Remington

by Silvia Violet

  “Of course.”

  “And just how young is he?”

  My stepmother had been seventeen the first time they’d gotten together, so I wasn’t sure he had any business asking me that. “He’s twenty-three. I have thoroughly examined his background, and he has proven his loyalty. We’ve spent a lot of time together. He’s overheard things and has shown he can keep his mouth shut.”

  “That’s good to hear. Tell me more about him.”

  “Like I said, I met him when I was out doing some reconnaissance. I took him home, and we enjoyed each other’s company. I’m not sure why you’re so interested. It’s a fling, a fun one, but—”

  My father glared at me. “Are you really that blind?”

  “I swear to you he’s not spying on us.”

  My father waved his hand. “That’s not what I mean, son. That boy’s in love with you, and based on the looks you were giving him, I think you’re smitten as well.”

  “We enjoy each other, Pop, but that’s… that’s all it is.”

  “Don’t throw away a chance for something more. Don’t be a fool like I was.”

  “How did you balance it all? How did you give yourself over to loving Marjorie while also running the business?”

  Pop was about to answer when Lance knocked loudly on the door, then opened it before being summoned.

  “I think you’ve forgotten your manners, Lancelot.” My father’s voice held an edge of ice. He could still make us feel like we were six years old and had just snuck a cookie when we’d been told to wait until after dinner.

  Tony sat on Lance’s shoulder and he looked back and forth between the two of them as if he knew Lancelot had fucked up.

  “I’m sorry, Pop. I was just excited.”

  “Try again,” my father ordered.

  “Yes, sir.” Lancelot stepped back and closed the door. A second later we heard a soft knock.

  “Come in,” my father called. Lance opened the door and stepped inside. “Good evening, Pop. Remington.”

  I nodded at him, biting my lip to keep from grinning at his overdone politeness.

  “I have some important news,” Lancelot said.

  “News about the Landrys?” Pop asked.

  “Yes. I just had a very interesting meeting with a former employee of theirs.”

  My father sneered. “The Landrys let former employees walk away without securing their loyalty?”

  “Apparently they do.”

  Pop shook his head. “Idiots. What did you learn?”

  “He verified everything Clark told Niall. It looks like he’s truly turned on his family.” Relief ran through me. Confirmation that Clark wasn’t playing us was the one thing we’d wanted before the takedown.

  Pop’s face screwed up in disgust. “Sniveling weakling. The world will be better without him, but was it necessary to interrupt my conversation with your brother?”

  “Yes, sir. Niall also called. The gunrunners have moved up the timetable. This is all going down tonight, so we need to organize quickly.”

  It was just like Lance to make such an important announcement so casually. “You couldn’t have said that first?”

  Lance just shrugged.

  “Gather the others,” Pop said, glancing from one of us to the other. “I’ll make our excuses to Constance and arrange for a car to take Henri home.”

  “You brought him?” Lancelot asked, raising his brows and looking me up and down. You never bring dates to these things.

  “I did tonight.”

  He grinned. “You like him.”

  “Obviously, or I wouldn’t be spending time with him.”

  “No. You really like him.”

  “See?” my father said. “Even Lance noticed.”

  “I’ll go talk to Henri,” I said, needing to get away from them both.

  My father shook his head. “There’s no need. I’ll handle everything.”

  I didn’t like that at all, but if I made a big deal out of it, they’d know for sure there was a hell of a lot more between me and Henri than I was ready to admit.

  32

  Henri

  “That’s settled then,” Remington’s stepmother said. “Would you like something to drink? Maybe some canapés?”

  “Yes, please. Thank you.” We’d almost reached the house when Remington’s father stepped outside.

  Marjorie rushed toward him. “What’s wrong?”

  The fact that she knew something was wrong when his face showed a neutral expression and he appeared relaxed showed how deep their connection was.

  “Things are moving faster than we anticipated.”

  Things? What things?

  “With the—” She glanced my way.

  “Remington has been open with him.” How the hell did he know that? What had he and Remington talked about?

  Marjorie smiled. “Good. I thought he would be.”

  “He told me he wasn’t open with anyone.” The words were out before I could stop them. Here they were having some kind of crisis I didn’t fully understand, and I was being ridiculous.

  Rather than being annoyed, his father smiled. “He isn’t.”

  He didn’t say anymore, and I didn’t have the nerve to ask why he would tell me or how Marjorie had known he would.

  “The Landrys?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  The Landrys were the family Remington had been maneuvering to bring down, the ones he’d talked to Mr. Carrington about.

  “Yes. It appears we need to make a move tonight, so we’ll have to excuse ourselves. I’m so sorry to leave you alone to host.”

  The way his eyes filled with love made my chest tighten. That kind of love was what I longed for. Would a man ever look at me like that?

  Marjorie touched his face briefly. “It’s all right. Like I told you years ago, I know what I’ve gotten into. Just be careful. Let Remington handle the mission.”

  “I’m only meeting with them for advice. I told you I was out of the rougher stuff, and I meant it.”

