by Cara Carnes
“Then we kick some Mastiff butt,” Zoey added.
Bree suspected they’d be kicking some wolf butt, too. “Hey, what ever happened with Gavin breaking into my cottage? I keep meaning to ask.”
“Oh, yeah. He planted bugs. We removed them. Marshall told him it was his second strike. He won’t get another,” Zoey said.
Damn. That was ballsy of Gavin. Talk about an idiot. What could he have found out by listening in on her at the cottage? Revulsion shuddered through her. Talk about creepy.
She followed everyone out of the Operations building and waved goodbye. She walked toward her cottage as the plan for tonight formed.
Get Ram’s manuscript. Get to the cottage. Read until they got back.
Hang with the Triple Threat awhile.
Hopefully steal some alone time with Ram.
Yeah, that’d be a great way to end this crazy-assed day.
16
Bree was halfway to the hideout when her brother stepped in her path. Wariness froze her progression when she noted the expression on his face. Worry. “I’m okay.”
“I’m sure you are, but I’m not,” he admitted. “We’re overdue for a conversation. You’re avoiding me.”
“Maybe.” She sighed. “Honestly, a lot’s going on right now. Can we chat in the morning?” Darkness was settling in on the compound. It’d be several hours before Ram and the others got back. The last thing she wanted was a heart-to-heart with big brother. “Please.”
He folded his arm around her shoulders and dragged her into his body. The other hand mussed her hair. “Come on. Let’s hang. Chill. Like we used to. Just you and me. No heavy shit.”
That sounded perfect. “I’m actually going to the Triple Threat’s hideout. Not sure I should show you where that’s at.”
“Someone told me where to find you,” he said with a chuckle. “Not so secret.”
Indeed. Bree extricated herself from her brother and trudged the rest of the way to the cottage. Although her mind reeled from everything they’d learned, she fought back the thoughts and focused on spending time with her brother. Family mattered more than the work. It’d taken her years to understand that.
She wasn’t much different than Mary in that regard, she supposed. Huh.
“They’ve got a good setup here,” Lars commented. “The compound. The program they run. Takes a lot of commitment and dedication to do all this on top of the real work.”
“They’re good people. All of them are.” She tossed her bag on the sofa and motioned toward the television. “I was going to read something, but it’s been a while since I’ve kicked your ass. Grab the controllers. Let’s do this.”
Lars smirked. “You sure? I’d hate to put you in a foul mood by kicking your ass. Ram probably wouldn’t appreciate that.” She glared at her brother. So much for no serious conversation. “Sorry. Out of bounds topic. I get it.”
She couldn’t avoid the heavy forever, but all she wanted was tonight. A few hours of blissful nothingness. Was that so much to ask?
Her brother flicked the television and game consoles on and tossed a controller her direction. “Which of them plays?”
“Doug,” she said. “He’s been looking for people. I mentioned you.”
“He any good?”
“As good as you’ll find in these parts.” She shrugged. “He’s got potential.”
“Good. If we stay here, I’ll want some decent players.” They both logged into their accounts. Intensity resonated within his gaze when he looked over at her. She could practically feel him battling the urge to dive into the topics she’d outlawed. “You can’t keep it in. Whatever’s chewing away at you, I’m here to listen—even if I don’t understand whatever it is.”
“I know,” she whispered. “I just… I need some time to get my head sorted. I don’t even know why I’m feeling so angsty right now.” The lie slid out easily enough. She knew one of the biggest reasons—Ram and his team had almost died. Hell, she didn’t even know if they’d been injured.
Emotion clogged her throat. “It never ends.”
“I’ve been down that road a time or two,” Lars commented. “Probably not as intense as whatever you’re going through, but I remember several times when I wanted to pull off and turn around. Like the last time I scraped Janey off. The never-ending fights. Her threats to hurt the kids or take off with them.”
She selected her character and waited for him to do the same. “I didn’t know she’d threatened that. You never said anything.”
