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T he hum of activity inside—and outside—of Felicity’s house sounded like a giant hive of bees in overdrive. Everywhere Honor looked, men moved with serious expressions and a purpose as they set up security cameras, replaced locks and set up floodlights around the perimeter of the house.

She waited off to the side, watching helplessly. The flurry of activity and all the new additions made her stomach cramp, and fear took hold. These people were here because of her choices. It was one thing to worry about her own safety, but she loved her sister more than anything, and now she was compromised too.

None of this would be happening if she hadn’t come to stay with Felicity. If she had committed to the van life instead, it was unlikely her ex would ever locate her.

She almost wished that Felicity had been able to stick around for moral support, but Honor insisted that she go to work at the bookstore and she would handle things here.

She turned to Gray. He stood in the living room, watching his brother Oaks install a new lock on the door. His arms were folded across his broad chest, and his wide stance made her think about a general on a battlefield.

“This is… a lot . I appreciate every bit of it but…are you sure you’re not overreacting?” she asked him.

He jerked his head around to pierce her in his gaze. “No. I’m not losing anyone else on my watch.”

Her heart twisted painfully. There was no mistaking the weight of those words or what they meant. The ghosts that haunted him weren’t in his past. They were right here, influencing his every move.

Oaks’s hand slowed on the screwdriver he held. Honor caught the side-eye he gave Gray. She couldn’t help but wonder if this brother—or any of them—knew the whole truth about what Gray had witnessed the day the aircraft carrier was sunk. After all, his sister believed he was locked in his room writing a novel.

She glanced at Oaks, aware of him watching her closely. He gave the screw one last twist and pushed to his feet. He was as tall and impressive as the rest of his brothers. He also bore a set of deep gray eyes a shade darker than Gray’s, but he sported a cowboy hat with the same rugged sexiness.

When she caught the glimmer of a wedding band circling his finger, it gave her pleasure in a way she couldn’t put to words. Maybe it was the fact that the man loved a woman enough to seal the deal in an old-fashioned way. Or maybe she was just being silly after the years she spent waiting for Sully to make a move.

Sully. Her stomach bottomed out. He was the reason for all of this activity in Felicity’s home. But the fact was, they didn’t really know for certain it was him at all. She and Felicity might have jumped to conclusions when they spotted that van that looked like his. They had no proof he was in Willowbrook, and definitely didn’t have evidence that he was the one who’d opened her window.

Who else would it be?

“Your family seems to know their stuff,” she commented, hoping to break through some of the brick wall of tension surrounding Gray.

Oaks tested the lock before giving them both a nod and walking out, leaving her alone with Gray.

He scrubbed a finger over his top lip. “I’m sorry if I seem a bit on edge.”

“So am I.”

As if her admission made him see her for the first time, his face softened. His eyes pooled with the same tenderness that she’d seen so many times since they met. He took a step closer and caught her hand in his.

She gave it to him happily and with a measure of relief. Somehow, when she was touching Gray, everything got better.

She had to broach the other topic nagging at her. “I appreciate all of this,” she repeated, “but it looks really expensive. I’m not sure I can afford all this.”

The intensity in his gaze sharpened. “It’s covered. Don’t worry about it.”

“Gray—”

“Honor, I know you’re independent. But I won’t listen to talk about repayment.”

Her brows drew together. “You were in the military. You weren’t exactly making bank.”

His lips twitched with what she was starting to recognize as amusement. “I know. But there’s family money. Let a little bit of it do some good.”

Before she could protest again, another Malone brother walked in with Felicity right behind. Honor let out a low cry and hurried over to her sister.

“What are you doing back here? Is everything okay in the bookshop?”

Felicity nodded and looked around. “Mia and Rina insisted they could look after things at the shop while I came home to check on things.”

Honor blinked rapidly. “You didn’t tell them about the attempted break-in, did you?”

“No. I told them I had a pipe burst and wanted to check that everything was going well with the plumber.”

