“Then I’d say you should meet with your mother,” I say. “We’ll keep you safe. And her, sweetheart.”
“I know that,” she says. “I’m very lucky to be surrounded by all of you. She is, too, even if she doesn’t know it.” She clears her throat and straightens slightly, indicating the change of subject that comes with her announcement of, “I also need to meet Logan.”
And so, the war begins. “No,” I say. “Not Logan.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
ADRIAN
My rejection of Pri's meeting with Logan hangs heavily in the air, but Pri remains unfazed. “Why don’t you ask me why I want to meet him?” she challenges.
“Well, I do want an excuse to kill him.”
Something flickers, perhaps even softens in her eyes at my protectiveness but again, she doesn’t back down. “That could be killing the hand that feeds us,” she says. “I believe that in the right one-on-one setting, I can get him to make admissions I could record. Maybe big ones.”
“No,” I say, firmer this time. “You and him, one-on-one, in private, no. End of discussion. Not him. Give and take, sweetheart. You go to the office, you see your mother, you don’t see Logan. Everything in my gut is screaming no on that one and it’s not all personal.”
“Pitt is dead. Witnesses are dead,” she argues. “We almost died. We have to stop the bleeding.”
“It never stops while Waters is alive.”
“Then what is the point in all of this?” she counters.
“Hell if I know,” I say. “That’s a question we all should have asked when we went after him years ago and started this. What is the point? What is the endgame? What it isn’t is you dead, Pri. Start with your mother. Decline Logan.”
“Adrian—”
“See what your mother says,” I continue, “and then decide what comes next. Isn’t that fair?”
“Are you going to stay open-minded about Logan?”
“I won’t want to, but yes,” I agree. “I will.”
The voicemail on her phone buzzes and she glances down at the log. “It’s from my father. It’s the first call. It’s often delayed.” She inhales and puts the reply on speaker. Her father’s voice fills the line. “We need to talk, Pri. Immediately.” That’s it. There’s nothing more.
“Well, that told us nothing.” Pri comments, before she says, “What’s our plan?”
“Lucifer will go with you to the office,” Blake says. “I want you to leave him with your team and tell them he’s a contractor hired to aid the investigation. He’ll look for trouble and safety concerns.”
“And when I leave for dinner?” Pri asks.
“Adam and I will be with you,” I answer.
“You have a warrant out for your arrest, Adrian,” she argues. “Don’t you think certain forces might be luring you into the open where you get picked up and arrested? And don’t you think now that they know we’re seeing each other, they know that you’ll be near me?”
Savage rounds the corner and jumps into the conversation as if he’s been there the whole time. “Adam’s a master of disguise. He’s going to dress Adrian up as a chick. He’ll be real pretty.”
I ignore Savage. “No one but our team will know I’m present.”
“If you’re wrong,” she says, “and you’re arrested, no matter what skirt Adam puts you in, you’re dead.”
My lips quirk. “Rest assured, sweetheart, I’m not dying in a skirt.”
“It’s not funny.”
“I’m not laughing.”
“I am,” Savage assures us.
Pri inhales and lets out a breath. “I’ll get my things.” She heads for the stairwell and I let her go.
I inhale and walk out of the kitchen, exiting to the patio, leaning on the balcony. I’m a bastard for getting close to her. She will never be free of Waters now, even if I walk away from her. The door behind me opens and shuts as Savage joins me, leaning on the railing beside me. “Jack and Jill went up the hill—”
“And I broke my foot up your ass.”
“That doesn’t rhyme.”
“You sure about that?”
He scrubs his jaw and glances out over the horizon, his tone turning serious for once. “I fell in love with my wife when I was in med school and a new soldier, a young, good guy. Ironically, it was her father who dragged me into the assassin’s life, which is a long story. Bottom line, I left her to protect her.”
I glance over at him. “And?”
“And it still came full circle. I came back to save her and thank fuck she saved me in the process.”
“What are you saying?”
“You might not be ready to admit it, but you love her. And you know it’s too late to walk away. Adam will give you Captain America good boy advice which is fine and dandy. I use his moral half the time, anyway. Meanwhile, Blake won’t say much because he knows he’d do exactly what I’m telling you to do.”
“Which is what, Savage?”
“Stay. Destroy Waters. Better yet, kill him.”
“You do know he’s in jail, right?”
“Yeah well, sounds like a personal problem to me. Figure it out.” He turns and walks away.
I stand there, staring out at the hill country that had once been my home, and a plan comes to me. One I think only Savage would approve of.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
ADRIAN
I don’t linger on my plan to end this war, be it a right or wrong move. I know what has to be done. And I know I’m the only one who can make it happen. I’m the only one who can know.
For now, I head inside the house again, the entire Walker team present huddled together around the island to discuss the plan to protect Pri. Blake reviews logistics, in which we all argue, a normal part of our process until we settle on an agreed-upon plan.
That done, Blake moves on. “It’s time to make a statement,” he says. “Let’s let Waters and his followers know Walker’s here and we’re ready for war.”
“You sure you want to do that?” I ask.
