Parker stands from the sofa, ignored by everyone else in the room. He nods toward the kitchen in a clear signal for me to follow. But I’m not sure I’m allowed to move. Dante plopped me down here for a reason. Parker sighs loudly when I don’t immediately follow.
“Reid, come to the kitchen with me.”
Dante’s head turns toward Parker, then his gaze swings toward me. He nods in permission, so I stand and slowly follow Parker to the kitchen. Scully plods along behind us as if she wants to be privy to our conversation as well. Sweet little thing.
Parker pours two mugs of coffee, then stands on his tiptoes to reach into a cabinet. A bottle of expensive whiskey is in his hand when he lowers back down. I swallow loudly as he pours generous amounts of liquor into both cups, then hands one of them to me.
I take a sip and grimace, it tastes more like whiskey than coffee. But I guess the occasion calls for it.
“Your brother, what does he do?” Parker asks, mug held to his lips.
I narrow my eyes. “How do you know about my brother?”
Parker grins. “I’ve got my ways. I probably know you better than Dante. I have to ensure anyone that one of my brothers is bringing into the circle isn’t a total waste of space.I deem you worthy, but your brother is a crack in the armor. Tell me, do you know what he does for work?”
“He…” I pause because I really don’t know.
Parker hums. “I couldn’t find it anywhere either. Found a lot on you, but not much on Mason. I know he became your legal guardian when your parents died.”
I gasp. “Who the fuck are you people?”
Of course that’s when Dante decides to swagger into the kitchen. Dante looks between Parker and me, clearly taking in how both of us have our hackles raised. Parker lifts his hands in defense, promptly fleeing the kitchen before Dante can lay into him. I expect Dante to talk me down, do something to help me understand what’s going on, but all he does is tangle our fingers together and guide me back to the living room. Hastily, I gulp down the coffee in hopes it’ll steady my nerves.
“Okay, so you know Robin Hood, right?” Dante asks as he shoves me back down in the chair.
“Sure…”
He sweeps his hand toward himself and the guys on the couch. “Meet your modern-day Robin Hoods.”
7
DANTE
Reid stares blankly up at me. One second, two seconds, then his eyes narrow in the way that I know means I'm about to get some serious shit.
“Explain,” Reid says, voice carrying a hint of anger.
“We were recruited by someone we’ve never met to steal back what’s been stolen from the people. Sometimes it’s money, sometimes it’s intellectual property… sometimes we kill people.” I pause and blink down at Reid, waiting for him to catch on. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Reid takes a deep breath. “Are you fucking with me?”
“Nope!” Hayden pipes up from the sofa. “We were all recruited. We’ve been doing this for about three years now.”
“Are you paid?”
“We have a stipend,” I explain, desperately needing him to understand. “But we aren’t really paid as much as you’d think. It’s more… something we all want to do. The rent on the house is kindly paid for us by our benefactor.”
“You avenge people for… basically free?” Reid asks in disbelief, mouth adorably pursed.If this situation wasn’t so precarious, I’d do something insane like try to cuddle him.
“We have our reasons,” Jacob calls from the couch.
Reid’s eyes slowly track over everyone in the room. “You kill people?”
“Bad people,” Jacob corrects, but flinches when it clearly doesn’t appease Reid.
“Excuse me,” Reid says, then slowly stands. He pauses for a moment to look over everyone one last time, before leaving the room. For one awful moment I’m afraid he’s going to leave, but he only climbs up the stairs, shoulders up to his ears, back ramrod straight.
“Oh… you’re in trouble,” Jacob sings.
