by Sheila Kell
As his stomach rumbled, he hastened his steps. With his rush to arrive at headquarters that morning, he’d skipped breakfast. Kate’s cooking sounded really good right about now. In the past, she’d made extra, just for the men, and he couldn’t be more appreciative since he wasn’t much of a cook.
Barely three steps inside the house, he was waylaid by a short, dark-haired girl.
“Uncle Trent!” Reagan, Jesse’s seven-year-old-daughter from his first wife, jetted into his arms.
He froze at how she’d addressed him but quickly recovered when he remembered she called all the men of HIS that. Wrapping his one free arm around her small body, he smiled, joy filling him at seeing the little imp. “Hey, Rea-Rea,” he said, using a nickname many of the men had begun to call the young girl. Damn if she didn’t get cuter every day. Jesse would have his hands full when she got older.
Pulling back, a huge smile plastered on her face, she bounced a little. “When I call you uncle now, it’s like when I call Uncle Dev uncle because Daddy says you’re my real uncle, not just an uncle like all my other uncles that work with Daddy.”
Head spinning at that many uncles spoken in one long sentence, he relaxed when Kate intervened.
“Leave your Uncle Trent alone, sweetie.” Kate wore a frilly pink apron over a red sweater and carried a platter. She approached him with a welcoming smile.
He didn’t have the heart to correct Kate because, honestly… she was right whether he acknowledged it or not.
“Okay, Mommy.” Hearing Reagan calling Kate, her stepmother, Mommy strengthened the joy behind his smile. He knew Kate’s secret of not being able to have children of her own.
For some reason, women liked to share things with him they didn’t with others. He figured he had some sign that only women could read that said, “Spill your guts to me, I won’t tell anyone.” He never did.
At Kate’s words, and without a glance his way, Reagan tried to dart off, but Kate snagged the back of the little girl’s blue long-sleeved T-shirt. “Take these”—she handed over the platter of breakfast biscuits in her hand—“and put them on the conference table. Then leave. Don’t bother anyone.”
Once Kate turned to him, he stepped forward to give her a hug and kiss on the cheek. “Hey, doll,” he drawled with his usual greeting. Working with her when they were both with the FBI had given him a great respect for Kate. How she fell in love with Jesse was something he couldn’t guess. Jesse was the biggest unrelenting alpha male he knew, and he hadn’t been so nice to her when the two of them had met. Then again, she could be independent and stubborn when she chose. They came together like oil and vinegar. With a mental shrug, he thought, To each his own.
Kate reached for his helmet and eased it from his grip. “Let me take that. We installed a shelf just for them since three of the team rides now, even in this miserable weather.” Nodding for him to follow her, she turned toward the back of the house and headquarters.
Following her across the large living room and down the hallway, he removed his jacket knowing the war room would be a comfortable temperature. Devon was a master at keeping it perfect for his precious computers.
When he entered the spacious room, a slight tremor entered his body. Squashing it, he reminded himself he had to do this. He’d promised Jamie he’d come back and tackle the ghosts before him. The ghosts interfering with him living a full life.
Kate settled his helmet on a shelf inside the door. “Here. It keeps them out of the chairs that Devon harps about our never sitting on.” She rolled her eyes.
“I heard that,” a deep voice rumbled from within the room.
Trent couldn’t stop his chuckle upon hearing Devon’s reply. Looking past Kate, he caught Reagan slip from Devon’s lap as the man came to his feet behind a series of computer screens. And, on the conference table, sure enough, there was a plate of biscuits, which appeared to be stuffed with eggs and meat. His stomach rumbled again. Bless Kate and her need to cook.
With an outstretched hand, Devon approached. “It’s good to have you back.”
Of course there was no surprise in his greeting. Since they’d sent Megan after him, Devon probably knew exactly when he’d arrived in town. Trent wouldn’t tell them he wouldn’t be back if it weren’t for Kelly needing him. No matter what she thought, he knew in his gut that she did in fact need him. No one would harm his Kelly.
That jolted him.
