Page 11 of Through Any Fire (Any x #1)

M y quick strides fight to keep up with Cal’s through the twists and turns of the Keane residence. He doesn’t spare a glance to ensure I’m following. He knows this is too important for me to not. It frustrates me he’s right.

A few turns later, we enter a library that I don’t have time to appreciate because he opens a heavy wooden door and holds it open for me, a look of utter impatience plastered on his face.

Callahan’s office is masculine, with a leather sitting couch at one end of the room. On the other, a modern, L-shaped wooden desk sits perfectly organized. Just like the rest of the house, there’s not a personal touch to be found. This could be anyone’s office.

At the bottom of a bookshelf in the corner, there’s a row of records. I gently flip through them, noting the titles and variety. The door clicks shut.

“So, Matthias was right,” Cal says as he settles into his desk chair. “You’re still a snoop.”

I shrug. “What can I say? It’s a passion of mine.” I cross to his desk and sit in a leather armchair. It’s plusher than I expect, and I sink further than I’d planned for.

The air stills as we lock eyes, and it grips me how old he looks.

Not old in the sense of gray hair and wrinkled skin, but I see years swirling behind his brown eyes, a sense of tiredness that doesn’t come from anything other than a long life.

He studies me just the same, and we sit in charged silence for only a minute until he finally speaks.

“Right,” he drawls, scrubbing a hand over his jaw. “So, Mason is missing. And you think he’s somewhere in Keane territory?”

I clench my jaw and nod.

“And why do you think that?”

He doesn’t sound like he believes me, which is aggravating. If I had a nickel for every time a man didn’t take me at my word, I’d be fucking rich.

I let loose a sigh and share more than I care to. But if it will help me find Mason, I’ll sing like a canary.

“Because Leon said so.” I’d practically had to beg on my knees, but the Bianchi son had finally relented. That was all he told me, though. When I asked about specifics, he was tight-lipped.

Cal’s brows furrow, and he opens his mouth to speak, but I continue.

“He told me about seven weeks ago, Mason came to Elias and him, begging for a chance to be made. Apparently, Mason was tired of not being given any proper work.” I suppose the boss of the Bianchi family was amused enough to give him a chance to prove himself, and he had the perfect job.

“What was the job?” Cal asks.

“To gather information on your recent supplier losses and find out where more potential weaknesses lie. ”

Cal clenches his jaw, presumably in understanding. It was an attempt to claim more territory from the Keane family. I fold my hands in my lap, curling them into fists. Mason is nearly twenty-two—hardly a child—but I still feel responsible for his well-being.

When we moved out of the Bianchi house six years ago, our mother went on her longest bender, running away to god knows where.

We haven’t seen her since. She could be dead in a ditch, for all I know.

It used to irritate me, used to enrage me, how she gave up on us, but recently, I’ve been too busy to spare her a solitary thought.

But even before she left, she was lost at the bottom of a bottle on any given day, so for the last decade, I’ve been Mason’s caretaker.

He wasn’t happy about it, but I made him finish high school.

All he wanted was to return to the Bianchis and offer his life in the name of serving the Family.

He’d been a foot soldier for the last three years, and while occasionally he hadn’t come home for a day or two, it’s never been as long as it has been now.

Elias won’t tell me anything, citing I’m not a part of the Family anymore.

I used the last ounce of clout I had when I begged Leon to tell me something— anything .

And that’s when he told me about the mission they sent Mason on and how they haven’t heard from him in over a week.

But after that, they wouldn’t be able to disclose private matters to an outsider. That was weeks ago, now.

“Apparently, Elias was thrilled to let another Catrone join the ranks. Leon then told me it was Elias’s idea to send Mason over to Keane territory to do some recon. But it was only supposed to take a week or two.”

Cal leans forward to brace against his desk. His shoulders tense, and a thick cord in his neck pulses. “And he thought a twenty-something could find our warehouses without help?”

I shrug. “I don’t have all the answers— yet —just what I’ve been able to piece together secondhand.

” Maybe it went further than just recon, and Mason was supposed to poach distributors.

Or—a shiver rolls down my spine—eliminate operations altogether.

The thought of my brother killing someone in cold blood chills me to the bone.

“When I spoke with him, Leon said he’d missed his last three check-ins.”

Cal’s eyes widen ever so slightly. We both know it’s never good when someone misses even one check-in.

