“What, like, prove ourselves?” I asked on a bitter huff. “Why would we need to prove anything to them?”
“Hasn’t our work over the years done that anyway?” Thatch added, folding his arms over his chest as he leaned back against Rush’s desk.
For once, Rush wasn’t invested in the impromptu meeting. He wasn’t adding insight or taking notes. His knee was bouncing a mile a minute as he lowered his phone from his ear—ending a call and immediately switching to the messages.
“I’m not sure, but...” Briggs’ drew in another slow, deep breath before giving Thatch a meaningful look. “She said something along the lines of, ‘You figured it out. You have more of a warning than we did. Let’s see you keep all your women alive,’ before she hung up.”
Thatch bit out a curse, and I automatically reached behind me, needing to feel the warmth, the life, of Mallory, even though I’d been able to feel her presence behind me ever since we’d set foot in here.
To my surprise, she stepped forward, meeting me. But just long enough for my hand to slide around her waist and grip at the back of her hip before she moved away until she was standing at my side and asking, “Why are they suddenly challenging us?”
“Because Briggs doesn’t know how to keep his mouth shut,” Thatch ground out and gripped at his hair.
Tension wove through the space at the claim as we all waited to see how Briggs would respond, but he just stood there silently when Thatch released his hair and tossed the hand in his direction.
“When ARCK showed up last year to help with the Owen Vance situation,” he began, “Maverick told us we shouldn’t be confident in our abilities to keep people safe just because we were near them, or something like that. Told us that Kieran’s wife was murdered in front of all of them, and then someone else’s wife—I think it was his twin’s—was taken right after that.” Jerking his chin in Briggs’ direction he said, “Now, I’ll admit, I was thinking what Briggs said, but, being Briggs, he decided totell Maverickthat the difference between us and ARCK was that we would’ve stopped all that from happening.”
Another dark laugh crept from Evans before he mumbled, “Wow.”
“It clearly didn’t go over well then or now,” Thatch softly seethed as he glared at our boss.
“I stand by what I said,” Briggs said unapologetically. “Even if they hadn’t helped us with this, even if we’d had no warning with the club or the Davis situation, we still would’ve—andwill—prevent anything like that from happening.”
Just as my lips parted to argue, Mallory said, “I’m with ARCK.” When Briggs turned on us, brow raised, she lifted her chin defiantly. “You can’t know that. We lost people during missions, Briggs. Gray was shot multiple times, one of which went past his vest. You can’t know that.”
“I know I won’t letmy wifebe taken or killed,” he said slowly, carefully, making me realize what exactly he’d been saying to Maverick all those months ago. Casualties of battles and wars were one thing. Losing the person who was the driving force behind your pulse was another. “I know Thatch feels the same.”
When his dark stare shifted to me in question, I nodded. “They’d have to kill me first, and then I’d still fight to get back to her.”
At that, Briggs glanced at Mallory and let one of his eyebrows tick up.
Mallory just breathed, “I can still handle myself,” when he turned to continue addressing the office.
I didn’t agree with her. She already knew I was aware of that.
I just reached out to brush my hand along hers, and felt the corner of my mouth twitch and her soft, stuttered inhale.
“Another thing she told me was that, during every threat their ‘family’ has ever encountered, they’ve holed up in one location. It’s a way to draw the threat to where they’re prepared.”With a look at each one of us, lingering on where Rush once again had his phone pressed to his ear, Briggs added, “While that has worked great for them, we work on the offensive, and I’m not willing to draw mafia to where my niece and pregnant wife will be. Still, we have to do something. So, we’re pairing off.”
Twisting to face us, Briggs cut a warning look at Mallory and lowered his voice so it wouldn’t carry to the others. “I know what you can do—that isn’t what this is. I just won’t ask spouses to separate during this.” Keeping his narrowed glare on her, he added louder, “Husbands and wives are staying together. Evans?—”
“No,” Evans cut in, his stare darting past Briggs, toward the conference room where the rest of the girls were.
“You already know how to handle Wren,” Briggs argued as he turned back to Evans. “Besides, it’ll be easier to keep an eye on her when you’re in the same place.”
“Not if she tries to sneak out,” Evans countered. “Which, she will.”
I could hear the veiled amusement in Briggs’ voice when he mumbled, “I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
Evans’ head fell back against his chair as he dragged a hand over his face, mumbling about babysitting frustrating women.
Briggs glanced over his shoulder at us one last time before facing the others again. “This will be a coordinated, offensive attack, but I’m still betting this new family knows we’re aware of what’s happening, so they’ll be ready. With that said, we’re gonna decide as a team if we’re going in as if nothing’s changed, or if we’re switching locations to throw them off, even just a little. Thatch at Monroe’s, Gray and Monroe at Evans’, and so on.”
We all glanced at each other at the unexpected offer.
Briggs always gave the orders. We followed through.
It was never left up for us to decide.