“It would’ve been easier if I had,” he admitted. “Didn’t want anyone worrying about me. The kids were what mattered.”
“That’s bullshit. You matter just as much.” She swallowed. “You tried, you know. More than most would’ve. Treatment program after treatment program. Working tons of overtime to afford them. Everything that happened was on her, not you.”
“I know that now. I don’t even regret it. I have two beautiful kids who are the light of my life.” He smiled as they started their first mission. She could probably find a couple players she knew to join them, but she liked having this back—just her and her big brother kicking ass together.
A comfortable silence enveloped her as they played. The worries sloughed away. At least, most of them did. The biggest one sat beside her. He and Grams deserved a few answers.
“I didn’t handle things very well after I came here,” she whispered. “Problem after problem struck us center mass, and I felt so out of control. Weak. I made some bad choices and hid them from everyone. Then they found out, and I realized I needed help dealing with stuff. That’s why I went to the cabin.”
“You retreated to heal,” he said. “I did the same thing after Janey.”
He had. Maybe that’s why it was easier to share with him. He understood having to tend his wounds.
“I’m okay, though,” she assured. “Sinclair is really good. And I’m recognizing my triggers better now. I can sense the urge to do something stupid and fight it off.”
“Is that what tonight is?” His voice was gentle as he paused the game. “I wish I could fight whatever battle you’re struggling with for you, sis. You know I would.”
“She keeps asking about Mom and Dad,” Bree whispered. “I haven’t talked about them much.”
“You should. I wasn’t ever okay with how they handled things.” His jaw twitched. “They threw a lot of shit at your feet when you were just a kid. None of that was your fault.”
“It wasn’t theirs either,” she argued. “They tried to do right by me. They did sacrifice a lot.”
“That’s what parents do for their kids. Unconditional love is a part of that, and that’s where they failed you. Anytime I get frustrated with Luke or Hillary or Grams being stubborn, I remember the way they’d always blame you when something didn’t go their way. I tried to get them to understand that, you know.” His voice lowered. “I may have tried too hard. I sometimes wonder if I made it worse.”
She turned to face him. “Never. You were always my rock, Lars. Always. Even when you moved back to the cabin, I knew you’d be there to listen when I got scared or sad.”
“I should’ve stayed in the city with you, been closer.”
“You weren’t happy there. When they shoved me in the boarding schools after I got the scholarships, there was no reason for you to hang around. Sure, we would’ve seen each other more often, but I know life on the mountain was better for you.” It got him away from their parents. From the stress their city life created. He got to enjoy being a kid while she studied.
“Do you regret it?” Lars asked.
“Sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if I’d never left the mountain,” she admitted. “But how can I regret what all I can do? Sure, I don’t spend all my time helping impoverished people in other countries get power in their homes like I’d first dreamed, but I still do that on the side. I keep people safe. I make a difference.”
And she did. The realization settled in her, warm
ing her insides with pride. Confidence.
Lars smiled and punched her arm playfully. “There you go. It was the right call, even if it was a struggle at first. Damn, sis. So many operatives here have pulled me aside and told me how valuable you are. How the tech you create keeps them safe. I’m proud of you. Seriously fucking proud of how far you’ve come. There’s nothing you can’t do.”
She blinked back the tears in her eyes. “Sometimes I forget I’m not that scared little kid covered up in blankets, sitting in the dark with you.”
“I remember that night, you know.”
“Which one?”
“The one when you took my hand and whispered, ‘I’m gonna power this mountain one day. I’m not gonna stop until no one ever has to sit scared in the dark, cold and wet.’ I knew the moment you said it you’d make it happen.”
“I never wanted Grams to know how scared I was when those storms rolled through. I didn’t want her to think I hated the mountain, even though some nights I did. So much.” She wiped her tears. “We had more love and happiness there than anywhere. I hold every loving moment there close. But those few terrifying days every year? They were the fuel that fired my path.”