  Their goodbye kiss was achingly sweet, and they were completely unselfconscious about being tender with each other in front of me. I thought of how Remington had held my hand as we’d walked through New Orleans, how he didn’t care who saw us together. Did he want what his parents had? I sure as hell did.

  “I told Remington we would see that Henri was taken home and well guarded.”

  What? Did that mean I wouldn’t see Remington again. What if he… No, I couldn’t think that way. It didn’t matter if I didn’t tell him goodbye. He’d be coming back. Whatever plan he’d devised would succeed, and he would come home to me.

  33

  Remington

  I hated the sudden change of plans. I’d intended to go over everything again tomorrow and drill everyone on their roles. The timing was too important for anyone to fuck it up.

  Now we’d have to rush. Niall had made an agreement with Clark that someone would arrive and pretend to be a buyer. Clark believed we were doing this to distract the rest of his men and when the “feds” swept in, he would be taken into witness protection. In reality, he wasn’t going to survive the night.

  I still wasn’t sure I’d done the right thing putting Lance in the role of the bumbling buyer. He was great with disguises, so I was confident he could keep from being recognized in a dark warehouse, and he could certainly act kooky and scatterbrained, but he was so observant, so well trained, I was afraid they might think he was law enforcement. I didn’t know if he could relax enough in the face of danger. Corbin would actually be more suited to the role, but I couldn’t chance his impulsiveness, not yet, not until I’d given him more opportunities with roles that were less critical.

  Even if I had wanted to bring him with us, my father had ordered me not to. That was the only way he’d exerted control over the operation. I was sure he’d done it for Marjorie. Eventually, I had to give Corbin a trial by fire, no matter how much she wanted to protect him. If not, he was going to find a way to
put himself in danger without us having his back.

  Corbin had ridden with Pop instead of with me and Lance, but I’d have to face him soon. He was undoubtedly hoping to fully take part in this operation and likely thought he would be since he was being included in the staging meeting. I was going to have to disappoint him. I considered asking my father to deal the blow, but if I was going to be the leader, I had to be willing to dish out the good and the bad, no matter if it was my brother or my cousin or the man I was in love with.

  I stopped halfway to the door of the mattress store that served as a front for us. We used the rooms in the back to conduct business.

  Was I truly in love with Henri? I hated that I hadn’t seen him before leaving. I’d sent him a quick text as I left the party, and he’d sent back Stay safe and a heart emoji.

  A heart. I couldn’t let myself read too much into that. I was a job for him.

  Do you really believe that?

  Did I dare not believe it?

  “Remy. Jesus, where is your brain?” Lance shook my shoulder.

  Fuck. How long had I been standing there? “I’m running through our plans.”

  “No, you’re not. You’re thinking about Henri.”

  I growled. “Don’t mention him again.”

  “You’re falling for him, aren’t you?”

  “What did I just say?” Lance never could leave things alone when he should.

  “Remington?”

  “Lance, we have a war to win tonight. That’s what I’m going to focus on.”

  “That’s what you’re going to focus on from now on, you mean?”

  I let out a long breath. I was tired of arguing. “Yes, from now on.”

  “And afterwards, we’ll go for a drink and—”

  “Afterwards I’m going home.”

  He laughed. “So you can fuck Henri?”

  I grabbed him by the front of his shirt and yanked him toward me. “Disrespect Henri again, and I will make you pay for it.”

  Lance whistled. “I knew you were falling for him.”

  I didn’t say anything else. My anger had already proven me a liar. The more I protested, the more Lance would poke. I needed him tonight, and if I beat the shit out of him, he wouldn’t be able to play the role I’d chosen for him.

  My phone buzzed as we arrived. I pulled it out and saw another text from Henri. The man I saw before came back. Your security chased him off, but I wanted you to know.

  Fuck. Who was it? I’d confirmed Charles was dead. Clark was still clean-shaven and currently at the warehouse waiting to enact our plan with the gunrunners. Did they have a cousin who looked like them? Was it just a coincidence? At least now I knew how to keep Corbin involved.

  I sent a quick message back. Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.

  Corbin and Pop were already at the shop, along with Niall, Giorgio, and several of my cousins. The first thing I did after entering the room we used for mission briefs was signal to Corbin that I wanted to talk to him on his own. We walked out onto the showroom floor. I hoped Lancelot was briefing everyone like I’d asked him to.

  “What’s up?” Corbin asked.

  “I need you to head to my house and guard Henri. There’s some man that’s been hanging around who looks disturbingly like Charles Landry.”

  Corbin looked ready to punch me. “You can’t be serious. You want me to babysit? I thought you were actually going to include me this time.”

  “I told you I was going to increase your role in the family business. I didn’t promise you’d be involved in this mission.”

  “But this is the most important thing we’ve done in months, and I don’t get to be a part of it. You already have guards on your house. What do I have to do to prove myself to you?”

  “What I just asked you to do. I trust you more than those guards, and keeping Henri safe is as important to me as taking part in the takedown of the gunrunners.”

