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CHAPTER ONE

JAKE

J ake Boxer had just started to doze off when he heard, "Do you think they have dogs?" His head jerked up. Across the hall, Alex Buchanan leaned over the table in the glass-walled conference room, her expression focused, calculating.

Dani Pierce shrugged, her purple hair swaying like a silk curtain caught in a breeze.

"Not likely. But if they do, those are on you. I don’t do anything with animals.

Although"—she tilted her head thoughtfully—"I think I read something about a new app that might come in handy. Something to do with high-pitched frequencies. I’ll look into it. "

Jake stifled a yawn. The jet lag was finally catching up to him.

He’d flown in from London a few hours ago, and now the exhaustion threaded through his limbs like molasses.

He glanced at his watch. Monty had said she was meeting up with friends tonight, which meant he was on his own. Right on cue, his stomach growled.

Alex leaned in closer to the schematic. “I don’t think they have dogs there on the regular. They’ve got everything else—infrared, pressure sensors, biometric locks. Dogs are just redundant. Maybe for a big event, but I’ll take that app if you’ve got it.”

Scattered around the blueprint were pictures—snapshots of the building, close-ups of security panels, even a few grainy, overhead drone shots.

Jake’s gut tensed. Nothing good ever happened when Alex and Dani started hovering over blueprints like that.

Beautiful, brilliant, and utterly fearless, the two women were a dangerous combination.

He was forever grateful it had been Mitch and Gage who fell for them—and not him.

Alex picked up one of the photos, squinting. “It’s a damn good thing the item I need to steal is in the storage area. Otherwise, I’d have to use a grappling hook to get to the roof and then take the elevator down. That would be noisy… and messy.”

“Agreed,” Dani muttered, rubbing her lower back with one hand, skimming the other over the baby bump pushing out against her hoodie.

"A distraction sounds messy. Find another way," came Lacy’s voice as she strode into the room in her signature heels, sharp and purposeful. "And you two might want to shut the door if you don’t want the guys to know what you’re up to."

"Mitch knows," Alex replied with a sly smile. “And I found another way. No distraction needed to break into the museum.”

"Of course, he does." Lacy rolled her eyes. "Well, shut the door anyway. If Logan finds out, he’ll go DEFCON 5. You know how he gets."

"The museum? What museum? Are you breaking into the Museum of Modern Art?

" Logan Callahan barked as he appeared in the doorway, zeroing in on the schematic like a heat-seeking missile.

He tossed a wave at Jake. Jake lifted a weary hand in return, settling deeper into his chair. This was about to get good.

“Good to see you, Dani. How’re you feeling?” Logan asked, frowning down at the blueprint. “I thought we agreed—no more crazy plans after Russia.”

Dani grinned. Alex scowled.

"How was I supposed to know Putin had a cat at his summer house? I’m allergic, okay?"

Jake watched Logan close his eyes. The man was grinding his molars—Jake had seen that look before. Logan reopened his eyes, his jaw tight. “Please. Don’t break into the Museum of Modern Art. I do not want to explain your antics to the mayor. Or the governor.”

Alex and Dani shared a glance.

Alex dropped the photo onto the table. "Okay, Logan. I promise."

"Me too," Dani added, her tone too innocent to be convincing.

Logan narrowed his eyes. "That was too easy. What’s going on?"

"You asked—" Dani began.

“Logan,” Lacy interrupted smoothly, “we don’t have time for this. We need to finalize the wedding menu.”

Logan shifted his glare. “I thought we finished that. The wedding’s in a few days.”

Lacy just smiled sweetly. “We’re adding lamb lollipops.”

"Lamb? Isn’t there already a lamb dish?"

As Logan huffed and led the way down the hall to his office, Mitch Callahan slid into the chair across from Jake.

“Nice distraction,” Mitch commented with a grin.

Lacy followed Logan, leaving Alex and Dani to huddle over their plans.

Gage entered next, looking freshly showered and slightly wary. “They’re not seriously breaking into the Museum of Modern Art, are they?”