“She knows, Bree.” He wiped at her tears. “She lit the match that started the fire. Of course she knows.”
Bree nodded. She never would’ve moved to the city and gotten the scholarships for the schools if it wasn’t for Grams. Without the great grades in high school, she never would’ve made it to MIT or met Rhea, Mary, and Vi.
“We may not understand everything you do, but you don’t have to hide anything from us,” Lars said. “We’ve always been in your corner, and nothing will ever change that.”
“I love you.”
“Love you, too.” He motioned toward the screen. “But I’m about to kick your ass. If you’re lucky, I’ll feed you after.”
“Dream on. You’ll never beat me.” She cackled and settled into the sofa. “Thank you.”
“That’s what big brothers are for.”
It took an hour to debrief and get Melanie situated after they landed. Ram was glad no one was seriously injured. The graze on his bicep throbbed, but it wasn’t anything he hadn’t suffered before. Jesse had filled them in on Bob’s chat with the vet. The trajectory for the mission had taken a hard right turn, one that’d likely end badly for a man everyone at The Arsenal had once trusted.
For now, the knowns were significant: Alex hadn’t held Bob hostage despite the man’s assertion otherwise. Documentation found in Alex’s headquarters had confirmed his organization had been hired by the secretary of defense, who’d reached out to them for a “protective detail” after The Arsenal had taken out Carlisle Industries and the rogue Mandrake operatives.
Also, Alex didn’t have Bob’s kids, so they were still in the wind. Everyone in Operations seemed to think the former Mossad agent had them. Why was still unknown. They didn’t even have a firm idea who the fucker was. Mary and Nolan were both reaching out to their contacts in Israel to get more information.
Melanie had shared everything she knew—which was enough to confirm that Knightwind had been neck deep in Arsenal missions for a while. They’d been maneuvering themselves to offer support since before Mary and Vi even arrived at The Arsenal. Hell, they’d even known about Peter’s desperation to get his hands on HERA.
Fuckers should’ve shared that info before Mary was taken.
Mia and Bree would be having a “chat” with Gavin tomorrow—a fact Ram was not okay with, but he trusted Operations to have her back.
And Bob had a Probus handler. What an asshole. Ram shoved thoughts about the organization he’d escaped aside. No good came from treading those waters again. Not tonight.
Plans to hit Facility Six would get underway tomorrow. Details would be limited, but Operations had told Ram’s team they would be on the initial strategy meeting. Vi and Zoey were hacking into the facility’s network to gather what intel they could.
Although The Arsenal had gotten a lot further down the road to answers, there were still a lot of things left undone—a fact no one was okay with. So far, everyone was holding on to the hope they’d have a name for whoever was backing Carlisle soon, though.
Doug and Pierce slowed their movements when they all arrived at the hideout. Lights were on inside. Their amusement sounded in the air around Ram.
“Someone must’ve come out to hang with you,” Pierce said. He opened the door.
Ram’s stomach rumbled as the scent of garlic and baked bread filled his nostrils. “Damn. Something smells good.”
His gaze swept to Bree, who was asleep under one of Pierce’s quilts on the sofa. Movement from the kitchen drew his attention. Lars exited.
“Sorry to crash your hideout. Someone mentioned she wasn’t looking too good. They told me where she’d be.” He motioned toward the game frozen on the monitor. “We played a few games, most of which she won. She crashed about an hour ago.”
“You cooked?” Doug asked. “You can crash anytime if you cook.”
Lars smirked as he wiped his hands on a dishtowel. “I scrounged and found lasagna and a couple loaves of garlic bread in the freezer. A little birdie told me y’all would be here soon. Everything’s ready.”
The man entered the kitchen. Ram followed Doug and Pierce in even though his attention remained on Bree. She needed sleep, but he wanted to wake her.
Lars thumped him on the back. “She’d be pissed if you didn’t wake her. Have a good night. Glad you’re back. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Wait. What? “You aren’t staying?”