It was the second time he’d thought of her as his Kelly. He’d let the first time slide because it could’ve been a fluke in his just returning to her friendship. Yet “his Kelly?” As in something other than just his friend? Hell, she was pregnant with someone else’s child. That made her as far from his as possible. But it didn’t stop his sudden possessiveness of her.
Gripping Devon’s hand tightly, he only nodded his response before releasing his grip. Without shame, he walked to the table and picked up a biscuit.
“Some have bacon and some have sausage,” Kate informed him.
He didn’t give a fuck what they had inside. He needed food and something to prevent him from opening his mouth and saying something he might regret, like “I’m not ready to face my demons” before leaving with no help for Kelly. Shoving a biscuit in his mouth, he glanced around the room as the delicious flavor of egg and, thank the Lord, bacon exploded across his taste buds.
With his focus on the room, he squinted as he did another perusal. It appeared to be the same, but something was different. Unable to put his finger on it, he shrugged and took another bite.
Kate must’ve returned to the kitchen, leaving him alone with Devon who slid into a chair at the conference table, before he leaned back and watched Trent. Talk about suddenly feeling self-conscious as he ate.
Devon waited until he finished the biscuit and spoke before Trent could grab another. “Well? Is she in trouble?”
It took a moment to recall that the men knew Kelly. With Megan joining the family, Kelly had joined in on Kate’s dinner parties. And, like Megan, she’d had to agree not to pursue any stories on HIS from any of its team members. A huge requirement Jesse had for all of their reporter friends.
Had they waited until they brought him home to find out what was happening with Kelly? Christ, she could’ve been in serious trouble, and they’d sat back. The need to vent his frustration was strong, but he shoved it back until he had all of the facts. Hopefully, he was wrong, and they had been behind her all this time.
That niggling feeling hit him. All what time? There still wasn’t anything specific except thefts. Pulse pounding, he fisted his hands at this side, keeping a reign on his rising temper, and he answered Devon with a question of his own, “Did you think she was in trouble?”
Devon shook his head. “Not from what we could find out. She wouldn’t open up to anyone, which is why we sent for you. According to Megan, you’re her best friend.”
A lump formed in his throat, making it painful to breathe. Best friend? Some friend he’d been leaving her while she was pregnant and unmarried.
One thought stuck with him. They’d sent for him because they couldn’t get anywhere else. Which meant HIS was also worried.
Devon looked down at the table and began moving his fingers across it, like on a keyboard. His mind spun. What the fuck? Had Devon lost it? Then the table came to life, and he really noticed the table, and the difference he couldn’t place. Hell, it was a different shade of wood. His observation skills since he’d returned were atrocious and he’d best figure it out because that could get him killed in their line of work.
Devon had threatened to get something high-tech that they all figured only he could operate. “New toy?”
A smile lit up the man’s face like that of a kid in a candy store. He nodded to the center. “Take a look.”
He moved in so he could see a HIS file on Kelly Williams. A small sense of relief coursed through him. They hadn’t just left her out there. Yet they hadn’t been protecting her either, his mind countered. They sent for
you, whispered through his mind.
Startling Trent since he hadn’t seen him move, Devon stood beside him and leaned forward, his hand swiping at the picture of Kelly. Up popped background information. Before he could read through it all, Devon swiped his hand again, and a file of Kelly’s recent articles appeared.
Gratification swam inside him. This information could be helpful and the fact they’d collected it settled his gut. Of course Devon couldn’t help collecting data on everyone. It was a compulsion. In fact, he imagined there was one on him, and he didn’t give a shit at this point in time.
So engrossed in seeing what Kelly had been up to in his absence, he didn’t hear Jesse and a few others enter the war room of their headquarters. He did see them grab breakfast biscuits as they passed the table until the tray was nearly empty.
Glancing around, AJ entered with Matt, two more Hamiltons.
“Hey, man,” AJ said before shoving a biscuit in his mouth. Typical AJ. He and Matt had grabbed the last two biscuits.