“Loud and proud,” he says. “As long as they believe they can intimidate anyone and everyone, the harder they’ll stay on that task. Let’s let them know we’re here and invite them to come at us.”
“They will come at you, Blake.”
“Let’s hope they do,” he says. “Because we’re ready. I already talked to Royce and Luke. We all say bring it.” He motions to Lucifer. “I want you to make the staff working for Pri feel good. Claim your role as a member of Walker Security, not some random consultant she brought in.”
“What about me going in with her as her bodyguard?” Adam asks.
“As much as I want to say yes to that,” I reply, “Pri won’t go for it. She’ll fear it will freak out her staff. And frankly, I like you in the shadows. Waters’ people will know she’s got protection, but you, my man, are never easy to spot. You need to stay a surprise.”
At that moment, Pri appears by my side. “Are we ready?” she asks, glancing up at me and I swear when those pretty blue eyes meet mine, I feel it in my chest. And right then, I have no idea why it’s at that moment that I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that my willingness to do whatever it takes to protect her is not in question.
“Sidekick ready,” Lucifer confirms, drawing her attention and offering her a mock salute. “I need to run and grab the car.” He heads out.
Blake motions to Adam and Savage and they do the same.
Blake sets a small silver bracelet on the counter. “This is a recording and tracking device. We can hear everyone within several feet. We can find you if someone grabs you.”
“Wonderful,” she says, sliding the bracelet onto her wrist. “Nice to know you can find my body.”
I give Blake a look and he quickly gets the message. “I’ll give you two a minute. We’ll be out front.”
I step into Pri, my hand settling on her waist. “No one is going to grab you. We’ll
be with you and if I didn’t believe you were safe, I’d be fighting you every step of the way. I know you know that. I am not going to let anything happen to you.”
“I know,” she says. “And that’s a nice thing to know right now.”
“Because of your father?” I ask.
“Because of a lot of things.”
“Have you heard from him?”
“No, he hasn’t called me back, but he may just need a private place to tell me how wrong I am to be with the likes of you.”
My lips quirk. “Tell him you can’t stay away. I feel too good.”
Her cheeks flush a pretty, shy pink, but her words are bold. “You do feel good,” she dares. “And why wouldn’t I tell you or him that? For all I know, I won’t be alive tomorrow. I’m not going to die with regrets, which is exactly why I’m not giving up this fight. Not for you or me.”
My heart pounds for this woman and my hand cups her face. “And I am not giving up on this fight or you, Pri.”
“My father—”
“I told you. He’s not you.”
Her cellphone rings and she reaches for it, removing it from her jacket pocket. I expect her father, but she gives me a shake of her head. “Logan,” she says. “Should I—”
I take her phone, about to answer the call myself and say a word or two to Mr. Fucktard, as Savage would call him, but stop myself. He’ll accuse Pri of harboring a fugitive. I decline the call and the front door opens and Savage calls out, “Get your asses moving, people!”
I slide Pri’s phone into her pocket. She catches my hand and holy hell, it’s such a small act that would mean nothing but trouble with someone else. With her, it’s everything. “You don’t think I need to see what he has to say?” she asks.
I force myself to consider that question objectively. “You really think you can get him to talk?”
“If I get him in the right place, at the right time, and say the right things, yes,” she says. “I do.”
“Which translates to what?”
“I’ll tell him that I’m not dropping the case, nor coming back to work with him, and in fact, have a personal relationship with you. By phone,” she adds. “I’ll abruptly end the call. He’ll seethe, seek me out, demand a meeting, and when he can’t find me, he’ll call again. I’ll have to meet him, maybe at his house. He’ll lose his shit. I may need rescuing, which I won’t think too hard about right now because it’s worth doing.”
My brows dip. “Rescuing? Is he dangerous?”
Her gaze cuts away. “I think they’re all dangerous,” she murmurs, and when I catch her chin and direct her gaze to mine, she adds, “But you’d be close.”
“Pri,” I say softly.
“We need this to end. And no, he may not say anything that helps, but maybe he will.”
“Like what?”
“Maybe he’ll say enough for me to get my father out of the picture. I hate him right now, but unfortunately, I still love him, too. I need to get him out of the line of fire.”
I hesitate, but how do I say no to such a plea? Why would I even try? “Then do it,” I say. “Wind him up and then record him. I’ll keep you safe.”
She arches a brow. “You’re going to let me meet him in person?”
“With me within reach,” I say, “Maybe.”
His lips curve. “Maybe?”
“Maybe,” I concede. “Call him back.”
“We want to wind him up. He needs to call me again. Then I’ll do it.”
My hand slides to her purse. “Is your gun inside?”
“Always,” she says.
“Good,” I approve. “We both need to know that you can blow a hole in someone’s shoe, someone who might or might not be named Logan, and back him the fuck off if you need to.”
Her lips curve, a smile in her eyes. “In his shoe?”
“Losing a toe freaks a person out. Never forget that.”
“I’d laugh,” she says, “but I don’t think you’re joking.”
“I’m not,” I say, motioning her toward the door and grabbing her briefcase as we pass the stairs.
