Lexi
Thank you. Is it silly that I still get nervous butterflies when I’m around him?
Me
Not at all. Relax and enjoy yourself!
Lexi
Hey, Emmett mentioned there was an issue at the club. Are you okay?
Me
I’m handling it. Go have fun. Love you!
There’s a long pause as I grab my bag and hop out of the truck before my phone buzzes in my hand again.
Lexi
You know you don’t have to handle everything all of the time, right?
She’s wrong, at least about this. I don’t want her to worry. Turning off my phone, I shove it into the back pocket of my olive green cargo pants. I decided to dress comfortably with a cropped black long sleeved shirt underneath my jacket with my cargo pants. There’s a stun gun in one of my many pockets, as well as a pocket knife.
Just because I’m resolved to deal with whatever these guys have to say to me, doesn’t mean I’m not willing to put up a fight if they decide to drag me away.
Yes, maybe that’s dramatic, yet it’s what my anxiety is telling me. My nerves are screaming that something bad is going to happen.
Swallowing hard, I walk over to the front door in my boots. I’m wearing a shit ton of descenting spray, as well as perfume. I do not want these alphas to know that I’m tied to them, not yet.
“Hey,” I mutter, unlocking the door.
Syrus is staring at me funny. I know it’s because he can’t smell me. I’ll have to explain this to him later. I was freaking out so badly last night, I forgot to mention to him that these alphas are both my scent matches.
He also told me that he loved me, and it meant I didn’t sleep much last night as I tossed and turned with that information. The only person I’ve ever said that to is Lexi and my parents.
The things I feel for Sy are big…I haven’t placed a label on it yet. I love seeing him whenever possible, the butterflies bounce in my stomach every time I see him, and he’s the only personother than my sister with a key to my house. If that isn’t trust and something resembling love, I don’t know what is.
“You look like you’re headed to see the firing squad,” Kyren says, watching me carefully as I yank open the door. “Do you really need your guard dog to handle us, Princess?”
“Silva doesn’t need me. I guarantee she has multiple ways to put you on your ass should you deserve it,” Sy grumbles, walking into the club. “I’m here because I offered to be, and because I don’t trust you three.”
“Tell me how you really feel,” Isidro chuckles, following us in.
The door slams shut behind us, and I walk into the middle of the room and grab a chair. Turning it around, I straddle it. A chair works as a weapon if necessary. I’d rather hedge my bets in my favor.
“So talk,” I grind out. “Why do you know who I am?”
“When my brother and I were working for the CIA, there was a string of disappearances we were investigating. The files belonging to you and your sister have haunted us,” Harlan says. “I never understood why there was never any progress on any of these cases.”
We were expendable.Gideon always had his people take those that no one would miss. The abused or ignored.
Pressing my lips together, I stay silent as I incline my head for him to continue.
“My team and I decided to strike out on our own. We essentially went rogue while keeping some of our past contacts that believe the system is also corrupt,” Harlan adds. “We’ve been very successful at cracking some of the cases no one else will touch, and sometimes families will reach out and hire our security company to find their missing loved ones. It’s how we’re able to fund our passion projects since money doesn’t grow on trees.”
“I’m very aware it doesn’t,” I mutter. “So what are Lexi and I? A charity case? I can reassure you that we are not being sex trafficked.”
“Not currently, sure,” Kyren smirks. “You disappeared so thoroughly from the system for years. Where did you go?”