A smile split his face. Relief at their camaraderie and not pummeling him with questions about his absence surged through him. He did miss them and all that went with it. A small weight lifted from his shoulders, and he welcomed being in their presence.
“It’s about time you showed your sorry ass around here,” Jesse said jokingly.
“Fuck you,” Trent slammed back in the same joking manner. “If I had prettier faces to look at….”
“Hey, my wife is hot, so don’t even try that shitty excuse,” Jesse countered with a quirked eyebrow in challenge.
He couldn’t resist poking the bear whose wife was his own Kryptonite. “Don’t I know it,” he said in a dreamy-sexy kind of voice, just enough to piss Jesse off at his praise of Kate.
“Fucker,” Jesse said and presented Trent with his middle finger.
Laughter filled the room, and this is what had drawn him to HIS. Not laughter per se, but working hard and having fun as a team. But yet, he still wasn’t sure that this was where he belonged. Something was missing. Wait, no, someone—several in fact—were missing from the group.
“Before you ask, Jake has a team in the UAE guarding a prince. Actually making us money,” he said out of the side of his mouth.
“Where’s Brad?” Trent asked.
“He’s got a team in Belize, chasing after Hogan,” Jesse offered in response.
Trent wanted to spit. The bastard who had paid to have Rylee—Devon’s wife—kidnapped had escaped during her rescue. Trent hadn’t stayed around for them to resolve that part of the mission. He’d been there to help save Rylee, and when they’d accomplished it, he’d left. “Got a good lead on him?”
Jesse nodded his answer. “The only ones in the states are who you see here.”
Cheesy grins from Rob and Joe—two HIS team members—Kate and four of the Hamilton brothers stood before him.
“Tell us about Kelly.” Jesse’s swift change of subject from Hogan had Trent’s eyes shifting to Devon to gauge his reaction. Nothing. It had to be eating Devon up inside that he was here and Rylee was—He glanced around and then narrowed his eyes. “Where’s Rylee?” he countered, noticing her absence. Something told him he didn’t want to know her location. That churning in his gut was as active as a tornado.
Devon spoke through a clenched jaw, “She’s with Brad.”
“What?” Trent roared, stopping all chatter in the room.
Devon stood and grimaced. “She wanted to take Hogan down herself.”
“And you all allowed her to get close to that monster again?”
“You forget she can hold her own,” Devon said in fierce defense of his wife.
“I’m not saying she can’t, but still….” He didn’t know what he meant to say. Rylee was tough as nails when she needed to be, but the thought of her near Hogan again sickened him. He knew it was just overprotective instincts that wanted her to remain behind. He had to get a grip if he planned to come back here. Devon was right that she could hold her own. Trust.
Jesse’s phone rang, and he walked away answering it.
“Believe me, I’m not happy she went,” Devon said, “but you’ve worked with her, so you understand there’s no stopping her. She’s part of HIS now. She works missions, and I put my trust in her doing her best.”
Working with Rylee in the FBI had been enjoyable. They’d only been assigned to one case together, but she’d been a badass as far as he was concerned. But Devon being okay with her going on a mission after a sicko? Trent would never allow Kelly to do that. That stopped everything in his world. Realization slapped him hard across the face. He wasn’t thinking of Rylee; he’d been thinking of putting Kelly in danger. He’d gone into super-overprotective drive about her. Her pregnancy turned a key inside him. It was something he’d have to work on, but right now, he needed to figure out if she was in danger or not.
“Devon, can you run—”
Jesse’s roar interrupted Trent’s request for information on Brian. “Fuck!”
“What?” Trent asked as his pulse sped up. Nothing good ever came from Jesse’s bellows.
Jesse turned to Devon. “We need to get to Belize, now. Get us a plane.” Then, he turned to the group. “Rob, Joe and—” He spun around. “—Kate, get suited up.”
“I thought you just said that Brad had a small team there already.” Trent’s observation skills at noticing the new table might suck, but his hearing worked fucking fine.
