Page 12

twelve

His brothers arrived within minutes of his call, which meant neither had left for work yet.

Elliot strode in first, his polished dress shoes clicking against the hardwood floor, and Luka trotted over to meet him, tail wagging as if this were a casual family visit instead of a crisis. Elliot took a moment to give the dog the attention he deserved before straightening and pushing his sliding glasses up his nose.

“What’s going on? You sounded tense on the phone.” His gaze flicked to Rowan as she descended the stairs dressed in a tight black crop top and black tactical pants, her hair hanging loose and damp over her shoulders.

His brow furrowed. “You found her.”

“More like she found me.”

Dominic burst through the door behind Elliot. Despite it being nearly eleven a.m., he was still dressed in flannel pajama pants and a New York Rangers T-shirt, his hair sleep-tousled. His boyish grin faded as he sensed the tension in the room.

“Shit, is this a family meeting or a standoff? Because it’s feeling like a standoff, and I haven’t had coffee yet.” He yawned and shouldered by Elliot, headed toward the espresso machine in the kitchen.

Luka followed, nudging his leg for attention or, more likely, treats. Dom was always feeding Luka table scraps behind Davey’s back. He patted the dog’s head once and yawned again. “Hey, buddy. Not now. Uncle Dom needs caffeine before pets.”

“Whose bed did you wake up in today?” Elliot asked dryly.

“My own, thank you very much.”

“Yeah, who with?”

“I never kiss and tell.” He grinned over his shoulder at Davey and Rowan. “But it smells like sex in here, so I can guess who big bro woke up with.”

Rowan’s face flushed. Davey opened his mouth to tell Dominic to go to hell, but the espresso machine screeched, drowning out his words and Dom’s laugh.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, fighting the urge to smack his little brother upside the head. “Can we focus here? We’ve got a situation.”

“Right, right,” Dom said and pulled himself up to sit on the island, sipping his espresso. “Family meeting. Okay, I’m here. I’m sort of awake. Shoot.”

Elliot’s eyes narrowed behind his glasses as he studied Rowan. “What kind of situation?”

Rowan crossed her arms, her stance defensive. “The kind where someone wants Davey dead.”

Dom’s head snapped up. “Wait, what?”

And here came the hard part.

Davey exhaled slowly, steeling himself against the storm about to hit. Luka, who had curled up on the couch when Dom didn’t feed him, lifted his head at the shift in the room, ears pricking up.

Yeah. Davey wasn’t the only one bracing for impact.

His fingers flexed at his sides before he met his brothers’ gazes, something in his chest twisting at the concern already shadowing their expressions. “Someone put out a hit on me last summer. Rowan was hired to do the job.”

The room went deathly silent.

Dom’s espresso cup clattered against the countertop as he set it down hard. “Holy… fuck.”

Elliot pulled off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose like he needed a second to process what he had just heard. He was the most easy-going of them, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have a temper, and that temper now simmered in his eyes as he slid his glasses back into place. “Why the hell is she still breathing?”

“Hey!” Davey’s body moved before his brain caught up, stepping into Elliot’s path, his palm slamming flat against his brother’s chest. Luka startled at the sudden motion, scrambling up from his spot on the couch and giving a sharp bark.

“It’s okay,” he told his dog, then focused on Elliot again. “Back off, El.”

“Back off?” “Back off?” Elliot shoved his glasses up the bridge of his nose, his expression twisting, disbelief warring with fury. “She was hired to kill you , and you’re defending her ?”

Dominic jumped down from the counter, his usual cheerful demeanor replaced by a hard glint in his blue eyes. “You tried to kill our brother?”

“No,” Davey said, keeping his tone sharp and authoritative, hoping to curtain all arguments. “She was hired, but she never intended to go through with it.”

Rowan remained silent, her face impassive, but Davey felt the waves of tension radiating from her. Like a coiled spring, ready to snap. He hated that. Hated that she was prepared to fight his family if she had to. That she expected to.

“Have you lost your mind?” Elliot demanded, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “She’s an assassin, Davey. She can’t be trusted.”

“I trust her.”

“Are you fucking serious?” Dom said.

“I am. Rowan could have killed me a hundred times over if she wanted to. She didn’t. She came to me instead and told me the truth.” Of course he’d had to fuck the truth out of her, but he hadn’t minded that part.

And given the faint stain of a blush coloring her skin, Rowan was remembering it, too. But that wasn’t something he was about to share with his brothers.

“Jesus Christ,” Dom muttered, running his hands through his messy hair. “This is way above my pay grade for this time of morning.”

“It’s almost noon,” Elliot reminded.

“But it’s not yet, so it’s still morning. You know I don’t do mornings.”

Patience, Davey reminded himself, was a much-needed quality when dealing with Dom, but his supply was running low. He gave himself a moment to rein in his irritation. “Look, I know this is a lot to take in, but Rowan’s on our side. She’s in danger, too, and she’s going to help us figure out who’s behind this.”

