“Trying to help, right.” Ice took a seat at the table. “I had the merc in my sights when your fat head suddenly got in the way. And I know you knew I was there, because I caught that smirk you shot me. It’s like you’re trying to see how far you can push me before I kill you.”
Destroyer shrugged, and Shadow had to wonder if the guy had a death wish. No one screwed with Ice. The Business’s number one hitman had a reputation for being as cold as his namesake.
Ice sighed. “I’m too tired to deal with you. How about you buy a round of drinks and attempt to placate me?”
“Oh, big words. Sure thing, buddy.” Destroyer grinned, knowing they were never to use code names in public. “So,Noel, what’ll you have?”
Noel’s gaze was on someone by the bar. “I think I’m in the mood for something smooth. I’ll start with some tequila. And not the cheap stuff either.”
“Like he’s reading my mind.” Shadow nodded. “What Noel said, Hammer. The good stuff.” In civilian circles, Destroyer went by Hammer, short for Hamilton Aston Montgomery III. Talk about a mouthful that didn’t seem to fit the giant bruiser Deacon knew.
And that’s when he saw her. A gorgeous woman with dark hair, dark eyes, and a body made for sin. Shadow grinned. “I could go for some booze and quality downtime too. Oh yeah.”
“Fine. First bottle’s on me,” Hammer said with good cheer. The guy was never down. Even if he was covered in gore, he always wore a ready smile. “But you’re on your own with the ladies.” Hammer made eyes at thechicabehind the bar giving him a flirty look. “Man, I got a good feeling about tonight.”
Shadow—no, he had to think of himself as Deacon now—agreed. After easing into a few drinks, enough to take the edge off but no more than that, he felt ready to relax. Or at least,tryto relax as best he could anymore. Mellowed out, he nodded a goodbye to the guys and sought the beauty wanting his company.
The woman helped. A few times. But when he woke in the morning, she was gone. Nothing but a whisper of her perfume and the press of her red lips into a white napkin with a smiley drawn on it to show she’d been there at all.
His cell phone vibrated. He picked up. “Yeah?”
“You’ve got another job,” his handler said.
“And good morning to you too,” Deacon mumbled, still fuzzy from the woman and four hours of blessed sleep.
Big Joe didn’t miss a beat. “Head back to the airstrip by fifteen hundred. Get on the Anzollo plane.”
“Where to?”
“I’ll brief you once you’re in Istanbul. We’ve got a situation.” Big Joe disconnected.
Shadow sighed.Back to my regularly scheduled life.But inwardly, he questioned,There’s got to be more than this, right?
Fifteen months later
Bainbridge Island, Washington
“That… I have no words. Never seen it go down that hard, that fast, before.” Hammer shook his head. “I mean, I’ve seen some shit. But that’s just brutal.”
Deacon watched the free-for-all and winced when a blond went down under the fists of her supposed friend. “Damn. Think we should help?”
Hammer raised a brow. “Are you on crack? Because that’s one of the dumbest things to come out of your mouth in a while. And considering it’s you, that’s saying something.”
“Ha ha. Aren’t you the funny guy?” Deacon didn’t do drugs and rarely drank anymore, and then never to excess. Men in their line of work had to be alert and aware at all times.
This new situation, working and living around other contractors, men he now called friends, felt both different and intriguing. It was like Mexico all over again, but this time he wasn’t working in loose conjunction with the guys. This time they truly worked as a team.
And man, what a job it was. He grinned, watching as two redheads started screaming at the mess, then at each other. One of them slugged the other in the mouth. That had to hurt. “I don’t know. I think we should do something.”
“Be my guest.” Hammer took a deliberate step back.
Before Deacon could act, the epitome of femininity, sex appeal, and quick-witted sarcasm entered the scene.And now my day is complete.
Tall, gorgeous, with honey-brown eyes and golden hair wrapped up in a ponytail, Solene Hansen made his heart race, his palms sweat, and his mind turn clean off. Being near her amplifiedotherthings, though. As usual, he had to work to calm his raging body.
Hammer chuckled. “Solene to the rescue.”
As she whipped by them, she turned and scowled. “Protection.” She snorted. “Gimme a break. You two are useless.” She hurried to separate the cluster of screaming toddlers while they fought over a spilled tower of building blocks. Her new assistant, an older woman named Darcy, was already trying to break things up. Solene soon lifted the instigator in her arms and turned, making a beeline straight for them.