Honor deliberately relaxed her shoulders an inch or two below her ears where they’d shot upward. She wasn’t sure how Gray was running things, but she could guess that shouting the news all over the small town that they were taking security measures wasn’t the best move.

Two more Malones—Colt and Carson—paraded by, and Felicity turned to watch them go.

Honor snapped her fingers in front of her sister’s face to get her attention. “The one in the black hat is married!” she hissed.

“Oh! Oh .” Pink splotches formed on Felicity’s cheeks. Without a care, she turned to Gray. “Do you have any single brothers?”

He sputtered a laugh but quickly coughed to cover the sound. “Uh…yep. Two more still in the service.”

“How do I get in touch with them?” Felicity exploded.

Laughing, Honor gave her sister a small nudge to stop her from saying anything else. And she definitely didn’t want her bringing up any sounds she may have noticed from Honor’s bedroom the previous night.

Her insides still hummed from the long, thorough sex that had blown her mind.

But one look at Gray’s face said he had more important things on his mind.

She shot him a nervous look. “What is it?”

“Sit down.” He waved a hand to the sofa a few feet away.

Her nerves kicked in as she took a seat. Felicity sat beside her and took her hand in a supportive grasp.

Gray took the armchair facing them, his big frame taking over the small furniture. “I need to ask you about your ex.”

She gulped but nodded.

“How much do you know about him?”

She stared at him. “We lived together for six years. I’d say I knew him pretty well.”

He leaned his elbows on his knees, leaning forward. “What about his family? His background?”

“Well, he was estranged from his family. His parents were divorced when he was young. He said his mom was narcissistic and he left as soon as he turned eighteen.”

Gray’s face gave nothing away. That cool, calm exterior rattled her.

“Why?”

He continued asking questions without answering hers. “What about his roots? Place of birth?”

She ran a fingertip between her eyes where an ache was starting. “He was born in Colorado. Moved around a lot when he was young. He lived all over.”

Gray grunted.

Honor shifted to the edge of the sofa cushion so she was teetering on the edge. “Why do you ask? What aren’t you saying?”

Gray watched her close when he told her. “Honor…the guy you dated didn’t exist up until ten years ago.”

She searched his expression for the meaning behind his words. “What?”

“Carson ran a background check. His social security, his records…they trace to a child that died in infancy. Looks like he assumed the identity.”

Felicity let out a soft gasp, her palm suddenly damp in Honor’s hold. She squeezed her sister’s hand tighter. Shaking her head, she tried to make sense of what Gray said. “No. That can’t be. Stuff like that only happens on TV.”

He spread his hands. “He doesn’t work a traditional job, does he?”

“He’s an artist. He does odd jobs to make ends meet when he’s not selling art.”

He continued dropping more bombshells on her. “He pays for everything in cash. No loans, no credit trail. Just enough to stay under the radar…and it worked until now.”

Honor felt the blood drain from her face. This was the man she dated. Lived with for a good portion of her adult life.

At one time, had loved.

“Oh my god,” she groaned.

Gray reached out, his long arm easily able to touch her. When his big hand cupped her cheek, she clung to the lifeline he offered. It steadied her—grounded her.

“Sugar, I’m not telling you this to scare you. I need you to know the truth. I will never keep anything from you.”

Meeting his clear gray eyes, she knew the truth of that to the pit of her soul. He’d already shared more with her than Sully had…well, apparently ever.

At her side, Felicity swallowed audibly. “What now?”

His brows furrowed. Honor could see the gears of his mind grinding over the situation.

“I’m not going to let you two feel helpless.” As if his mind was made up, he gave them a hard nod. “We have plans this afternoon.”

Honor didn’t like the sound of that. If the wobble of her heart was anything to go by, her nerves didn’t either. “What plans?”

“We’re going to the shooting range.”

* * * * *

Gray couldn’t lose anyone else. That was the solitary thought driving him.

From his phone, he checked all the security feeds to ensure every angle of the house was covered and live. Some might call it overkill, but at least his brothers did not.

