And she wanted nothing to do with Cody; Cody could half understand it. If her ex-husband had turned out to be a traitor to the FBI, she’d be upset, too.
Sam’s supervisor Ritchison took her home a few hours after the arrest. And it was probably for the best.
Work hadn’t stopped in the division but things had definitely taken a serious turn for the worst.
Every file, every piece of evidence Eric had ever touched with the Bureau would have to be inventoried. Reexamined, if at all possible. Sin’s pretense of an audit had just become a lot more real.
And there was still Sin’s traitor to find, wasn’t there?
***
Sin spent hours with Brady, but nothing changed. Eric Brady was just a lower rung forensics technician with a gambling addiction that had started when he was a kid asking older people to buy him lottery tickets.
Six weeks after he’d returned to work after recovering from his injuries when Schild had attacked the forensics division a few years ago someone had contacted him about making extra cash.
On his medical leave, Brady had spent some of his time with online poker sites.
His problems had only grown worse.
Until the phone call when the anonymous voice had offered to settle all his debts for information. Information had slid into passing along files. That had led to tampering with physical evidence.
And then came the threats against the people in Brady’s life that mattered.
Like the ex-wife.
Sin had immediately ordered a detail on Sam Brady the moment he’d thought of about it.
He’d met her several times and found her sweet and humorous. He’d hate for anything to happen to her.
Just as a precaution.
He was in his office finishing up with the paperwork from the arrest when someone knocked.
Loudly.
The door opened before he could stand.
A carbon copy of himself stood there. Pissed.
Sebastian.
“What are you doing in here?”
“Hours. It took someone fucking hours to tell me what happened. Why the hell didn’t you call me? It’s all over the building that you yanked Brady off of her!”
“I’m sorry? I don’t know what it is you’re upset about.” He and Sebastian…they had never been close. Sin could have blamed it on the fact that they’d been split up after their father had died. But it was more than that. “And he wasn’t on her.”
Too damned close to it, though. He looked at his brother again. Saw the love in his eyes for Merrick, and knew that was behind his brother’s anger. Love and fear.
Hell, he’d felt that himself, hadn’t he?
Their relationship had deteriorated after Sebastian had married Merrick. When Sin had found out and confronted his brother he had made a damned stupid mistake.
Seb had loved Merrick and Sin hadn’t realized it until that argument. Until he’d damaged what was there with his brother.
“Cody, dammit. Someone should have told me immediately what had happened.” Seb didn’t show his emotions that often, at least not when in a professional setting. That was something Sin and Sebastian had in common. “I can’t find her.”
“She’s with Alessandra. And Seth.” Who had sent him a text saying they were picking up Merrick’s daughter and taking them both home. To the safe house that damned billionaire had provided for her. “She’s safe, and with people who will take care of her.” He wanted to be with her. Wanted to make sure she was as safe as he could possibly make her. “Where’re Carrie and Maddie?”
“They’re fine. Why didn’t someone call me?”
“Do you really feel that it was necessary that you be informed immediately?” He had never truly understood Sebastian and Merrick’s relationship. Did his brother still love Merrick? What about Carrie? Or was it just Sin’s own stupid insecurities slipping through?
“Of course I do. She’s family, Sin. Don’t you understand that?”
“She’s your ex-wife. I’ve never understood why you still feel the connection.” Did she? He had watched her with his brothers—both of them. There was nothing romantic in the way she treated them. At least not obviously. And they both seemed happy with their wives. “Do you still love her, Seb?”
What would he do if his brother answered yes?
“Six years together, Sin. Of course I love her. We had a life together. It’s nothing like I have with Carrie now. But you’d better believe I care about her. And don’t like the idea of knowing a fucking asshole trapped her in her office and tried to hurt her. And I would think my brother would have thought to let me know.”
“How did you find out?”
“Carrie told me. She thought I’d want to know. And she wanted me to check on Cody before I headed home.”
That was a relationship he had never understood. Carrie and Merrick were close friends; more than that, Merrick was extremely protective of Carrie. And vice versa. “She’s fine. I’m going over there in a few minutes, as soon as I finish up here. You don’t have to worry about her again.”
Because it was his job now.
But there was no damned way he was getting into that with Seb here. Not at that moment. “I think you should be going, Seb.”
“Good old Sin; always telling us what we should do.”
An old jab, and one that was effective. He had always felt the need to watch over his brothers. The last thing his father had ever said to him was to protect his brothers and sister. To keep his family whole.
And Sin had failed within days of his father’s funeral.
He loved his brothers and Sarah. He’d just never been very good at showing it. “I’ll take care of Merrick. All of this. You don’t worry about it.”
“So why did he do it? Brady? And what did he want from Cody? That’s what no one can tell me.”
“I’m afraid you’re security clearance isn’t high enough.”
“Fuck it’s not. Are you telling me you have a higher clearance than the CCU?”
Sin looked directly at his brother, into eyes as green as his own. “That’s exactly what I am telling you. Walk away from this, Seb. And forget all about it. I have it handled.”
