Tom chuckled. “I said something similar the first time the system pointed out I was steadily gaining weight.”
“It’s incredibly fancy, but also begs the question of what you’re hiding that you need this sort of security,” Thorne said, his eyes flitting about. “I take it the cameras are decoys?”
Keys nodded. “They are. You asked who is footing the bill that allows us to help those who can’t afford our rates?” He crooked a finger, indicating the brothers to follow him. “The people who want this tech intheirbuildings.” He led them into the conference room, which housed a ten-person wood table and a wet bar along the far wall. “This is our home base, but it’s also a demo product, if you will.”
“People come to see this building before hiring us to construct a similar security system into their builds,” Tom added as he closed the door behind the four of them. “They foot the bill that pays your salaries, so you are free to protect those who can’t.”
Goose and Thorne took seats across from Keys and Tom.
“It’s impressive,” Thorne declared. He didn’t seem the sort easily awe-struck. “And this is also the oddest interview I’ve ever been a part of. NDA aside, you wouldn’t be telling us this if you didn’t already make up your mind about hiring us.”
“Fair point,” Keys conceded. “We would like to hire you.”
“All three of you,” Tom clarified. “Your brother, Grimm, would have a job ready and waiting for him when he gets out next year.”
Goose raised an eyebrow. “Why us? We can’t be your first candidates for hire, and if we are, I would seriously question your business skills.”
“You aren’t our first interviews,” Tom answered with a chuckle. “Nor are you our only hires.”
“However,” Keys added, “you would be the only ones we would ask to call Mount Grove your home. As to ‘why you’ specifically? Because you’re brothers.”
Thorne frowned. “I’m failing to follow your logic.”
“I’ve been a member of a motorcycle club for about five years. When I came on, I prospected. One year of hell, where I was lower than the lowest point on the food chain. Reminded me way too much of boot camp for my liking. But it also was necessary. I was a stranger. They needed to learn to trust me and I needed to learn to trust them. I love my MC family, but there was a time when I questioned their loyalty to me. Why did they wantme? What was their angle? And it took that year for me to understand that their angle was nothing more than to offer me a home, brothers, and the family unit I never had growing up.”
Keys pointed between the Riley brothers. “You two are already a unit. Add in Grimm, and we’ve got ourselves a team. You don’t have to learn to trust each other—you already do. You don’t need a year to gain perspective and assurance that the man who has your back isn’t going to turn around and stab you in it.”
“We know not all families are like that. There are many brothers whowouldstab each other in the back without a moment’s hesitation,” Tom said with disgust. “But we did our research on the three of you, and there’s no doubt in our minds that family means everything to you. Not all your assignments will be teamed up. Some of them will be solo, but each of you will watch out for each other without it having to be asked of you.”
“It’s our hope,” Keys continued, “that one day you’ll trust us the way you trust each other. But until then, you will have each other to lean on.”
Goose cleared his throat. “As much as there are days when I would like to wring this one’s neck,” he threw a thumb at his older brother, “for being a bossy know-it-all, I can’t argue with your logic.”
Thorne did not react to the death threat Goose just declared in front of witnesses. “Nor can I.”
“Good,” Keys smiled. He reached forward and tapped the table. A projection of a house appeared in the center, rotating so everyone could see the entirety of the exterior. “Each of you would have a house as part of your contract, along with a company vehicle and weapons. We’ll help with moving costs and anything else you need as well.”
For the first time Goose and Thorne looked at each other with a worried expression on their faces.
“What is it?” Tom asked, frowning.
“We don’t want to impose. The offer for a house for each of us is very generous,” Thorne stated with sincerity. “But we would prefer a home where the three of us could live together.”
Personally, Keys didn’t mind. That was their choice, but he was surprised by it. “I have no issue with it, though I am curious if there’s a specific reason.”
“Grimm.” Goose’s mouth tightened as he answered. “He might have…trouble adjusting to civilian life. Thorne and I both served, but Grimm’s been in the longest. We would feel more comfortable being able to keep an eye on him without him knowing we are.”
Tom looked to Keys. “I’m fine with it. One house is cheaper than three. We haven’t accepted the offer on that last house yet, either.”
“We’ll add paid services with Dr. Rutenberg to your benefits package,” Keys said to Thorne and Goose as he typed into hisphone. “He’s a local psychologist I trust. Many in the club use his services as well.”
“You said you hadn’t bought the last house yet?” Goose inquired of Tom. “Meaning, you already purchased two?”
“One is purchased,” Tom indicated to the projection. “One is in escrow, and we only put the offer in on the third yesterday.”
“Would you mind if we worked out an arrangement for the second house?” Goose requested. “Maybe you could take a percentage out of our salaries each month to pay you back for it or something?”
Thorne frowned for a second until he caught on to whatever it was his brother was asking for. Then he nodded at Keys and Tom. “Yes, I’d be willing to do that, too.”
