Nic had never seen Vaughn’s face look like that before.It did the trick for startling him out of his panic.“You really are despicable.”
“I may be.”The shrug accompanying the words saidI don’t give a fuck.“I’m also first in line for a piece of your father’s assets.I mean to get every penny I’m owed.If you keep delaying the disposition, I will remove the obstacles.”
“Nicolette?”Nic bit out.
Vaughn smirked, retreating and wagging a finger at him.“Nuh-uh-uh, Dom.You want me to say that in front of your pet agent here so he can tell the grand jury tomorrow.”
Nic suspected he got that news from Bowers.He’d made sure to leave the grand jury call request in view of his boss, testing his theory that Bowers was Vaughn’s USAO mole.
“I simply meant I’d take the legal steps necessary to enforce my rights as your father’s primary secured creditor.”
“You couldn’t call him to say that?”Cam said.
“Then I wouldn’t be here to see your handsome faces in person.”He stepped forward again, and Cam moved slightly between them, shoulder blocking Nic from Vaughn’s advance.Nic didn’t object.He wanted Vaughn to understand how united a front he was facing.
Catching on, he raised his hands and backed off.“Let’s go, guys,” he called to his goons.As they staggered up behind him, Vaughn said to Nic, “The imperial is your best yet.Hope it’s around long enough for everyone to enjoy.”
A subtle threat but Nic heard it, loud and clear.
Cam banged on Jamie and Aidan’s front door, careful to avoid the glass panes.If the doorbell worked, he’d use it—less likely to wake the neighbors this time of night—but the ringer had recently died from overuse and the frantic knocking was a much more accurate indicator of their current situation.
Beside him, Nic shined his phone’s flashlight on their faces so they’d be visible on the security cameras.Wouldn’t want the trained marksmen inside thinking a stranger was trying to break in.
At least that’s why Cam assumed Nic was doing it.He couldn’t ask, though.Someone was listening.
Lights inside and out flickered on, and Cam watched through the panes as Aidan trudged up the stairs from the ground floor primary.He opened the door, hand raking through his tousled red hair, dressed in a college tee that was two sizes too big and flannel pajamas that were six inches too long—both Jamie’s obviously.Cam would have laughed at any other time.Instead, and before Aidan opened his mouth to no doubt complain about the late hour, Cam held up the legal pad on which he’d scribbledWE’VE BEEN BUGGED.
As soon as Vaughn had left the brewery, he and Nic had sprung into action, Nic contacting Dennis, him contacting Mel, trying to determine how Vaughn had found out about Nicolette.Mel had confirmed no one saw them come or go, and Dennis had had them listed under fake names in his calendar.Nic believed him, which left only one explanation.A listening device, on their person most likely, possibly their phones, because Vaughn had known bits and pieces of information from multiple locations.Good thing they knew someone who kept a bug sweeper on hand at all times.
Cam flipped over the top sheet, writing out the second objective with the marker he pulled from his pocket.WE NEED JAMIE AND THE BUG SWEEPER.
Nodding, Aidan opened the door wider for them to enter.They were gathered in the foyer of the split-level home, trying not to trip over Jamie’s scattered detritus, when the man himself called from the bottom of the stairs, “What’s going on?”
Aidan spun, finger to his lips, shushing him.Jamie was up the stairs the next instant, long legs eating them up three at a time, but it was too late.To anyone listening, they’d know where he and Nic were.They had to cover.
“This one decided he needed a late-night doughnut run,” Nic said, likewise catching on.“And the place near us wasn’t good enough.Only the all-night place down the street from you guys would do, so I decided to share the misery.”
While Nic talked, Cam flipped pages and brought Jamie up to speed.His best friend’s face morphed from concerned to doubly concerned to mission-critical in quick succession.
“Misery loves company,” Jamie said.“But I’m not eating doughnuts without coffee, especially at this hour.I’ll put it on.”He led them up to the main level, but it was Aidan who went into the kitchen, grinding beans and waking up the coffeemaker, disguising the sounds of Jamie rooting around in the desk in the adjacent office area.
“You didn’t tell me how Seattle was,” Cam said, making conversation to further cover their activities.“I mean, I know you won the game, but otherwise.”He dropped the legal pad and marker on the end of the kitchen island for anyone to write on.
“Sunny and beautiful, as usual.I don’t understand what all the griping is about.”
“Because that’s not normal,” Aidan said while he scribbledVAUGHN?on the legal pad.“Yet somehow every time you go there, the weather’s perfect.”
Nic nodded and took his turn with the pen and paper.HE KNOWS ABOUT LETTE.
Brown eyes widening, Aidan’s pale, freckled face blanched even whiter.They’d filled him in this afternoon about the Sares, and if there was anyone who prioritized protecting family, it was Aidan.MEL?
EVASIVE MANEUVERS.
Cam had been mid-call with Mel when he’d realized what was going on.He’d told her to treat the family to In-N-Out, their secret code for evac and benign enough for anyone listening to think they were taking the tourists out for a late-night California snack.
“I must bring the sun with me.”Jamie returned to their circle by the island, a small screwdriver in one hand, the bug sweeper in the other.He mouthed the wordPhonesand each of them tossed their devices on the white quartz countertop.
Cam affected a laugh.“Despite what a certain Irishman says, the world does not revolve around you, brother.”