Elliot scoffed and crossed his arms. “And we’re supposed to believe that? For all we know, this could be part of her plan.”

Rowan snorted. “If it were, it would be a very stupid and convoluted plan. I could’ve just walked up to him at any point, shot him through the head, and walked away, and none of you would’ve been the wiser. But I didn’t because I don’t want him dead any more than you do.”

Jesus, her tone was frighteningly cold.

Davey couldn’t quite reconcile that with the woman he knew who ran so fucking hot when she was in his arms.

“Appreciate that,” he muttered. He also appreciated her restraint. If she felt so inclined, she could wipe the floor with his brothers, and he wasn’t in the mood to clean up more blood.

She gave him a saccharine smile and took his hand, squeezing his fingers. “You’re welcome.” Her attention shifted back to his brothers. “I don’t expect you to trust me, but I’m not here to harm him. I never was. I only took the job to buy some time and figure out who’s behind the contract.”

Both of his brothers stared down at their entwined fingers for an awkward beat.

Dom let out a disbelieving laugh, picked up his espresso, and threw it back like a shot of liquor.

Elliot just shook his head, something like disappointment in his eyes. “Damn, Davey. You’re the last guy I’d expect to think with his dick instead of his brain.”

Heat burned up the back of his neck. Embarrassment or anger? He couldn’t really tell at this point. “It’s not like that.”

“Oh, wait, so you’re not still fucking her?” Sarcasm dripped from Dom’s every word. “Wow, that’s a relief because I seem to remember…” He pulled his phone from his pocket, found what he was looking for, and held it out.

Davey’s gut clenched as he caught a glimpse of himself on the screen—naked, tangled in sheets, hands tied to the headboard of his bed with Christmas lights.

Dom wiggled the phone for emphasis. “Last time, she fucked you in more ways than one.”

Beside him, Rowan gave a very unladylike snort. Her shoulders shook, lips pressing together as she fought to keep the laugh in. She failed. Miserably.

He scowled over at her. “It’s not funny.”

“Yes, it is,” she said, completely unrepentant.

Dom pointed at her. “That we can agree on.”

He turned his glare on his youngest brother and tried to snatch the phone, but the little shit was too fast. “How much do you want to delete that photo?”

“Oh, big brother, there is not enough money on planet Earth. This is going to come out every time we argue until one of us kicks the bucket.”

“Which could be soon, from the sounds of it,” Elliot said, his glare still firmly locked on Rowan.

Davey’s patience snapped. “Enough!” His voice rang out with the authority that had once commanded troops in battle. “Dad and our uncles trusted me with this company, and I don’t intend to let them down. But I can’t do that if we’re too busy tearing each other apart to focus on the real threat. Someone inside Wilde Security wants me dead, and that’s where our attention needs to be. Not on bickering like damn children.”

The room fell silent.

Elliot’s anger seemed to deflate, and in its place came the worry. “You think it’s someone inside the company?”

“Yes,” Rowan said without a shred of doubt in her voice. “One of the stipulations on the contract was it had to be completed before Davey took control.”

“I mean…” After a moment’s thought, Dom nodded. “Makes sense. Cade has a damn good reason to want him dead.”

“Cade wouldn’t…” Elliot trailed off and didn’t finish the thought. Because the truth was, they all knew Cade was capable of it.

A chill scraped down Davey’s spine at the mention of their cousin. Cade had always been volatile, but murder? He couldn’t quite wrap his head around it. But neither could he discount it.

“We can’t rule anyone out at this point. Not even family.”

More silence filled the space between them until it was like a living, breathing thing sucking up all the oxygen in the room.

“Look,” Davey said finally. “You have to trust me. Rowan’s not the enemy here.”

Dom snorted. “Right. Because assassins make such great allies.”

“Ex-assassin,” Rowan corrected quietly. “And I understand your skepticism. But I’m here to help, whether you believe it or not. Someone wants Davey dead, and I intend to find out who and why.”

Elliot squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose. “All right, let’s say we believe you. What’s the plan?”

Davey exchanged a glance with Rowan before answering. “We need to investigate quietly. If it is someone inside Wilde Security, we can’t risk tipping them off.”

“I’ve always wanted a reason to build a super-secret spy team,” Dominic said.

He was probably only half-joking, given his James Bond obsession as a kid.

“We need people we can trust implicitly,” Elliot said, the gears already turning in that sharp mind of his. “A small team. The fewer people who know, the better.”

“Sabin,” Davey said. If there was one person in WSW he trusted more than his brothers, it was Jean-Sabin Cavalier. “We might need someone who can get in and out of places undetected and access secure systems.”

“Oh, sure.” Dom rolled his eyes. “We already have a former assassin on the team, so why not invite the former thief?”