“You had better make damned sure nothing happens to her, Sin. Or I’ll rip you apart. And Seth will probably help me.”
***
He thought about Sebastian’s words on the drive to the smart house. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to protect her. Even kill, if necessary.
What was it about her that would inspire that in him?
He remembered her as a little girl, crying because of something he had done. With Seb and Seth and Sara right next to her. Glaring at him.
He remembered her from the night before. Beautiful, loving. Perfect.
And then he remembered her the moment he’d burst into her office and found her trapped with a desperate man.
He parked next to the car he recognized as belonging to his sister-in-law. Alessandra had taken his orders seriously.
Her husband greeted him at the door. “Well. Today was a real shit-fest, wasn’t it? Anyone figure out why Brady did it?”
“Gambling debts.” That was the only story anyone other than him, Dennis, Mick, and Merrick would have to know. And Brady was going to follow the script because he understood the enormity of the charges he could face.
If Sin had his way the guy would have been charged with the most severe. But he understood the reasoning for it—but that didn’t erase the sight of Merrick trapped between her desk and a man who was larger, stronger, and terrified for his own skin.
“How did you know she was in trouble?”
“I called her about evidence. She left the line open.” He looked at his brother. Why did he always have to wade through family and friends to even get to her? “How is she?”
“She’s fine. Tough as nails, like always.” Seth shook his head then opened the door wider. “Wonder why Brady focused on her?”
“Playing on her f
ears. The Schild case. The fact that she was alone in her office and trapped. What happened with York. He felt she had to listen. And would be vulnerable enough to fall for his bullshit.”
“Dammit. I wasn’t even here and I hate that son-of-a-bitch so much I almost regret he’s dead. I want a shot at him. Al has a scar from flying glass. Cody, well, I don’t to even want to think about what he did to her. Al, Paige, and Payton could have died. Cody, too. Not to mention the Reynolds’.”
“He’s dead. He’ll never hurt them again.”
“Then tell me, brother, why are there rumors that the Schild case is getting pulled back up? By someone other than PAVAD? And why did Seb call and say you have higher clearance than even Internal Affairs? What the fuck is going on? And don’t lie. You know Seb and I will see right through it.”
Sin had one choice. He’d specifically been told not to dial his brothers in. And he wasn’t about to break the trust Dennis had in him. There were few department heads he respected and trusted as much as he did that man.
“I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about. I do have clearance. It was part of the reassignment package. Brady was tampering with evidence in order to pay off gambling debts.”
Seth stared at him. Sin stared back. “Yeah. Whatever. Just whatever in the three hells is going on, keep Cody out of it. She doesn’t deserve to be hurt by this job again.”
Chapter 45
Sin Lorcan was on Ed’s mind when he made it home that night, but he tried to put on a positive face for the kids. He had Georgia’s two, as well as the boys. And as he looked closer there were three more children mixed in. Simon, Paige Brockman’s younger brother, had become great friends with the older twins in recent months. And two of Dan Reynolds’ children were joining the crowd.
Twelve kids, running around his place, making it sound like a home.
Perfect.
He wrapped his arms around Marianna and just held her for a moment. She looked up at him. “Ed? What’s wrong?”
“Thank you. Just thank you.”
“You’re welcome. For what?”
“For all of them.” He nodded to the kids visible in the family room. There were others spread out around the place and he could hear their laughter. Perfect.
Even with the problems at PAVAD, his life was perfect.
And he had her to thank.
Chapter 46
Sin walked into the smart house after having his palm scanned and his biometrics read. He smirked when Seth jumped at the voice that told him to enter. It was an added security feature that Lucas had had installed on the house.
It called Sin by name—because he’d been there before. Would his brother catch that fact? Did Sin care?
Would it bother him if his brothers knew what had happened between him and Merrick?
Perhaps Sebastian. Would his brother understand?
Had Sebastian felt the same damned pull toward Merrick that Sin always had?
Would it hurt his brother to know? Sin would keep it private until he had a chance to think about that for a while. To discuss how they wanted to handle it together.
Merrick was in her kitchen, chicken sautéing in a large wok on the stove. She and Alessandra were slicing vegetables quickly while they talked.
Her daughter was at the table with a coloring book. His son was next to her.
“Daddy! I didn’t know you were coming here!”
“I didn’t know you were.” Sin waited for his son to rush over and hug him, but it didn’t happen. Not from Tyler. His son wasn’t ready for that yet.
He looked at his sister-in-law for an explanation of his son’s presence.
“Mom had a migraine and called me to come over. When I told her I couldn’t, Dad offered to bring him over when he walked Lucy home. We didn’t think you’d mind—and I sent you a message. And Lucy liked having a friend over. It’s very distracting…”
Sin understood what his sister-in-law meant. He hadn’t checked his phone since leaving PAVAD. He should have. Anything could have happened to Tyler, and he hadn’t even considered it. “It’s fine. Saves me a trip over to get him.” Merrick’s new home was less than a mile from the Brockman’s, and he knew she liked the convenience of it. So did he, for that matter.