“She needs you more than me right now. I was just the stopgap until you got here.” Lars’ gaze fell on his sister. “Not sure what went down today, but she was scared.”
Damn.
“Thanks.” He motioned toward the kitchen. “You should stay and eat. Doug would probably love to play a game with you after.”
“Next time.” Lars headed toward the door. “Be good to her. I’m not an operative, but I have a shovel and know how to hide a body.”
Ram chuckled. “Understood.” He was glad she had a brother who loved her that fiercely. Everyone needed someone like that in their life. Bree had an entire army.
He knelt in front of the sofa and ran his fingers along her cheek, which was a challenge since she’d burritoed herself within Pierce’s quilt. Laughter rose behind him as his two friends watched. She scrunched her nose and swatted at his hand.
“Bree, sweetheart,” he said softly against her cheek. “We’re back. Lars made a dinner for us. You want to wake up and eat?”
Her beautiful eyes blinked open. She stroked his stubble-covered jaw. “You’re back.” Moisture pooled in her eyes. “You got shot.”
“It was only a graze. We’re all okay,” he assured. “You can check me over after we eat.”
She pulled the quilt down and sat up. The wrinkled T-shirt she wore molded against her lush body a moment. Although he wanted to carry her to the bedroom he sometimes used here and make love to her until she knew he was more than okay, it would have to wait.
Bree’s gaze swept behind him. “You are both okay?”
“A little banged up,” Doug admitted. “Nothing that won’t heal in a few days.” Or weeks. Crazy fucker had taken multiple rounds to his vest. While no Kevlar was designed to take a lot of damage while under heavy fire, The Arsenal’s tended to hold up better than most. Thank fuck.
“And you?” Her gaze cut to Pierce.
“All good. Come on. We’re starving and that lasagna smells delicious.”
“My brother cooked? Did an alien invade his body?” Bree stood. “Wait. Where is he?”
“He just left,” Ram whispered against her ear. He settled a hand at her waist. “You hungry?”
She nodded and leaned against him. “I feel punch drunk right now. Sorry, I’m kind of a zombie when I first wake up.”
“You’re adorable when you first wake up.” He was looking forward to seein
g her like this more often. Smoothing out her hair, he guided her toward the dining table.
Doug and Pierce brought the salad, garlic bread, and lasagna over and set it down. Ram made sure Bree was seated, then went to the fridge and pulled out some beers, which he passed out. He took her plate and filled it with food.
Sitting here with his two best friends and the woman he…Damn. He rubbed his chest. He was falling in love with Bree. The realization clogged his throat a moment. He couldn’t imagine being here without her.
As if sensing his emotional upheaval, Pierce continued filling plates. “Melanie’s situated in a cottage a bit farther back from the main compound. Medina and his team are on protective detail.”
She chewed on her salad as she nodded. Her gaze continued roaming him, then his two friends. The concern rolling across her face gutted him, but she’d need to come to the realization they were okay on her own.
“Lars started a new account on the server you use,” she commented. “I’ll help him level it up so we can all play together.”
“That’d be great,” Doug said, wiping his mouth on a paper towel. “Tell me you kicked his ass tonight.”
“Of course I did.” She shrugged. “He’s better than he used to be, though. It was a challenge.”
“Looking forward to it,” he said with a smirk.
Red crept up her cheeks. “He figured out the quilts were yours. Sorry. I promise I didn’t say anything.”
“I’m not ashamed of what I do,” Pierce replied quickly.
“Well, he’ll blab to Grams, so be warned. Expect a sew-off challenge soon.” She forked some lasagna. “You’re too good for her to resist.”
Pierce smirked. “I learned from my grandma and mum. Dad was away a lot when I was a kid. Sewing gave me one-on-one time with them since none of my sisters were interested in it.”
“How many sisters?”
“Two older, one younger.” Pierce took a sip of his beer.
Intensity resonated on her face when she looked at Ram. He took her free hand. “You good, sweetheart?”