He called it necessary. If he could have gotten away with digging a moat and tossing in some live gators, he would have done it.

Hell, there was still time to turn Felicity’s house into an impenetrable fortress.

He walked the perimeter, gaze flicking to the cameras his brothers installed on the four corners of the house and in some spots that weren’t as obvious to the common criminal.

Or stalker.

The idea of Honor’s ex following her to Willowbrook made Gray’s fists curl. The fact that he hadn’t shown himself to her made it even more apparent that he had some dark plan in mind.

And the bastard’s use of a false identity was bad enough—where he got that identity was sickening.

He eyed the front lawn. City ordinances would frown on the moat and gators. He’d have to settle for conventional protection. The reinforced perimeter, motion sensors and a damn good security system was the best he could do.

All of it to protect her. Why?

He’d do it for anyone, he told himself. But deep down, he knew there was more to it. Honor had gotten to him in a very short amount of time. Being with her was completely off target for a man like Gray. Even her personality was so far removed from his own, it was a wonder they didn’t want to kill each other.

But her calm, carefree manner was a soothing balm to his prickly soul.

Satisfied he could do no more here, he turned for the house. Honor and her sister were sitting in the kitchen, finishing off cups of coffee as they waited for him to make good on his word to take them to the shooting range.

If he had to guess, both sisters were pacifists through and through. So were all the Malones—until someone broke their trust, and then they could be deadly.

When his gaze fell on Honor’s profile, the sweep of long waves drawn into a thick ponytail at the base of her neck, his heart gave a small squeeze. She had no idea how far he would go to protect her.

Felicity looked up at him, blue eyes eloquent even from the shadow of a baseball cap she wore to keep her own hair off her face. In that split second, they traded a look.

She knows how I feel.

He gave her a subtle nod of acknowledgement, and Honor pushed her chair back to gain her feet. “Are you finally finished checking out the security around this place? Might need to add some ninjas to the front door or something.”

“Thought about it.” His dry tone brought a soft smile to her lips, and he couldn’t resist the upward tug of his own.

“You ladies ready?” he asked.

Felicity stood too and carried their mugs to the sink. Both of them had donned jeans and sturdy boots as he instructed them to. While the sisters were creative types, Honor was definitely more of a free spirit in appearance than Felicity. The white and butter yellow floaty top with an embroidered daisy pattern told a different story than Felicity’s denim top with a couple vintage patches sewn on it.

He led the way out, careful to lock up behind him and scan the street for any sign of the ex. The drive to the shooting range was a short one, but the day was enjoyable, crisp and sunny.

“The wind is low today—good for shooting.”

In the passenger seat, Honor threw him a glance. “Is it a good idea to arm us? Shouldn’t we leave this up to the law?”

He compressed his lips. “If it were my own family members, I would want them to know how to defend themselves.”

“After meeting your sister, I’m sure she is capable of defending herself.”

He ducked his head in a nod. “She’s tough. Gotta be with six brothers.”

“And you have sisters-in-law.”

“Three of ’em. There’s a wedding soon.”

“How exciting.”

He snorted. “Guess you could say that. The last wedding was a trip.”

“Why is that?”

“The couple got married twice.”

“That sounds like a good story.”

“One I’ll tell you another day.” Under the circumstances, he wasn’t about to share that the reason his brother Oaks first married Shiloh was to rescue her from an arranged marriage.

But it all worked out in the end, with the couple falling head over heels in love. They were crazy about each other, and every time he turned a corner, he expected to run into any one of his three brothers in some state of entanglement with the women they loved.

Falling silent, he threw an occasional sideways glance at Honor. They’d only been on one date. And sex was just sex.

Or was it? When he thought about what he felt when he took her, he couldn’t find anything to compare to the feelings she roused in him.

Once they were at the shooting range, he took a lot of time giving Honor and Felicity instructions. By the time they were ready to take their first shot, Felicity had dropped her arms from her nervous pose and Honor had the flush of color that had been missing since this all began back in her freckled cheeks.