“I didn’t know who else to go to. Leon and Elias won’t tell me anything else.”

“I see,” Cal says thoughtfully.

“If you say he’s not in Roswell…Well, I don’t know where he could be, then.” I slump back into the chair, swallowing around a thick lump in my throat.

“Bunny,” Cal whispers. His voice is tender, and my old nickname falling from his lips feels so familiar it hurts. There were nights we’d spend under his covers, hiding from the world and his father, and he’d whisper to me just like he did now. “We’ll find him.”

My eyes fall to the floor, and I can’t help but pray he’s right.

“I’ll start with Matthias, Luc, and Caleb. They’ve been looking into the supplier disturbances. Before I sent him off to security detail, Caleb was assisting Matthias and Luc with the…interference we’ve been experiencing.”

Matthias. Great.

“Don’t give me that look.”

I relax my brows, unaware they’d furrowed and revealed my disdain for Matthias. I deflect. “Caleb?”

Cal’s jaw ticks. “Caleb Ferguson. You two met the other week.” Something dark flashes in Cal’s brown eyes. Why, he almost seems…jealous.

“Ah, Caleb. I remember him,” I say, seizing the opportunity to switch the topic, giving myself time to board up the cracks in my armor. “I liked him. He’s very charming.”

Cal’s nostrils flare as his jaw grinds together.

And just to push him a little further, I pout. “Does he also live on property? I’d like to go say hi.”

Cal practically growls as he spits out, “He’s busy. From now until forever.”

I can’t help but laugh. “Is someone jealous?” My words land like a blow, sending Cal back in his seat.

He glowers and digs his phone out of his pocket, tapping on the screen once again. Holding it up to his ear, he never breaks eye contact as he waits for his call to be answered.

“My office. Now.”

“Is that Caleb? Tell him I say hi!” An unexpected giggle bubbles out of my chest, and Cal ends the call, dropping his phone on his desk a little too aggressively.

“Callahan, you didn’t even tell him I said hi. How else is Caleb going to know I was thinking about him?”

Cal stands and walks around his desk to tower over me. His finger pulls my chin upward until we share our breaths. “Stop saying his name,” he commands with a sharp tone. His dark gaze flicks between my mouth and my eyes, and his tongue darts out to wet his lips. “Or there will be consequences.”

My eyes narrow. “Like what? Are you going to forbid me from speaking to him? ”

Anger sparks inside, and I wonder if he can feel the boiling heat of my stare. Who does he think he is? It’s a damn good thing I didn’t include obedience in our vows.

At the reminder that this man is my husband , a newfound heat coils in my abdomen. A heat I stuff down further, ignoring the building sensation as blonde hair flashes to the forefront of my memory again.

“I was thinking something more along the lines of killing him, but I suppose we could start with a light exile first.”

I whip my face out of his hold. “That’s not funny.”

Cal perches against his desk and crosses his legs, bracing his arms on either side of him. His knuckles turn white from their grip on the desk. “Then it’s a good thing I wasn’t kidding.”

Two quick knocks sound at the door, but Cal doesn’t break our stare. He simply raises a brow and lets the air thicken between us. He must see I won’t budge.

Finally, he relents.

“Come in.” His voice echoes in the room, and a new face enters.

The newcomer looks between us, clearly waiting for an introduction.

He looks to be about six feet tall and stacked, with curly hair cut almost in a mullet and a thick mustache.

His tan skin is golden, as if he’s spent more time outside than not, and if not for the combat gear he wears, I would’ve thought he was just missing his boots and hat and bull to ride.

“Ma’am.” He nods to me, then turns to Callahan. “Yes?”

“Loren, this is Everett, our head of security. He’s responsible for our security patrols and all things to keep us and our product safe.”

Everett extends a firm hand, and I shake it.

“Nice to meet you,” I say .

Everett nods and turns back to Cal.

“Have we picked anyone up by the name of Mason Catrone in the past few weeks?” Cal asks.

The combat cowboy pauses, eyes darting to me. “I can’t recall off the top of my head. I’ll check and get back to you.”

Cal nods. “See that you do.” He tips his head to the door, and Everett takes his cue to leave. But before he reaches the door, Cal speaks again. “And, Ev?”

Everett pauses, turning back to Cal.

“Make it a priority. And keep it between us for now.”

His eyebrows hitch upward a degree, but then he nods and leaves the room. The door clicks shut behind him, and it feels like an omen.