Ella winked, eyes dancing. “Considering how many times I’ve caught you and Clara practically making babies around here, maybe you should handle it. You could use the practice.”
With an exasperated sigh, I shook my head and turned back to my bike, leaving them laughing behind me as I pulled away from the orchard. The kind of teasing and casual warmth I’d never really experienced before Clara felt good. I was completely at ease with my brothers, free to be my real self, and there was definitely a deep sense of family, but it wasn’t the same as what I felt around Clara’s family. They were quickly becoming an extension of what I felt for her.
Hopefully, we’d add to the family soon. I’d certainly been putting forth my best efforts. Although, I was glad the awkward shit, like explaining the birds and bees, was far in the future.
As I neared the compound, my amusement faded as my mind shifted gears. I focused on the coming meeting and what had been discovered.
When I strode into King’s office, tension immediately crackled across my skin.
Wizard was sprawled on the couch in the small sitting area, tapping away at his tablet with his boots propped up on the armrest. He looked up briefly, shot me a chin lift in greeting, then immediately went back to work.
Blaze leaned against a bookshelf near the window, his arms crossed over his broad chest.
And King was barking rapid-fire Italian into the phone. His eyes were narrowed, focused on something none of us could hear, his voice shifting smoothly into Russian as he paced restlessly behind his desk. Then he switched to Hungarian, yet another of the eight languages he was fluent in. His mastery wasimpressive, but his wife had him beat now that she was fluent in Mandarin.
I glanced over at Blaze with a raised brow. His expression was darkly amused when he met my gaze.
“CIA contacts,” he explained, his voice just clear enough to be heard.
“The off the books kind?” I asked.
He nodded.
I didn’t need more of an explanation. One of the reasons the prez had left the CIA was because of the government shackles that had kept him from doing what needed to be done in the most efficient and safe way too many times. He’d been forced to put his career on the line by working what were essentially black ops in order to successfully complete his assignments. The higher ups were aware that he couldn’t succeed any other way, but they weren’t willing to risk their own jobs—or lives. So, they looked the other way and disavowed anyone who got caught. When King and his team were betrayed and nearly went to prison for treason, he’d had enough.
Now, he didn’t have to ask or explain his actions to anyone. And those relationships he’d built with people the government wouldn’t touch had been the ace in the hole for us on many operations. Especially when we were helping a client disappear.
“Finally figured out who we’re dealing with,” Wizard announced, drawing my attention back to him. He didn’t bother to look up. “Foreign contractors, possibly tied to a private detention network. King’s using his contacts to get confirmation.”
Fuck.The situation had just gotten a hell of a lot more serious. I dropped onto one of the sturdy leather chairs positioned in front of King’s desk, stretching out and propping my boots on the edge of the conference table. King shot me asharp glare, but before he could bark at me to move, Echo and Fallon walked in.
Echo didn’t hesitate, shoving my feet off the table roughly, nearly causing me to fall backward in my chair. Then he walked past me and took the nearest seat at the conference table.
“What the fuck?” I muttered, scowling at him. He just smirked, clearly unbothered by my irritation.
Fallon settled in the chair next to him moments before Cross strode in. He lifted his chin in greeting before he dropped onto one of the overstuffed chairs near Wizard. Tomcat followed silently, positioning himself by the door, his stance alert and watchful.
King finally ended his call, slamming his phone down on the desk hard enough to rattle the solid oak. His expression was murderous. He braced both hands on the desk, eyes flicking sharply around the room, fury emanating from him in waves. “The fucking facility is exactly what we thought. A black site.”
“Fancy term for a prison,” Cross grunted.
King nodded. “It’s foreign run. A capture and interrogation center. Apparently, these contractors hunt specific individuals tied to international financial and intelligence networks. They’re hired by clients who don’t want legal involvement—corporations, organized crime groups, and rogue intelligence brokers. Assholes who operate in the darkest corners of this world. These guys grab the targets, interrogate them, and then either sell them to the highest bidder or make them disappear without a trace.”
“Shit,” Blaze muttered, pushing away from the bookshelf and shoving his hands roughly into his pockets. “Guessing they chose this area because it's in our territory. Probably figured the Hounds’ reputation would keep the local law enforcement at bay.”
“Stupid motherfuckers assumed we’re the kind of club that ignores predators operating on our land?” I scoffed, rage simmering just beneath the surface as my muscles tensed, every instinct screaming for immediate action.
King’s eyes met mine, cold and unyielding. “They’re gonna learn just how fucking wrong they are. This shit needs handled immediately.”
“Am I gonna get to kill somebody?” Fallon leaned forward eagerly, his lips curling at the edges, though his eyes were weighted with something heavy. “I need to blow off some fucking steam.”
My brow shot up at that. Fallon wasn’t a cold-blooded killer.
King’s gaze slid to Fallon. “Probably.”
Fallon’s smirk was nothing short of wicked.
When King didn’t so much as flinch, I realized he was aware of whatever was driving Fallon’s unexpected thirst for violence.
