“I always forget she’s super sweet and shy.”
“Not too shy if she’s hooking up with vampires,” my wife quips, grinning as she grabs two plates and loads them with food.
“I’m so glad I’m not single.” Nessa shivers as she snuggles in closer to her husband’s side.
“Same,” Demi agrees, smiling at Charlie as she runs her hands over her bump. “It’s a meat market out there, and online dating is the worst.”
“Thanks, guys,” Shandra deadpans. “Some of us aren’t as lucky.” She purposely ignores looking at Drew as she says this, but he gets the message anyway.
“I’ll make fresh coffee,” my brother-in-law says, getting up and heading into the kitchen.
“Sorry,” Demi and Nessa say in unison.
“No, I’m sorry.” Shandra slides her tablet into her purse. “You are all lucky to have one another, and I’m thrilled for you, so don’t think I begrudge any of you your happiness.”
Abby hands me the plates and turns to her friend. “We know you don’t. Someday, you’ll find your person too. Hopefully, you won’t have to wait too long.” My wife would have loved to have Shandra as a sister-in-law, but it’s clear that ship has sailed.
“I’m sorry to bail, but I need to go.” Shandra stands, sliding the strap of her purse over one shoulder.
“No need to apologize,” I say. “Thanks for your help.”
“I’ll walk you out,” Abby says, squeezing her friend’s hand.
Silence descends for a few beats. “We need to set her up with someone when we get to the city,” Nessa says to Jackson, but we all hear her.
“We shouldn’t interfere,” Lauder replies.
“Introducing her to a few eligible bachelors is not interfering,” Nessa retorts, shoving a sandwich in Lauder’s mouth to shut him up. “Shandra is stunning. I bet there are single guys on the F1 team who would love to take her out,”Nessa continues, oblivious to the fact Drew has just returned to the room.
“Don’t give me that face, Anderson,” he snaps, handing me a mug.
“Level with us. We’re all friends. Is it really over between you?” I ask.
“Yes.” Drew hands a coffee to Hunt before cleaving a hand through his hair.
“Why?” Abby asks, reentering the room. “I know she has feelings for you, and you can deny it all you want, but you have feelings for her too.”
“It’s not that simple, A, and you know it. I’m not good for Shandra. Nessa and Jackson should help her find someone in the city. Shandra is a real catch, and she deserves to be happy. It just won’t be with me.”
Chapter Fifteen
Kaiden
“Hunt,” Charlie says hours later as we are all crouched over tablets and laptops, fighting tiredness. Demi and Nessa left a couple hours ago, but the rest of us are still here. We haven’t eaten since lunch, and it’s almost dark now. “What was the name of that IT guy who embezzled funds with Roland Murtagh at Techxet?”
Hunt lifts tired eyes to Charlie. “Vincent Becker. Why?”
“This file appears to belong to him. There are a bunch of documents and photos and a letter.”
“Becker’s?” Hunt walks over to the couch, dropping down beside Charlie. I set my laptop aside and walk to Charlie’s other side, perching on the armrest and peering into his screen. Abby joins me, and I circle my arm around her, pulling her in close.
“Share the file with all of us,” Xavier says, and Hunt takes the laptop from Charlie and clicks a few buttons.
“Becker was the one being blackmailed by Mathers. He’s the guy that let them into the systems at Techxet, and he died with his family in a car accident, right?” Lauder says.
“Correct,” Xavier replies. “When we interviewed Murtagh in prison, he said Becker was a good guy and the guilt was gettingto him. He was going to go to the authorities, but Mathers killed him. Obviously staged it to look like a car accident.”
“What does this mean?” I ask as Hunt flips through a few of the files. “And how is it connected to my brothers?”
