He disappeared and came back, minus the parcel and bag, but with his boots on. Keys in hand, he shut the door behind him and preceded me to the driveway where I’d left my bike. “Cameras are up there.” He pointed to the house. “The alarm system is linked to my phone and Cam’s. Probably Saint’s too, I never asked.”
“It is. I helped them tweak it a few months ago.”
“Good with technology, eh?”
“When I need to be. It’s not my favourite thing.” One of the cameras had dropped its ideal angle. I used a nearby tree to hoist myself up to adjust it. A one-armed pull-up, a tiny screwdriver between my teeth.
Below me, Decoy made a growly sound, and I forced myself not to hyper-focus on it. Whatever this was between us—real or pretend—it wasn’t the only reason I was here. A fact Cam had seen fit to call me up and remind me of.
“We can’t afford to be distracted right now. Not with something as important as protecting our family.”
The memo hadn’t been necessary, but I’d accepted it. Decoy deserved someone to care about him as much as Cam did.
I fixed the camera and hopped down. “I’m going to put a motion sensor on the driveway.”
Decoy nodded. “What about round the back? I blocked off the gate that leads to the alley, but it’s still where I’d come in if I was gonna raid this place.”
“Show me?”
He led me to the side gate. It gave me an unobstructed view of his broad back and tattooed neck. He had shorter hair than most of our brothers, but there was still enough that my fingers itched to touch it.
That’s not your priority right now.
It couldn’t be for the whole time I was here, and I knew it. Iknewit. But my body was dancing to its own tune.
In the garden, Decoy showed me how he’d break into his house to kill someone. It was a good enough plan to make me want to install six-inch spikes on the back wall.
I compromised with what I said out loud. “Those bushes you have out the front—we should line the perimeter with them.”
“The pyracanthas? For real? I just spent a week cutting those bastards down.”
“Because they’re brutal, right? Imagine falling into one.”
Decoy studied the back wall. “That wouldn’t happen if Saint or Alexei were the hitmen.”
“It wouldn’t happen to me either, but we’re dealing with Sambini men. Or their hired help. Trust me, they’re idiots.”
“I do trust you.” Decoy held my gaze for long enough that my pulse battered my eardrums.
Then he sighed and opened the back door.
I let him duck inside in peace. The rear garden was a nice space and I liked plants. Nature. Growing things from the earth that nurtured our bodies. Decoy had pots with tomatoes and courgettes on the patio. Strawberries hanging in baskets.
Reaching up, I stole a berry and chewed it slowly while I took in the rest of the garden. Sunflowers. Ancient roses that had been here longer than he had.He likes this.If he ever made it to my family home, he’d fit right in.
Don’t think about that.
My brain was saying no to too many things. I let this one go and pictured Decoy on Moondust Farm, Jekka fussing over Ivy while my dad went on a tangent about regenerative agriculture. I pictured Decoy listening with that serious face of his, taking it all in. I pictured my dad’s happiness when he realised someone was paying attention for once.
I miss them. Not a new phenomenon, but seeing it through this lens made it hurt a little more.
“Here.” Decoy pressed a cold water glass into my hand. “Rest your legs.”
He gestured to the patio steps and sat down. They were narrow enough that there was barely enough space for me.
Or maybe it was just right.
I lowered myself beside him. Our thighs brushed, and the rush of heat was pretty much tradition by now. It made me want to kiss him, but that was a stupid idea. We were about to spend the night platonically—fraternally—sleeping in his bed. If I kissed him now...
