“I’m going to Parker’s.” Rafi stomps out the front door and jogs across the street, barely missing oncoming traffic, leaving the three of us to look at each other awkwardly.
Omar lowers his head, shaking it. “Sorry for the drama. I need to go after him and make sure he’s not followed.”
Anders and I execute identical head tilts, at the same time. Omar shakes his head. “He helped my brother to take down a very dangerous organization in Iraq—”
I hold up my hand. “Yeah. We know. We worked on that in the field.”
Omar’s face shifts again, and if I’m reading him at all, he’s carrying some guilt. “Look. Rafi’s in a delicate place right now, and I don’t want him worrying about this, but there’s no way whoever’s left in my father’s organization has let this go. There’s no way they aren’t trying to find him, and I have to be vigilant for the both of us.”
“Wait, what?” Anders and I say simultaneously.
I hold up my finger, trying to make a point. “As someone on the team of people sent to take out those exact same assholes, I can promise you we got every person we were assigned to.”
“As the son of the top asshole, I can promise you there are always more.”
“I’ve spent the last six months watching colonial dramas with him on my couch, and he’s never once mentioned the possibility that somebody might be after him.”
Omar runs his hands through his hair, showing off his impressive physique. Just being real here, I’m feeling a little doughy next to him. Anders has stopped breathing entirely.
“He already had enough with Asadi’s death on his mind. I didn’t want to disturb his peace. And since he only ever leaves the house to go to school and your house, I felt like I had him pretty well covered.”
Examining him more closely, I can pick out the features. “And youareAsadi’s brother, right?”
“Yes. Asadi asked me to watch out for him, and it’s a promise I intend to keep because Rafi’s the only family I have left in the world.”
Anders gestures to his shoulder rig. Might as well. I won’t give him all the details, but there was no way Rafi was going to be walking around in the world without the proper protection.
“We work for an organization that is responsible for going after criminals who’ve slipped through the justice system. All we need are names. Faces if you’ve got them, possible last known location would be ideal. They won’t get within a thousand yards of him.”
Omar shakes his head. “If anyone is taking those bastards out, it’s going to be me.”
Anders gives me a knowing look; our silent communication is as clear as though we’d said it out loud. “Still, if you need any help, or find yourself hemmed up in any way, give me a call,” I say, handing him the business card to my tattoo shop. “But Omar?”
“Yes?”
“This stays between us. I don’t want Rafi to ever know about that part.”
He nods his head, pocketing my business card as he leaves the shop.
13
Rafi
Parker opens her door, pausing to take in all of the glory that is me in this damn outfit. She starts off by biting her lip, but the light in her eyes hides nothing. Pretty soon she breaks and goes quickly from a giggle to straight-up pointing and laughing at me.
“I’m so glad I amuse you.”
Still laughing, she wheezes, “Why are you wearing that in public? I mean, I’m glad you did something with that unkempt beard, but you look like a twenty-year jail sentence.”
“I do not!”
“You look likejailbait. Ridiculous, gorgeous, dead-sexy jailbait.”
“That’s stupid—I’m thirty years old. And these are all clothesyoupicked out for me!”
Gesturing dramatically up and down my length, she argues, “Not to wear all at once, you dork. You can’t go from dressing in dad jeans and polo shirts that are five times too big tothis. You’re going to give the locals whiplash.”
I open my mouth to say something, but…fuck, she’s probably right. “Huh. That might explain Everett’s reaction.”