“He does. Only they landed in jail.” Jesse turned to Kate. “I’ll let Mrs. Kessler know so she can watch Reagan.”
Trent had missed the live-in nanny slash cook slash housekeeper—Mrs. Kessler, or Mrs. K., as the men liked to call her—this morning.
Devon jumped up. “I’m going.”
“So am I,” AJ and Matt piped in.
Jesse shook his head. “No. AJ and Matt, you stay back in case Trent needs you.”
“What would I need them for?” Trent asked, but at the same time was thankful to have help should he actually require it.
“Kelly,” AJ and Jesse said in unison.
This was beyond bizarre. He hadn’t even told them about the break-in.
“If Megan’s worried, something rotten might be happening.” AJ grinned like he was proud of his wife’s ability to sniff out trouble.
Trent would just wait and brief AJ and Matt on the break-in and theft after the team left since getting Brad, Rylee, and the men out of a Belize jail took precedence.
“It’ll be a good time for them to get you up to speed.” Jesse slammed a locker closed and approached them with a black duffel bag in his hand, and body armor tossed over it.
“On what?”
“On the business—partner.” Jesse reached out his empty hand to shake.
Hands up in front of his chest, refusing to take Jesse’s hand, Trent countered, “Whoa. I’m not a partner. I’m just one of the guys.” While he’d basically grown up with the siblings, he’d never truly felt like he belonged in the family. This change still took some getting used to on his end.
“We’ll discuss this when I return. First, I need to bail our men out and kick some fucking ass.”
Trent nodded begrudgingly. A talk was inevitable. Right now though, he needed to figure out exactly what was happening with Kelly. Hustling the few steps to the computers where Devon tossed a laptop in a bag, Trent asked, “Devon, can you pull me some information before you go?” He waved his hand to the table. “And maybe show me how to pull that file up?”
Devon grinned. “Finally. Someone who appreciates my toys.”
Appreciate, my ass, Trent thought. His information on Kelly was there, so he didn’t have a choice.
HE’S BACK! KEPT shooting through Kelly’s thoughts, breaking into her frozen mind. Everything about her was frozen. She’d been waiting on the street, shuffling her feet to keep the blood flowing, while waiting for Adrian’s ex-wife to depart the woman’s home. His ex-wife had refused Kelly’s calls, and one thing Kelly didn’t li
ke was someone avoiding her. Like Trent had when he’d been hurt.
When she was younger, she’d set down the parameters necessary for a Mr. Right, as she’d dubbed the man of her dreams, to be in her life if and when the time was right. The list of attributes she’d required was long, but her most important things were that he had to be honest, thoughtful, trustworthy, romantic, and above all, love her just as she was.
Trent McKenzie had always seen her as a friend, sometimes he’d even treated her like a kid sister. It truly sucked because Kelly knew deep inside her heart that he was the man for her—her true Mr. Right. He just didn’t know it.
She sighed and turned in circles to check her surroundings again.
Then Trent had left.
Before that even occurred, she’d settled for another man and was having that man’s baby, so her chance with Trent had been flushed down the toilet. His horror at her being pregnant said it all. Disapproval. Disgust. Really, he didn’t act disgusted, but he might as well have with the way he’d pulled back in conversation. The way he’d pushed to find out more about her being an unwed pregnant woman.
Her stomach rumbled, and she considered giving up her position and going into the office when the front door of the townhome opened. A petite, bleached-blonde emerged and said, “Son of a bitch. I thought you’d have left by now.”
Kelly smiled before she fell in step with Nikki Copeland. The little woman definitely had a fast stride. “Mrs. Copeland, I’m Kelly Williams with—”
“I know who you are and who you’re with, Miss Williams. What I don’t know is why you’re bothering me. Didn’t you get your pound of flesh about Adrian when his case happened?”
A well-deserved jab, but things had changed. She just had to get this woman to understand that. “Well, I’m not entirely certain anymore that Adrian is guilty.” There, she’d placed it out there for the woman to digest.
Mrs. Copeland stopped. With wide eyes, she screeched, “What?”