He looked over at the woman at the stove. She was trying to put on a good front, but he saw right through it. Brady had upset her, and she was trying to process it.
Sin wanted everyone else gone, for just a moment or two. Long enough for him to hold her, tell her she was safe. That he’d protect her.
But that wasn’t going to happen.
“So…the big question remains,” Seth said. “Why are you here, if you didn’t know Ty was going to be here already?”
“I needed to speak with Merrick about some things.”
“You’ll stay for dinner, of course. We can talk about Eric after.” Her eyes were pleading with him, did she realize that?
“I meant what I said, Cody. Seth and I are happy to take Lucy home with us tonight. Give you a chance to sleep. Relax.”
“Can I go, too?” Tyler asked. “I want to play with Lucy, too.”
Sin tried not to take it personally. It wasn’t that Tyler wanted to be with other people—he just loved playing with Merrick’s daughter.
That’s all it was.
“If it’s alright with your dad, I’m up for some uncle time.” Seth high-fived Tyler and Tyler giggled.
“It’s fine with me. But I’ll miss you. I’m sure your aunt would like some help keeping Uncle Seth in line.”
And that would work out well for Sin. With the kids taken care of, he and Merrick could figure things out between them, once and for all.
Chapter 47
Marianna had made enough spaghetti to feed an army, and with twelve kids in the house it was maybe going to be enough. Maybe.
Ed helped dish out the younger kids’ plates, and passed around silverware. Marianna was the queen of organization, and that skill was definitely needed with all of their children. Dinner was as loud and chaotic as he’d expected, but by the time everyone was served Ed was relaxed and the worries of the day had subsided.
There would be time enough tomorrow to deal with finding the guy who had it out for him.
Midway into dinner, the security gate buzzed.
Ed wiped his mouth and stood. He wasn’t expecting anyone, but people just stopping by wasn’t all that unusual. Especially with three sons of driving age. And he wanted the kids’ friends to know they were welcome to visit.
But seven p.m. was dinner for their family. Unless there were family scheduling conflicts, seven was dinner.
He checked the monitor, and frowned. He wasn’t expecting the visitor.
At all. Still, the man had been a friend of his for eighteen years at least. A colleague and one he needed to keep in his corner. He looked at his wife. “Can we set a place for one more. I’m sure he’ll enjoy it.”
Chapter 48
She didn’t know how it had happened, but the next week was almost a normal one. Things were different, both in PAVAD and at home.
Sin and Tyler were there every night. The day Eric was arrested she and Sin had stayed up late in the night, talking and trying to figure out what they wanted between them.
Learning about each other. Talking had turned into holding. Which had led to other things that she sensed they had both needed.
He had held on to her so tightly, her heart had broken—for him. And things started to become a lot clearer to her.
It had taken her a while to make a startling realization.
Sin didn’t make friends easily, and when he did it was through common purposes. Like Mick or Ed. Work connections, not personal. Because it was hard for him to make connections. It had given her a lot of insight into him.
He still drove her crazy, though. But it was a different kind of crazy, that she didn’t know how to explain or how to understand.
He’d promised that understanding would come with tim
e.
Lucy was opening up to him, as well. But it was slow going with her, for certain. She seemed to like having him in the house at night, and some of the nightmares were dissipating.
And Tyler…he was a wonderful little version of his father, who had taken to having her around very well.
Things were falling in place. With them…they hadn’t spoken with Sebastian or Seth about how things had changed. But she knew Seth had an idea. She wasn’t quite ready to explain to Sebastian yet, though. With time, maybe. If what was going on between her and Sin lasted, anyway.
And she had finally been cleared by Internal Affairs to return to duty.
One week after Eric’s arrest, she returned to work—only to be thrust into the middle of a case involving stolen cars. And most of the division was out, in order to enjoy the three year anniversary of the PAVAD division’s creation.
Ed Dennis had insisted the division celebrate at a local park with a company picnic unlike any the division had ever had.
But not Cody. And not Marianna. The two of them had drawn the short straws on the stolen car case. Still, they were able to get things in place to take off a little early.
She and Marianna were only about twenty minutes late to the picnic, and Cody was excited about the rest of the day. It was so normal. A beautiful day, a beautiful place. Her daughter and Sin waiting on her. Tyler, who had easily stolen her heart from the very beginning.
She needed it. Needed the reminder of the good things.
“At least we’re not too late. I wonder how Ed did getting all nine kids ready this morning.” Marianna laughed.
“Nine?”
“Hell and Georgia had to both go to Quantico to give a lecture on profiling. We have Matthew and Evalyn.”
“I’m sure he handled himself just fine. I think he always does.”
Ed Dennis loved his wife and family. Everyone who knew the two of them could see it.
Burning (PAVAD: FBI Romantic Suspense Book 11) Page 15
