I guess, Dr. Bash.

Of course, they also worked with our own.

“Frank says he’ll transfer him back to Washington and work with him there.

” Ivy took her drink from the waitress. “Thank you. Oops.” She licked her finger after she sloshed her drink on her hand.

“No need for him to stay more than a few weeks. I get the feeling he might stay in the States for a while, though. He’s not in a hurry to go back at it. ”

“Good plan. Being taken once would be enough for a lifetime, but twice—” I put my hands out. “Phew.”

Mark looked around then back to us. “No Dr. Bash?”

“No,” Ivy gave a small shrug, “Roberts said he just isn’t comfortable yet.”

“That’s not sitting well with me,” Mike piped in. “I’m not asking him to be our best friend, but there was a reason you and Doc Roberts can get past our walls so well.”

“Agreed,” she sighed. “I’ll see about reminding him of that, but he does like to stick to his office, so…”

We all stopped talking when two women maybe in their mid-twenties approached. One held out a pool cue. “We need two more. Any takers?” I glanced at John, who eased lower on his stool and pulled Sloane into him as a barrier. He smirked at me as if he enjoyed the moment.

“What about you?” The girl holding the cue locked eyes with me. “You’ve got this officer kind of SWAT look that says ‘I’ve seen a lot in my day, so don’t screw with me.’ I kinda like it. So, you wanna play?”

“Hey, who’s Janet’s favorite player?” she called to a girl behind her. “You know, the hottie who plays for the 49ers?”

“Nick Bosa,” her friend replied with a giggle.

“Yes, that’s who you remind me of.” Her eyes flared with interest. “You have his sexy jawbone, strong build, and those eyes that look like they could swallow me up in one bite.” She mimicked chomping. Gross.

I hated that kind of flirting. Girls who are just on the prowl.

I had to remember they were young, but I’d always been turned off by that approach.

It stemmed from when I was undercover and saw how women fell at the feet of various Cartels just because they had power and authority.

Sadly, we called them Crimson Hunters because nine times out of ten they’d end up covered in blood, often left for dead when the men were finished with them.

“Thanks, but I’m good.” I forced a smile and glanced at Keith where he stood expressionless behind Cole and Mark. I knew they were all thoroughly enjoying this.

“Lucky for you, I don’t take no very easily.” The girl stuck out a hip.

“But tonight, you will.” I smiled. Her expression flinched, but she tilted her head as if in thought. She either liked the challenge or she wasn’t told no very often.

“Or I buy you a drink and you tell me what all of this means.” She ran her hand up my tattooed sleeve. I put my hand over hers and gently but firmly pushed it off my arm as I stepped closer to her.

“I’m flattered, truly.” I tried to drive my point home. “You’re a pretty girl, but I’ve seen way too much shit, and one night with me would dull that light in your eyes. I promise you I’m not the man you want to be with tonight.”

“Yeah, okay.” Her eyes lowered, and I knew I finally got through to her. “Sorry for bothering you.”

I nodded once, stepped back, and she grabbed her friend’s arm, and they walked back to the pool table.

“So, cute, bubbly, doe-eyed girls are not your type. Got it.” Mark, who always seemed to be around for those moments, broke the tension and made the others laugh. “Just so I’m clear,” he went on, “ugly, dominant, dead-eyed girls are your jam?”

“Women are my game, not girls. Especially ones who probably have Daddy’s credit card and more hair product than you,” I poked back, and Keith laughed loudly behind him.

“He does take more time than me in the bathroom.” Mia laughed into her beer bottle but jumped when Mark swiped out and tickled her side. “It’s true, and we all know it.”

“I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again. It takes a special, well-thought-out grooming process to look this good all the time.” Mark mocked flipping his hair over his shoulder, which again made us all laugh. “Don’t hate because I care about how I look.”

I stared at him, deadpan, then turned my expression to Mia. “I have so much respect for you.”

“Yeah,” she joined in on my sarcasm, “I appreciate that.”

Mark reached for the pitcher of beer. “It’s terribly unfair that you all pick on the prettiest one.”

“Ohhh!” Mike laughed and rubbed his fully tattooed bald head. “You are far from the prettiest one, my friend.”

We went back to playing darts and continued to give each other shit because that was how we bonded and shared the darkness we all carried on our shoulders.

That night, when we returned home from Zack’s, I was met by Frank and Daniel on the front porch. I glanced at the time and saw it was well past two a.m.

“This can’t be good.” Cole kissed Savi. “I’ll be home soon.” She left to walk down to their cabin where they lived with their kids, and Cole joined my side.

Our generation of Blackstone had changed the way Shadows was run.

Daniel had wanted the best for his safe house and for his son, and that meant he had to change the way things were run here.

He had since built cabins for each of the families as needed, relatively close to the main house but far enough for privacy.

