Olivia moved again, and this time, her head landed on my thigh. I reached over and lifted a pillow, tucking it under her head. She always gravitated toward me. Even when she would fall asleep on the opposite end of the couch, she found her way to me.
So peaceful and unaware of the dangers of our world, she was oblivious to what Tate and I did every day to protect her.
And it would stay that way.
With Olivia working for me at Battle Industries, she was on a need-to-know basis. Her anxiety couldn’t handle all the horrors of my reality.
Olivia stirred in her sleep, so I ran my fingers up and down her back to settle her. She went back to that soft purring sound, dead to the world. It was better for her to know nothing. Her life was hard before I rescued her. Those years of struggle and heartache were behind her.
I made sure of it.
Checking my watch, I sighed. I had twenty minutes until the meeting. If I were late, Luca would never let me hear the end of it.
“I have to go,” I told Tate. “Walk with me.”
I slipped out from under Olivia, doing my best not to disrupt her. She didn’t miss a beat, breathing softly into the pillow. How nice it must have been to have such a dreamless sleep. I hadn’t known what that was like. Not a day had passed where the world’s weight wasn’t on my shoulders.
Tate rose from the couch and followed me to the elevator. “I’ll let the security team know to be on high alert. No uninvited visitors. I suggest not letting anyone onto the property who isn’t a member of The Devil’s Knights.”
I nodded to confirm.
Tate was excellent at his job. The rough around the edges punk I rescued from the gutter had come a long way. His military experience and scrappiness helped further my agenda. With Tate by my side, I had never felt safer.
I hit the button on the wall to call the elevator and hopped inside as the doors opened. Leaning against the mirrored wall, I crossed my arms over my chest. My heart beat a billion miles a minute, attempting to escape my chest.
“There will come a time when one of us must initiate Battle King Protocol,” I told Tate. “The day is coming. I can feel it. The Lucaya Group wants Lovelace. They will come for her. But they have to go through me to get her.”
My half-brother pressed his arm against mine, and the warmth and strength of his body put me at ease. Just knowing he was beside me instantly calmed my nerves. “Drake, they won’t get to you. Let me do my job, okay?”
I turned my head to look at him, breathing scotch in his face. Lately, I had been drinking my weight in alcohol to survive the day.
“The Lucaya Group wants Lovelace. And they won’t stop until they get her. They have more money, more weapons, and more men at their disposal than all of The Devil’s Knights combined.”
Tate patted my shoulder. “Let me handle them.”
I knew with certainty the terrorist organization would invade my home and offices, anything to use my artificial intelligence for malicious reasons. In the hands of the wrong people, Lovelace was deadly. If I hadn’t shown my board of directors its true power, they wouldn’t have suggested I look for buyers.
Worldwide governments made bids in the billions. So did criminal organizations. Once the United States government offered top dollar for the technology, everyone knew about Lovelace. Most tech companies would kill for that kind of publicity. But from that day forward, my head was on the chopping block. And because of my involvement with The Devil’s Knights, they had all suffered because of me.
Tate pushed his suit jacket to the side, revealing two guns holstered on his hip. Helping him join the Marine Corps was the best decision I ever made. His training had come in handy over the years, especially in times of war.
“Maybe this isn’t the best time for Liv to work for you,” Tate said as we exited the elevator onto the main floor of my home. “I suggest sending her someplace else until the dust settles.”
“She’s safer with us.” I took a right and headed toward the kitchen. “This house is a literal fortress. No one can get inside. Not unless we allow it.”
Tate frowned, unhappy with my response. “The Lucaya Group has already used Alex against the Salvatore brothers. Maverick stole Grace’s location from your server and gave the information to the Russian Mafia. It’s only a matter of time before they realize how important Liv is to you.”
The Devil’s Knights were prepared for an attack, but without knowing who would make the first move, they had no way of anticipating the outcome. I’d already assessed every situation, yet I couldn’t determine which path to take.
“The Lucaya Group doesn’t know how I feel about her. Liv is safe.”
I opened the refrigerator, and Tate slammed it shut. “You love her, you idiot. Anyone can see that.”
Ignoring his comment, I pulled on the door and grabbed a water bottle, twisting off the top. “Most people think Liv is my sister. And she’s barely lived in this house for the past four years. If they wanted her, they would have made an attempt by now. No one has ever mentioned her on the Dark Web.”
“That doesn’t mean they won’t,” Tate shot back. “Use Lovelace against them. Wipe those assholes off the map before they get the chance to wreak any more havoc on your life.”
“If I use my tech to kill people, then I’m no better than our enemies.”
