I release a dramatic and over-the-top sigh. “Get up, clown.” He rises to his feet in a fluid motion that looks far too graceful for the size he is. Boy’s built like a tank. “Why did you come to my apartment anyway?”
“Oh yeah, sorry. Got distracted by all your beautifulness.” I narrow my eyes and he quickly gets to the point. “We’re all meeting in the restaurant downstairs in thirty minutes, I thought you might like a tour of your new home beforehand.”
“I’ve seen the apartment already, Kian.”
He winks at me. “Therestof the building, Dutch. Obviously, you’ve seen the apartment.”
“Let’s go then.” I slip my boots on then shoo him toward the door.
Kian gives me a brief history of the building, explaining that Ryan had purchased it about ten years ago to give the Charon Group a permanent residence. As they travel all over the world for their missions, he wanted to give his family a place they could call home, while also being conveniently located for work, which was just a few floors below us.
The Waverley Building, from the outside, is nothing out of the ordinary. With around thirty-two floors, it looks like any other non-descript high-rise, with the exception of its incredible and envious location.
“But that’s the beauty of it,” Kian explains. “It blends in, doing nothing to stand out. The ground floor houses a department store, while the second floor has a restaurant and bar. Several other businesses take up the third and fourth. Several are dedicated to offices of various companies, and then the rest of the building is for us.”
“Does the Charon Group own all the businesses too?”
“Nah. Just the department store, restaurant, and bar. We lease out the other floors, which makes a considerable income. We get discounts at the other businesses though, so if you want a spa day or something, just let me know.”
My brows furrow. “How do you keep any of them from discovering what you do? I mean, it’s not like the Charon Group is your ordinary, everyday business.”
Kian laughs, his eyes twinkling as he leads me around our floor. Apparently, this level houses our little group, with several large apartments evenly spread out. As we walk past each one, Kian points out the name tags that have been added, letting you know which apartment is occupied by who. At least I won’t accidentally knock on Trey’s door when I’m looking for Tessa.
“When we bought the building, we had it redesigned,” Kian explains. “There are two sets of elevators—one for the public, and one for us. Ours has biometric locks on it, to protect our floors from inadvertently being entered. There are also two sets of staircases, with ours leading to an underground parking lot only we can access. It lets us come and go without being detected.” My lips kick up into a smile at the thought of their very own Bat Cave.
Kian leads me to the elevator and continues to tell me what else can be found within the building. A gun range for practice. Various other training rooms for different weapon types. A spa and gym, which are also open to the public. “Of course, we have our private gym as well,” Kian informs me with pride.
“Of course,” I reply, rolling my eyes. I learn that the very top floors house the Charon Group’s teams. Ryan, Kian, and Jase are one of three the group runs. Ryan’s group tends toward assassinations. Another group, headed up by a woman named Carlotta, specializes in hostage negotiation and extractions. The third group, headed by a man named Zach, is into spying and other covert missions that require stealth. The three rarely come together, unless a designated mission requires it.
Each team occupies a floor, each with its own amenities. Besides apartments for each member of the team, they also have communal areas they design to suit their needs.
I find it interesting how they’ve created this whole little world for themselves. “What do you have on your floor?” I ask curiously.
Kian shoots me a grin. “Ryan went all out on our floor. We have a communal living area, a workout room, sauna, game room, and a cinema.”
“That’s impressive. You don’t even have to leave the building.”
“Not often,” he agrees. “We have a cleaning crew and people that take care of getting groceries as well. There’s a tablet hanging on the wall in your kitchen. Anything you need, just open the app with a picture of a shopping cart on it, add what you want, and it will get delivered.”
Fuck, I could get used to this.
The elevator doors open, and Kian leads me down a hall. “We’re here,” he exclaims, opening the door for me. I step forward into what looks like a private dining room. It’s tastefully decorated in dark colors, lending an intimate look to the space. Dark wood wainscotting lines the lower half of the walls, while a rich burgundy wallpaper lines the upper half. A gargantuan wooden table, long enough to seat at least thirty, dominates the middle of the room, a large chandelier hanging above it.Four black leather ottoman couches are grouped together in the far left corner, surrounding a grand fireplace that would look more at home in a brownstone than the modern building it’s currently housed in. Flames leap merrily behind the fire screen, adding a touch of extra warmth to the room.
Everyone is here already. Tessa, Nate, and Eric sit on one of the couches, holding a lively discussion with Trey and Rebecca. The Duke sits at the table, chatting with her men. Ryan leans against one wall, a glass of whiskey in his hand, eyes intent on The Duke even though Jase is speaking to him.
It turns out this room is for the Charon Group’s use only, usually reserved for when the three teams get together to discuss strategy. Although, it can be booked by any of the teams for any reason. Staff brings in trays laden with lobster and salmon, roasted chicken, and stuffed peppers. Side dishes make an appearance next: roasted vegetables, buttery mashed potatoes, pasta, and rice. Bottles of wine and carafes of ice water are slotted in between the platters, and the table is groaning once they’re done. Everyone digs in with gusto, and I happily fill my plate, moaning under my breath as the succulent lobster just about melts on my tongue.
Dinner is a noisy affair; with so many people gathered around the table, it’s bound to be. Different conversations are flowing, but I keep mostly silent, letting the comforting waves of laughter and talking wash over me while I eat.
Once we’re done, Ryan clears his throat, and the various conversations die down, all eyes swinging his way. “A contact in the police department informed me Carl’s body has finally been found.” Murmurs rise around me at the news. It’s about time. Ryan raises a hand, and silence falls again. “We’ve had a few days to recover from our flight and get settled here, but I don’t think we should waste any more time. I’d like us to meet here first thing tomorrow morning. After breakfast, we can begin to make plans on how we’re going to infiltrate Vincenzo’s organization and take him, and his entire enterprise, down. Sound good?”
Everyone agrees, and the room breaks up. Kian comes bounding over to me and throws his arm across my shoulders. It feels like a tree just landed on me. “What’s up, big guy?” I ask, peering up at him.
“Boys’ night!” He examines my clothes with a critical look. I’m wearing yoga pants and a t-shirt with one of my many pairs of boots. “What you’re wearing is fine, but if you’d rather change, I can meet you at your apartment in ten.”
“I’m good. Let’s get this over with.”
“You sound so excited. Don’t you trust me yet?”