As the men fell in love and had kids, it filled a hole that the house had been missing.

Living here gave them a sense of real life without having to give up what we were here to do.

All of us were made for this life. The children were a plus, and some of the kids were going to be kickass special ops soldiers one day.

Cole’s daughter Olivia already left no doubt that she planned to take over Shadows when she was old enough.

It was clear as day that it was what she intended to do with her life.

“Who do you need to see?” Mike asked with a yawn.

“Paul and Cole.” Frank looked at the two of us.

Mike high-fived Mark, and the rest of the group headed for bed while I internally groaned and followed Cole inside and downstairs to the command center.

Abigail popped out of nowhere and set a canister of coffee and some homemade burgers on a side table. “Have fun tonight, boys?”

“Better now.” I snagged a burger and polished it off in two bites. “Thanks, Abby.”

“Anything for my boys.” Her sweet face that now showed a few signs of aging smoothed out when she smiled warmly at us. “Good luck.”

“Sorry for cutting into your night, guys, but something came up.” Daniel pointed the remote at the TV. “Frank.” He waited for Frank to take over.

“At zero-one-hundred, I got a call from Chili.” Instantly, I sat straighter.

“He’s fine,” he assured me, “but something’s happening in Rosarito.

” Drone footage showed Martin Castillo’s old property.

We had destroyed the place a year or so back, but it had been slowly rebuilt by Jerry and Elva Canos since they’d taken over.

The really messed up thing was that Jerry had been Martin’s half-brother, and a long time back, they’d been building their Cartel empire together.

I wondered what happened. Obviously, Jerry had other plans.

It was weird to see Castillo’s property rebuilt. A place I had spent nearly a decade visiting looked so different. I watched as dozens of Cartel soldiers scattered in all directions, and I recognized Jorje, their head of security, as he jumped into a truck and tore off down the driveway.

Frank eased onto the side of the table. “We followed the truck to Mexico City but lost them when the drone was fired on.”

“Was Talya spotted?” I had to ask. It was her parents’ house, after all, and she did work for them. Maybe I wasn’t sure if she still did, but I knew she’d always hated it.

“Truth, Paul, we haven’t seen her for almost a year.”

Really? I had purposely avoided the drones we had around Rosarito. I couldn’t take it if there was footage of her with someone else.

“Any idea what could have caused the chaos?” Cole studied the screen. “Because whatever it was, it was enough to have more than half their security team leave the property. I’ve only seen that a few times.”

“Agreed.” I pointed. “I know how Jerry operates, and he would never let that many of his men leave. Not without good reason, anyway. He was always beyond paranoid, and after the attack on Grim’s hotel, he’d be even more so.”

I shook my head and remembered the fire that had almost taken Grim Gates’ Vegas hotel.

I hesitated to describe Grim as a close friend, but after his help a year ago when I was on the run, I consider myself lucky to be able to call him one.

The fire that almost destroyed his hotel was thanks to Jerry.

He’d been upset that Grim had left Mexico when he did.

Grim retaliated, but in the end, Jerry came out of it all with his skin intact.

“Whatever it is, it’s big,” Frank commented. We watched as the drone followed the trucks and flew down the road and into the thick of the city.

“Well, check this out.” Daniel moved closer to the screen. “They stop here, then something spooks them,” he squinted, “shots are fired, two fell to the ground, and the rest race off in a different direction.”

“Wait,” something caught my eye, and a cold sensation settled on the back of my neck, “back that up, please. Okay, right there, can you zoom in on that car?” I pointed to the Infiniti SUV.

“Yeah, I can do that.” Daniel played with the controllers and was able to give me a better view of the driver. The face was blurry, but I could make out the twenty-thousand-dollar watch and pompous pinky ring. “What are you seeing, Paul?”

Frank slowly stood, and I knew he saw it too. “Fuck me.”

I leaned my head into my hand and felt my stomach drop to the seat. “He’s alive.”

“Who?” Cole looked confused.

“Bruno Perez.” Everyone went silent as the realization that Martin Castillo’s nephew was still fucking alive.

Frank turned to look at me straight on. “That’s impossible. You killed him. I saw you do it.”

“Apparently, he pulled a me and returned from the dead.”

“That doesn’t look like Bruno.” Cole tried to catch up while his face drained of color.

I puffed up my cheeks then slowly let out the air while my own head tried to connect the dots.

I studied the footage again. “It’s his driver for sure, and I thought he’d been killed in that explosion as well.

If his driver’s alive, then you can sure as hell bet Bruno is too.

The shots from that SUV,” I pointed at the footage again, “they were trying to take out Jerry’s men. ”

“Paul.” Frank didn’t have to say it.

“Yeah,” I shook my head, “we need confirmation that’s really Bruno, because if it is, we’re fucked.”