“Sabin’s a pain in the ass, but he’s a solid choice. He’d never betray Davey,” Elliot said. “And what about Sullivan O’Connell? He’s got contacts all over the place, and he’s loyal to a fault. He’d never betray us. I’ve saved his brother’s ass too many times.”

“Good call. He can be scary as fuck,” Dom said. “What about Weston?”

Davey shook his head. “No. West’s loyalties will always be with his brother first, and if Cade’s involved…” He didn’t finish the thought.

“Right,” Dom said on an exhale. “Well, should probably at least add Daphne to the list. She’s a tech whiz, and we know we can trust her.”

Davey considered it for a moment, then shook his head. “Not unless we need her. We keep this tight. No one else.”

“Liam,” Rowan said quietly. All eyes turned to her, and she shrugged. “He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty if needed.”

Elliot raised an eyebrow. “You seem awfully comfortable making assumptions about our family.”

“I’m not making assumptions. I’m stating facts based on intel I’ve gathered over the years. Liam Wilde is better with a weapon than anyone in this room, and he’s fiercely loyal to your company. Those aren’t assumptions. They’re tactical advantages we’d be foolish to ignore.”

Sharp. Confident. Unapologetic. She met Elliot’s glare head-on, her shoulders squared like she was daring him to challenge her again.

That’s my girl.

Davey smothered a smile. “She’s right about Liam. He’s in. Let’s get him on board.”

Dom let out a low whistle. “Well, shit. I guess we’re really doing this, huh? Assembling our own little Avengers team to take down whoever’s gunning for you.”

“This isn’t a game, Dom,” Elliot said, heavy on the exasperation.

“You think I don’t know that?” Dominic shot back, the usual spark of mischief in his eyes hardening into something steely. “Someone’s trying to kill our brother. Trust me, I’m taking this plenty seriously.”

Davey studied him for a beat. Gone was the easy grin, the lazy slouch. Dom stood rigid, his jaw clenched, fingers curling and uncurling at his sides like he was holding back the urge to hit something—or someone. His usual sharp retort didn’t follow. No deflection, no joke to lighten the mood. Just pure, unshakable resolve.

Davey felt something tighten in his chest. Dom might be the wildcard, the one who laughed in the face of danger—but when it mattered, he stood firm.

He reached out, clasping the back of Dom’s neck in a firm squeeze before letting go.

“I know you are, and I appreciate it,” he said quietly, then slipped into command mode. “Elliot, reach out to Sullivan. Dom, you contact Sabin. I’ll call Liam. We’ll meet tonight…” He glanced over at Rowan, who shook her head.

“Not here. We have to assume they know where you live. Do you have a safe house?”

“The apartment on West 82nd,” Elliot supplied.

“Wasn’t Brody O’Connell running security for a witness there?” Davey asked.

Elliot shook his head. “The witness testified today, and WITSEC swept them up right after they left the courthouse. The apartment’s open.” He frowned in thought. “If we’re bringing Sullivan into this, we should probably bring Brody in, too. You know how they are.”

Actually, Davey didn’t. He hadn’t spent enough time around the O’Connell twins—or any of his employees, for that matter—to know them all that well. It was something he needed to remedy.

“Okay,” Davey agreed. “Get Sullivan and Brody looped in. We’re meeting at the West 82nd apartment, twenty hundred. Keep it under the radar.”

Elliot nodded, pulling out his phone to start making calls. Dominic was already tapping away on his, presumably texting Sabin.

Davey turned to Rowan. “You good with this plan?”

She inhaled sharply, let the breath go in a rush, then nodded. “It’s a start. But we need to move fast. Whoever’s behind this won’t wait forever to make another attempt.”

A comforting thought.

His gaze traced down her body. As much as he appreciated the way the tight top clung to her breasts, he was worried. He let his hand brush the strip of bare skin at her back and leaned in, lowering his voice. “Are you okay? Did we pop any stitches?”

Rowan shook her head, a small smile playing at her lips. “I’m fine. Bled a little, but your stitching held up well.”

“It wasn’t my handiwork. It was my cousin’s.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Which cousin? You have, like, a gazillion.”

“I only have nine.”

Used to be ten, until Brennan…

He shut down that line of thought before it put the familiar lump of grief in his throat and added, “It was Tessa.”

“Only nine,” she scoffed. “Know how many I have? Three.”

“Sounds peaceful.”

“Oh, it is.” She wrinkled her nose. “Unless you start counting the kids of all my honorary uncles. Then… not so much.”

Davey chuckled softly, his thumb tracing small circles on her lower back. The tension in her muscles eased under his touch. He wanted to pull her close, to shield her from whatever was coming, but he knew she’d bristle at the overprotectiveness.