  He glared at me, looking like he might explode, then slowly, his features softened. “Wait a minute. Are you saying—”

  “I’m not—”

  “You like this guy. I mean, I get it. He’s cute, but since when are you ready to settle down?”

  “There’s no settling down. Henri and I are enjoying each other, and I have promised him my protection.”

  “So you’re blowing smoke up my ass about this being important?”

  “No. Shit. Corbin, do this for me, and take it seriously, and next time, I promise I’ll give you a bigger role. Oh, and if I can wrest him away from Lance, I’m also going to send Tony with you.”

  “Jesus, when is he going to learn he can’t bring that damn monkey to a fight?”

  “Apparently any progress we made on that was ruined on X’s island. Tony was exactly the diversion they needed to take down the last of the attackers.”

  “Fine,” Corbin said. “I’ll watch over one adorable twink and one ill-behaved monkey, and if I’m a good little boy, next time I get to play with the big boys.”

  Why had my parents spoiled him so badly? I believed he was sincere in wanting to be part of what we did, but I needed to believe he could take orders and keep himself in check. “I need to know you’re taking this seriously.”

  “The guy means a lot to you, but you aren’t ready to admit it. I get it, and I’ll make sure he’s safe. God knows that monkey is like Lance’s baby, so I wouldn’t dare let anything happen to him.”

  “There will be guards posted outside the house as usual. I want you inside.”

  “So I’m supposed to entertain him too? Should I dance and sing for him?”

  “Corbin.”

  “Sorry. I just…”

  He looked so defeated. I wanted to tell him my hands were tied because Pop had given the order, but I didn’t. I had to own my new role as the head of the family. “I know what you want. You just have to demonstrate that you’re ready.”

  “I’ll take good care of Henri. I’ll chat with him and tell him all the obnoxious shit you do. I’ll be sure to give him plenty of ammunition against you.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Come on. Let’s see if we can get Lance to part with Tony.”

  “Remington?”

  I turned back and looked at Corbin.

  “Be careful.”

  “Always.”

  After multiple attempts to get Lance to part with Tony, I gave up and focused on all the players we’d gathered. “Does everyone understand their role?”

  “I went over everything just like you told me to,” Lance said.

  “I need to hear it from each of them.” I was all right with delegating the briefing, but I needed confirmation from every person there that they understood their orders.

  “Yes, boss” and “Yes, sir” echoed around the room.

  I made eye contact with each man, letting him know I expected him to follow orders precisely. If any of them fucked up, there would be hell to pay. “All right. I want everyone to move into position.” This is the point where all I could do was pray.

  I grabbed Lance’s arm and held him back as everyone filed from the room. “You okay?”

  “Yeah. You?”

  I huffed. “I don’t have a choice.”

  “You don’t have a choice in what you show everyone, but what’s in here”—he tapped my chest—“is different. If you weren’t a little concerned, I’d be damn sure you were a fucking robot.”

  “Lance, I…”

  He clapped me on the shoulder. “It’s a solid plan. We’re good to go.”

  “Be safe. Don’t put yourself in more danger than you have to.”

  He rolled his eyes. “You’ve been telling me that for years.”

  “And you haven’t listened once.”

  34

  Henri

  I hadn’t been back at Remington’s house long when I heard the front door open. No way could Remington already be done with his business. Had he changed his mind and come to see me before things heated up?

  “Henri? It’s Corb
in.”

  I tensed. Remington had said Corbin could be irresponsible, but he hadn’t said anything to indicate he didn’t trust him, so I supposed I should trust him too. I stepped out from the kitchen where I’d been stress eating right from the carton of dark chocolate brownie ice cream.

  Corbin locked the door behind him and headed my way. When he saw the ice cream, his eyes lit up. “I don’t suppose you’re willing to share?”

  He looked at the ice cream and then at me. “Oh, yeah. Sure.”

  “Or I can look around to see what else Remington has.”

  “No, really. I shouldn’t eat all this.”

  He snorted. “You have to deal with my brother, so you probably need every bite.”

  “Did he send you here?” I asked.

  “Yes. He asked me to stay with you until he returns.”

  “So you’re not… involved in whatever’s going on tonight?”

  “Fuck no. Remington won’t let me in on it. He thinks I’m still a kid.” Corbin scoffed as he got himself a spoon and dug it into the ice cream.

  I knew we were basically the same age, but he seemed younger, probably because he hadn’t been forced to take on the responsibilities of life like I had, though in his case it sounded like no one was giving him the chance to prove himself. I wasn’t sure what I should say. I shouldn’t involve myself in Remington’s family issues. “I’m sure he’s trying to protect you.”

  “I know that’s part of it,” Corbin said before digging in for another big scoop of ice cream. After he licked the spoon clean, he tapped it against his lips. “But it’s more that he doesn’t trust me.”

  “Do you want to tell me why?”

  Corbin studied me for a moment, then grinned. “Yeah, I do. I see why Remington likes talking to you.”

  “Talking is not the reason we got together.”

  Corbin grimaced. “I don’t want to think about my brother that way, but just so you know, he would never stay with a man as long as he has with you if he didn’t enjoy the time you spent together out of bed.”