Mitch shook his head. “Nah.”

Gage looked relieved—briefly.

“They’re hitting the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Totally different thing. Some heirloom got donated by a scorned ex-fiancée, and Leo wants it back.”

Gage muttered a curse under his breath, rubbing his forehead.

Mitch chuckled. “Don’t worry. I made them prep escape plans for three different prisons. And Dani’s staying in the van, nowhere near the action.”

Gage glanced at Dani’s belly. “Good. I’d rather the mother of my child not end up behind bars.”

“When is she due again?” Mitch asked.

“Couple of months.”

Mitch waved that off. “Plenty of time. If she gets arrested, we’ll have her out by then.”

Jake chuckled. Life with the Callahans was never dull. “So, what’s so urgent that I had to fly across the Atlantic on zero sleep?”

“We’re short-staffed,” Gage said bluntly. “Too many ops, not enough people. And a few arrests. Plus, the flu.”

Mitch looked oddly pleased. “It’s a good problem. Means we’re killing it out there.”

Jake sighed. “You want to throw the new hires into the mix?”

Mitch nodded. “Wanted your take.”

Jake rubbed his face. “Honestly? No. They need more time. We’re not a plug-and-play outfit. Let me put them through the wringer first.”

“Fair enough,” Mitch said. “But in the meantime, we need help reworking the staff layout. Get your insight on expansion and hiring.”

Jake narrowed his eyes. “What aren’t you telling me?”

Gage hesitated. “Jameson Drake needs a bodyguard. Temporary.”

Jake groaned. “How temporary?”

“Week. Maybe two.”

Jake shrugged. “I’m not in the field anymore, guys.

” He’d felt obligated to point that out, but really, he was jumping for joy, or would be if he’d had the energy.

The constant paperwork was taking its toll on him.

He needed some action. Time in the field sounded just about perfect at this moment in time.

Well, after he’d had a solid twelve to fourteen hours of sleep.

“We know. But Drake is Drake. High profile. High maintenance. You know him, and more importantly, he knows and respects you. You’re perfect for it.”

His elation was followed by a sudden wave of doubt. It had been a while since he’d done fieldwork. Had all that paperwork dulled his skills? Had he lost his edge? “And if I say no?”

“You’re not going to say no because you’re a stand-up guy and we need you. But, we also want to talk to you about European expansion,” Gage added. “And a stake in the company.”

Jake blinked. “You’re serious.”

“You’ve earned it,” Mitch said simply.

Jake leaned back. That was… unexpected. And tempting.

A piece of the pie was more than he’d dreamed of.

It would be amazing. He knew that Gage was right, and he was going to say yes regardless.

He also knew that even if he turned down the assignment they would still offer him a piece of the company and an expanded role. The Callahans were men of their word.

“I’ll do it. But only two weeks. And I’m picking my own team. I will also have to check with Monty because she will have to pick up the slack.”

Mitch grinned. “Monty’s already on board.”

Jake rolled his eyes. “Figures.”

Alex stuck her head into the room. “You guys want to hear the plan?”

Jake was already on his feet. “Not on your life. I’m heading back to the hotel. Need my wits about me if I’m shadowing Drake.”

He bro-hugged the brothers and walked out, heart thumping a little harder than before. As he exited the building onto the street, the warm scent of early summer wrapped around him. He breathed in deeply. God, he missed New York. Europe was amazing, but it was nice to be back.

Monty loved Europe, though, and if they were to make things official, he’d have to be able to live with that.

He smiled. He’d live at the North Pole if it made Monty happy.

He fingered the box that was burning a hole in his pocket.

He’d been carrying the ring around for weeks, waiting for the right moment.

Maybe he should ask while they were here in New York.

He’d have to see. The opportunity would present itself.

The question was, would she say yes? God, he hoped so.

He would be destroyed if she said no. She was the love of his life, and he would do anything she needed to seal this deal.

But first things first. He needed to survive the next two weeks with Jameson Drake. Then he would see about the rest.