Malone shook off the memories and breathed deeply until Aiden pulled into her driveway and parked next to her Mustang. She thought briefly of Ian’s comments about safety. When this was all over, she might need to consider his warning.
Clay held out his hand. “If you’ll give me your key, Brendan and I’ll clear the place.”
Another waste of time, she was sure, but she reached into her purse and handed her ring to him. Ian pulled up on the street. Clay and Brendan hopped out and took the steps to the front door two at a time. They looked so similar that it wasn’t hard to tell they were brothers. Except Erik. He looked like his sister, Sierra.
Ian set his laptop on the roof of his vehicle and leaned against the side of the car to make a phone call, giving her time to study him without him noticing her. She’d wondered if he might be intimidated by the Byrd brothers and Reed, but Ian had held his own in the meeting without a hint of nervousness.
The Nighthawk guys were all former law enforcement officers. Maybe there was some unwritten brotherhood that they felt with Ian. She might’ve been thrown for a loop if she hadn’t known everyone in the room, but honestly, there was only one person throwing her for a loop. The guy who had his ankles casually crossed, his hand clamped on the back of his neck, and his attention pointed at the ground.
He suddenly stood straight, his hand going for the gun holstered at his hip. The garage door started to rise, and he focused on it. He might’ve appeared casual on his call, but he was hyper-aware of what was going on around him.
“Looks like we’re cleared to move.” Aiden looked over the seat at her. “We’ll head straight into the garage and close the door behind us. No stopping for anything.”
They’d shared the arrival procedure at least three times now, but she guessed their protectees often failed to follow directions.
Brendan remained at the garage, and Clay came out to open her door. Aiden met Clay, and they each stepped into place at her sides. They moved at a quick clip, and she kept up with them on the way to the garage. She heard Ian moving behind them. Computer under his arm, he had to duck to get inside the dimly lit garage before the door closed on him. He didn’t look too happy about that.
“Okay, we’ll take up our positions outside,” Aiden said. “You need us for anything, you have our number. If the threat level changes, we’ll let you know.”
“She’ll be fine with me,” Ian said, pulling his shoulders back, the first sign that the Byrds bothered him.
“You going to start in the garage with the boxes?” Aiden asked.
Ian shook his head. “We have video from the hotel to review. I’m hoping we’ll see our shooter and can run him through facial recognition to get an ID.”
“Then let’s get to it.” Malone jogged up the three stairs to the house, and the others followed.
Aiden took up the rear and locked the door.
“Your keys.” Clay handed the ring to her.
“Thanks.” She took the keys, and the brothers stepped out the front door.
“Lock up,” Aiden warned as he pulled it closed.
She let out a long breath and turned the deadbolt with a solid click. “They’re a little bit intense.”
“Little bit.” Ian rolled his eyes. “But in their line of work, they have to be.”
She remained standing by the door. “I just wish they didn’t think I needed their services. It seems like such a waste of their time and resources.”
“Then why did you agree?”
“For Reed’s sake.”
“The two of you seem close.”
“Very,” she said. “We weren’t before our parents died, but things changed when we were the only family we had left.”
He met her gaze. “I’m always shocked by how life can change in the blink of an eye. Just like the rug is pulled out from under you, and you’re helpless to stop it.”
They were getting off track, but she couldn’t help her curiosity. “Sounds like you speak from experience.”
“Not from my own experience. More from seeing it happen on the job.”
Nicely deflected. “Are you close to your family?”
He lifted his computer. “We should get started on the video.”
