Connor accepts the handshake, chuckling under his breath as he studies Trinity. “So, you’re the Gallagher princess.”
She cocks her head and grabs my free hand. “And you’re the firstborn favorite.”
Connor clears his throat. “And the sharpshooter.”
Which is news to me. Sure, Declan taught us both to shoot, but I’ve never actually watched Connor work on a mission.
“Nice to meet you. And thanks.” Trinity smiles but doesn’t release my hand. Good, because I had no intention of letting her.
I peer past Connor’s shoulder toward the door. “Where’s Declan?”
“Oh, he doesn’t know I’m here.”
I gape. Wait, what? Connor, the golden boy, the pampered prince, and Declan’s heir…came to our aid without Declan knowing? “Why are you here, then?”
Connor shrugs. “I wanted to hang around New Orleans for a few extra days. Enjoy the holiday festivities. I happened to hear the commotion in this warehouse and knew you’d be involved. So I figured I’d swing around and save your ass if necessary.”
Confusion patters through my brain like rain. Then a weird, warm poker nudges at my chest, just below where my affection for Trinity lives.
Connor defied Declan’s will and stayed in Louisiana because he understood that I was planning to save Trinity. He wanted tohelpme.
I’ve always prided myself on reading a room, on understanding my environment and those in it. That skill has kept me alive for years.
Now, I realize that maybe I never actually got an accurate read on the people closest to me. Maeve and Connor have been on my side this whole time. The only person standing in the way of me finding a true family connection was…me.
I tighten my grip on Trinity’s hand. She’s regarding us both with pursed lips and soft eyes. Assessing. I really do love that brain of hers.
I shake my head and refocus on Connor. “But how’d you know where I was?”
A rare smile forms on my older brother’s face.
Weird.
“I planted a tracker on the drive before I took it out of the computer. I suspected you might do something stupid. Glad I did. A second later, and you two would’ve been toast.”
I pull the drive from my pocket. It’s just a simple chunk of rectangular plastic and metal. Yet, the piece holds the fate of Trinity’s family. It also just saved our lives.
“Look, full confession.” Connor’s eyes bounce from me to Trinity and back again. “I might have been a little curious about how you planned to handle all this.”
“So you just wanted to see if I’d screw it all up.” I punch his shoulder without any real weight. “Fuck you, man.”
He brushes my fist off. “Lucky I did, or you’d be dead. Don’t forget that important detail, little brother.”
Grunting, I run my fingers through my grimy hair. He’s right, of course, but I’m not about to admit that.
“Sorry I didn’t come sooner.”
“You got here just in time. That’s what matters.” I shake my head. “But what about Declan? He’s going to be pissed.”
Connor bends down to grab and examine the fallen Russian’s gun. “Don’t worry about Declan. You’re definitely dead to him, but I’ve got an idea that might help us all out in the long run.”
I study Connor’s face. We have the same shaped eyes. He’s paler than I am, and I’m shorter and stockier, but the longer I stare, the more I see the resemblance.
Because he’s Declan’s biological son and I’m not, I think part of me always clumped him in with our father. The truth is, Connor’s nothing like him. Not in the ways that truly matter.
After everything, I still have a brother.
Though the words only form in my head, they clog my throat all the same.