The front door is open as we approach, and side by side, we step outside onto the porch. Lucifer is standing in front of a black convertible Mercedes, his ankles and tattooed-up arms crossed, his blond hair longer than usual.
He’s a ladies’ man, a player who showed those true colors the minute he was on scene but that’s the way of a wounded warrior, with emotional baggage. That isn’t what bothers me about Lucifer.
The truth is that I don’t know why I resist Lucifer as a part of the Walker team when Walker accepted me freely. On paper, Lucifer’s a better man than me, a pilot, ex-military, an agent of good, not evil. He’s also the man who’ll stand by my woman’s side today.
My woman.
She is my woman, mine to protect.
Today that means it’s time to trust Lucifer or reject him outright. And for once, where he’s concerned, rejection feels wrong.
Blake trusts him and I trust Blake.
That means I need to trust Lucifer to keep her safe.
Good thing I plan to do just what Pri assumed I would: stay close to her, no matter what the risk.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
PRI
Lucifer is wearing jeans and a T-shirt, and somehow his attire, and that fancy Mercedes behind him, is meant to be a statement. I’m just not sure what. Adrian and I head down the front steps of the house toward Lucifer. “What’s with the fancy car?” I ask, glancing over at Adrian, who has an edge about him that I’d call unusual, but perhaps it’s not. How can he not have an edge? He just found out he has a warrant out for his arrest and that my father was involved.
I probably have an edge as well.
“I assume Blake wanted to make a statement,” Adrian replies, confirming my suspicions. Lucifer and the car serve a bigger purpose than looking pretty. “One that says you’re not alone,” Adrian continues. “You have muscle and money behind you.”
My brow furrows. “Does that matter to people like Deleon and Waters?”
“Until now, Waters believed you and I were just two lone warriors, surrounded by traitors, all of whom were loyal to him. Now he’ll know we're surrounded by loyal, skilled, fearless soldiers.”
Lucifer and Adrian exchange a look and Lucifer seems to take a cue and rounds the car, heading to the driver’s side.
Adrian opens the passenger door and sets my bag on the backseat. I move toward the vehicle, even stepping behind the door, but I pause and face Adrian. “I’m thinking of our exchange a few minutes ago, about us not even knowing where this all ends or even how.”
“Right now,” he says, his hand settling warmly on my hip, “you focus on getting your family out of the way. Then I’ll handle Waters.”
Unease bristles inside me, and I narrow my eyes on him. “What does that even mean? You’ll handle him?”
“It means I’ll handle him.” His hand falls away and I’m suddenly cold with his withdrawal, despite the hot day.
“What’s going on with you, Adrian? What’s in your head right now?”
“Funny thing is, Pri, for once, it’s more about what’s in my heart.”
He means me. I see that in the warm chocolate of his eyes, but there is something more there, and that something more feels like a problem.
A white sedan pulls up behind us and he motions with his head. “That’s my ride. Don’t worry,” he says. “I’m staying off the radar.” When I think he’ll turn and walk away, he steps into me, and then he cups my neck and kisses me. It’s a wild kiss, a hungry kiss, a tormented kiss filled with secrets.
The secrets confuse me when they perhaps should not. I’m still waiting on that immunity agreement, but somehow it feels like more than that. It’s too late for me to try to understand. Adrian’s already walking away, his big, perfect body moving with lethal grace, a man with confidence and skill. A man who can kill but is so dam
n tender and sweet. I stare after him, confused, worried, twisted in knots.
I love this man. I know I do, but can I really confess that this soon? But how do I not? What if one of us ends up dead and I never told him? I touch my lips and it’s almost as if his goodbye lingers in the aftermath of our kiss.
I launch myself toward him and yell, “Adrian!”
He halts and turns back to me. I’m in front of him in a heartbeat, throwing my arms around him. “I need to say something to you. Adrian—”
His hand comes down on the back of my head. “First this. I love you. I know it’s crazy. I know it’s fast, but I need to say it to you. And I need you to know I’ve never said it to any other woman.” His mouth closes down on mine in a fast, hot kiss before he says again, “I love you.”
My eyes burn for no good reason. “You kind of stole my moment. I ran over here to tell you I love you.”
His lips curve. “Is that right?”
“Yes. I love you and I did say it to Logan, but I need you to know what I felt for him was nothing like this. It wasn’t love. You are—”
A whistle squeals through the air, and Savage calls out, “Let’s move!”
“Tell me later when we’re alone,” he says, his thumb stroking my cheek. “Be careful,” he orders softly. “Because Lord help anyone who hurts you.” With that, he releases me and jogs toward the white car.
Chapter Thirty
PRI
I climb into the Mercedes with Lucifer and shut the door. He lifts the roof and revs the engine, setting us in motion. “It’s not flying a plane,” he says, “but it will do.”
“You’re a pilot?” I ask.
“I am,” he confirms. “If it lifts off, I can fly it.”
“Then why choose Walker for a career?” I ask. “It sounds like you love flying.”
“Walker has a fleet,” he says. “And I run a lot of overseas missions.”
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