“All right, lovebirds,” Dominic called out, breaking the moment. “Sabin’s in. If we’re done here, I’m gonna head home and sleep before tonight’s super-secret spy meeting.”

“You’re the only man I know who can down a double shot of espresso and then go to sleep,” Elliot said, not looking up from his phone.

“What can I say? It’s a gift.” Dom shrugged and headed toward the door. He paused at the threshold and glanced back. For a moment, it seemed he was going to say something more, but he just shook his head slightly and left without uttering a sound.

Elliot pocketed his phone. “Brody and Sullivan are in. They’ll meet us there.” His gaze lingered on Rowan, still wary, but he didn’t voice his concern. “I have to go into the office for a few hours. I assume you’re working from home today?”

Davey nodded, grateful for Elliot’s restraint. He was too tired to go another round with him right now. “Yeah. We’ll see you tonight.”

As Elliot turned to go, Davey hesitated, then called after him. “Wait. Can you drop Luka off at Mom and Dad’s on your way to the office? They’re not going back to Virginia until the end of the month, right? I don’t know how long this is gonna take, and I don’t want him here if this place isn’t safe.”

Elliot sighed, adjusting his glasses before glancing at the dog curled up on the couch. Luka’s ears twitched, but he didn’t lift his head.

“Yeah, I’ll take him. C’mon, Luka. Let’s go for a ride.” He whistled softly, and the dog hopped off the couch, stretching indulgently before padding over to bump his head against Davey’s leg.

“Sorry, I can’t go, buddy.” Davey crouched, rubbing behind his ears for a moment before kissing the black spot on his forehead. “Be good. I’ll come get you as soon as I can.”

Luka gave a short wag of his tail.

Elliot picked up the leash hanging by the door, then shot Davey a look. “You owe me for this. Mom’s already mad enough you don’t visit. If I show up with your dog but not you, I’m dealing with that fallout.”

“Add it to my tab.”

Elliot just shook his head and, with Luka at his side, headed for the door. As he left, closing it behind him, Davey felt some of the tension drain from his shoulders.

At least Luka would be safe.

He turned to Rowan, who was watching him with those sharp hazel eyes.

“Well, that went about as well as could be expected,” she said dryly.

He snorted. “Yeah, considering I thought Elliot might actually try to strangle you for a minute there.”

“Please. I’d like to see him try.”

His lips twitched. “I wouldn’t. I’m not in the mood to patch up either of you.” He stepped closer, his hand finding its way back to that strip of bare skin at her waist. “So, we’ve got all day until the meeting...”

“You don’t have to work?”

“I’m the boss. I say when I work.”

She arched an eyebrow, a smirk playing at her lips. “Abusing your power already? I’m impressed.”

“I prefer to think of it as prioritizing.” His fingers trailed along her spine, liking the way it made her shiver. “And right now, keeping you safe is my top priority.”

“Is that what we’re calling it?” Her hands came up to rest on his chest, but she didn’t push him away. Instead, her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, pulling him closer.

“We shouldn’t,” she murmured, even as she tilted her head, exposing the curve of her neck to him.

“Probably not,” he agreed, brushing his lips against her soft skin. He loved the breathy little noise she made when he opened his mouth on her neck and sucked.

Her fingers tightened in his shirt as his mouth worked its way up her neck. Her breath hitched when he nipped at her earlobe.

“We have a lot of work to do,” she breathed, even as she arched into him.

He dragged in a slow, uneven breath, trying—really trying—to remember why this was a bad idea.

“You’re right,” he murmured, his hands sliding down her waist instead of away like they should. “We need to focus. Go over everything that’s happened in the past year… piece together connections… find leads…” His mouth brushed along her jaw between each word, derailing his own train of thought.

Rowan hummed in agreement, though she clearly wasn’t paying attention to the words coming out of his mouth—just the way his lips moved against her skin.

“We should stop,” he muttered, though he was already tilting her head back for better access.

“Mm, yes.” She threaded her fingers into his hair and deliberately scraped her nails against his scalp, knowing damn well what it did to him. “But if we’re going over everything, I can think of one very memorable event we should... examine closely.”

A needy sound rumbled from his throat before he could stop it. Fuck. “Christmas?”

“Mm,” she hummed in agreement and tugged on his lower lip with her teeth. “I think we need to recreate that night. For investigative purposes, of course. We need to examine every...single...detail.”

“You’re not tying me up again, Rowan.”

“We’ll see about that.”

Heat blazed through him as her tongue swept past his lips, teasing and exploring, and his restraint snapped like a frayed wire. He gripped her hips, pulling her flush against him as he deepened the kiss and backed her against the nearest wall.

When they finally broke apart, both breathing heavily, Rowan’s eyes glittered with mischief and desire. “Now, about those Christmas lights...”

He groaned, his resolve crumbling. “Fuck, Ro...”

Her lips curved in a wicked smile. “That’s the idea.”