He held out a pistol in his palm. “Either of you guys ever shoot before?”

“No,” they said in unison.

“Good. I won’t have to break any of your bad habits.”

Honor cocked a brow. “Is that supposed to be a compliment?”

“It means you’ll listen to instruction. That’s a good start.”

He got Felicity positioned first and showed her how it was done, giving clear instructions.

When she took her first shot, it missed the inner ring of the bullseye and struck the top corner of the target.

Felicity let out a breath of exhilaration. “It takes a lot of skill and precision.”

“That’s true.”

“It’s definitely a challenge.” Felicity adjusted her feet in the stance he showed her, and he instructed her to take a second shot.

The smell of gunpowder settled around them. That along with the light tang of pines that grew along the base of the mountain were two of his favorite scents.

Those and lemony cake.

After that, Felicity took aim at the paper target on the far end of the range and fired a few more practice shots.

When it was Honor’s turn, he told her all the same things, but he could see right from the start that she wasn’t as confident.

He moved up behind her, forcing her body into the position he wanted. Well, wanted was a relative term, when what he really wanted was her bent over and taking his cock.

Her round ass cradled his groin, and he bit back a low growl of desire. With one hand on her arm, holding it straight and steady, she let out a sharp gasp at the contact.

He made sure her stance was solid and placed a hand on her waist to straighten her hips. He ignored the way her body fit against his. Now was not the time for distractions. This was a serious thing. It meant life or death.

He stepped back. “Now relax. Shake out a second.”

She did as he said, wiggling a little bit.

“Good. Now get back into the stance I showed you. Practice will make perfect. You won’t have time to think about your stance or aim if a situation turns dangerous.”

This time, she did it perfectly, lining up just the way he showed her. He stepped up behind her again. “Now, eyes on the target.”

She released a low breath and her body relaxed as she settled. When she pulled the trigger, the shot rang out, sharp and clean.

“Bullseye!” she cried, and Felicity let out a little squeal of victory for her sister.

He grinned. “Not bad.”

“Guess we don’t have to worry about Honor missing.” Felicity high-fived her.

“We’ll go to the local gun shop after this and pick out some protection for each of you. It can take anywhere from one to five days for background checks, but this is all a precaution anyway. I don’t plan on leaving you guys alone, and if for some reason I have to leave, one of my brothers will be with you.”

“This is a lot. I’m not sure how confident I am with having a weapon.”

“It’s unlikely you’ll ever need to use it. Felicity either. But I brought you here to empower you. If there was a class on personal safety going on anywhere local, I’d make you take it as well. Arming yourself with information is the best thing anyone can do.”

She turned to Gray, her blue eyes suddenly dusky with worry.

“What is it?” he asked.

“I completely forgot about the festival coming up.”

Felicity sucked in a breath, fingers fluttering to her lips. “Oh no!”

They both turned to her sister.

“I meant to tell you this yesterday, then things got a little out of control. I hate to do this to you, sis, but I can’t go to the festival this time. Rina’s going home to visit family and I don’t have coverage for the bookstore.”

Gray’s mind worked over the logistics of Honor traveling to a festival and Felicity being in a completely other location.

He wasn’t letting Honor out of his sight, but being at the festival would require a lot more planning to keep her—and everyone attending the event—safe.

“I’ll go to the festival with her,” he assured Felicity. “And we’ll make sure we have our bases covered for you just in case.”

Honor’s shoulders dropped a measure in relief. “Then we’re all set. We’ve done everything we can do to keep us safe.”

“Not everything. Hand over your phones. I’m going to add a tracking app to them.”

She issued a low protest. “That’s a little much, don’t you think?”

“Not up for debate,” he said, sternly cutting off any argument. “We’re not taking any chances.”

And for the first time in a long time, Gray felt that maybe—just maybe—he didn’t have to lose anyone else.

Not on his watch.