"What?" Keegan asked. His brother wasn't making any sense.

"The gun runners. I know who they are. Well, sort of. I know who they are affiliated with."

"Is it a secret?" Nikki asked.

Kaiden shot a confused look. "No, why?"

"Because you keep saying you know but you aren't telling."

Keegan laughed. He loved Nikki's sarcasm so much, especially when she confused his twin.

"I'm about to. Patience, sweetheart."

Keegan glared at his brother, making Kaiden chuckle. "Relax, brother, I didn't mean anything by it. I'm a married man, remember?"

He relaxed a little. Sometimes Keegan forgot his brother the playboy was permanently off the market. Katie had a hold of him that she wasn't releasing anytime soon.

"Fine. So, who is responsible for the guns?"

"The Ricci crime family." Kaiden stood there grinning like a kid on Halloween dumping out his sack of treats.

"You're kidding?"

"Nope."

"Does Logan know?"

Kaiden shook his head. "Once I got the information I came right here. I would have called—"

"But I soaked his phone," Nikki said, nodding. "So, who are the Riccis?"

"The Ricci crime family is the reason our cousin Logan is happily married to the love of his life," Kaiden replied.

"And the reason his wife Angelina spent a year in witness protection before a hit man came after her," Keegan added.

"So, why are they here in Virginia now?"

"Apparently crime families make their money in different ways nowadays. When Angie had her run in with them, she was undercover and discovered they ran a human trafficking ring. Guns must be their new venture."

"You said you know where they are going?" Nikki asked Kaiden.

"Again, you are not going to believe this. The guns are headed to South America. The Riccis support a drug cartel in Mexico."

"That's not really all that surprising," Kaiden said.

"No, it's not. Unless you know their route starts in Staunton and runs down the Blue Ridge Parkway."

"You're kidding." Keegan hadn't expected that. "They go right by Ma's place. And Angelina and Logan. We have to let them know. Give me your phone."

"No need to wake them up now. Angie's about to pop with that nephew of ours. I was thinking we would drive out there. Meet up at the compound and tell them there. Maybe Ma will know something from the local guys."

"Is your mom a cop too?" Nikki asked. "She didn't look like one."

Both men laughed and exchanged knowing looks. Keegan explained, "No, she's not a cop. But, our mother is very involved in a—club—of locals that know a lot about what happens in the area."

"A club. Ha! That's rich." Kaiden chuckled. "So? Let's go."

"My clothes are wet and muddy." Keegan looked down at himself, having forgotten that he too actually could have used a shower.

"I'll grab your go bag from the truck. You can throw on some clean sweats and shower and change when we get on the mountain."

"Mountain? Compound?" Nikki looked from one man to the other. "You two are very strange."

"You haven't seen the half of it." Kaiden laughed again on his way out the door. "Pack a bag, Nikki. You are about to have one heck of a mini vacation."

When he was outside again, Nikki turned to him. "What is going on?"

"Road trip." He grinned.

"Staunton is nearly three hours away. I should call my boss."

"Henry? You want to call Henry, tonight?"

"Yeah, that's probably not the best idea, huh?"

Keegan shook his head. "No. Probably not."

"We need to at least let Will know. This is really more the ATF's deal than ours."

She had a good point. "I'll have Kaiden text him. Ma will be psyched to see him. Will hasn't been on the mountain since Logan's wedding."

"What is this mountain you keep referring to?"

Keegan shrugged. "Home. Why don't you go change and pack an overnight bag? Not that I don't prefer what you are wearing but I'd rather my brother not get an eyeful again."

Nikki looked down at her robe. Keegan watched as the embarrassment climbed up her body and spread over her cheeks. "Yeah, I suppose jeans and a sweater would work. Be right back."

"Need some help?" he couldn't help but ask. Nikki's eyes sparkled as she shook her head and disappeared in her bedroom.

The front door opened. Kaiden entered with a blast of cool night air that washed over him and yet it did nothing to cool the heat boiling inside him.

"I called Will. He and his agents are going to meet us in Staunton in the morning."

"I was just going to ask you to do that."

Kaiden tossed him the duffle he carried. "Here, go get changed. Where's Nikki?"

"Getting dressed and packing a bag."

"Sorry I messed up your night, man." Kaiden winked at him and motioned down the hall to Nikki's room.

"You didn't mess anything up."

"Please. You looked like you wanted to decapitate me when the door opened. I'm seriously apologizing here. It's nice to see you happy."

"I'm not happy." Keegan scowled to make his point.

"Oh okay. Will said, since you met her, you've taken every opportunity to shove your tongue in her mouth that you can. Something's up and Ma is gonna have a field day with it."

Keegan groaned. "Yay. I forgot about our mother."

"Well, if nothing else, at least she might take down the dating profile she put up for you on GetDates.com."

"She did not!"

Kaiden stepped out of his brother's reach. "Oh, yes she did!"

"Why can't that woman stay out of my personal life?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know I was such an issue," Nikki said from the hall behind them, working hard to hide the hurt in her eyes.

"Not you. It's our wonderful mother. She is desperate to get my brother hooked up. Maybe she'll back off now. I'll see you two outside." Kaiden turned and walked out of the house.

"That was awkward," Keegan mumbled, switching his bag from one hand to the other.

Nikki closed the distance between them. Rising up on tip toes she whispered against his ear, "Not at all. I'm happy to take you off the online meat market just as soon as this case is wrapped up."

Keegan dropped his bag to the floor and slipped his hands around her waist. "I'm sure we can negotiate something."

"I'm an excellent negotiator." The horn of his truck sounded from outside. "Doesn't your brother realize I have neighbors?"

"He realizes it all right. It's just not as important to him as making me miserable. I better go get changed."

She pressed another quick kiss to his lips. "Yes, I suppose you should. I'll meet you outside. I have a couple things to do before we leave."

It took less than five minutes for Keegan to change and meet up with Nikki and Kaiden in his truck.

"I'll drive," Keegan said, pulling open the driver's side door to get his brother out.

"Let me drive. You're tired."

"Says who? I'm fine. It’s my truck. Get out."

"Come on, let me drive for a while. She's pretty sweet." Kaiden patted the dash.

"And I want her to stay that way. The way you drive—"

"What’s wrong with the way I drive?" Kaiden feigned hurt. "Whatever happened to twin love? Unbreakable bonds and all that crap?"

Keegan let out a long sigh. "Fine. You can drive. Nikki? Do you want the front?"

"Nope. I think I'll stretch out in the roomy backseat. Unless you want to join me?"

"No way! None of that when I'm driving!" Kaiden pretended to vomit.

"Do you have any idea how many times I have had to watch you get all gooey eyed with Katie? Talk about nauseating. It would serve you right if we had sex in the back seat!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them. Nikki turned the color of a freshly cooked lobster and Kaiden collapsed in a fit of laughter, sliding out of the front seat and hitting the ground. Keegan, snagged the opportunity to slide in behind the wheel and slam the door shut, locking it. Nikki ran around to the passenger side to claim the other front seat, tossing her bag into the bed of the truck as she went. Keegan turned the key, revved the engine, and backed out of the driveway. Kaiden jumped to his feet and pounded on the window as the truck moved.

"Come on, Kee! That ain't right! Let me in!"

Keegan finished backing out and began to slowly drive down the street, Kaiden jogging beside them.

"How long are you going to make him do that?" Nikki asked, starting to sound concerned.

"Not long." Keegan laughed. "Don't worry, he'll survive. Paybacks are a bitch, aren’t they?"

"I'm kind of glad right now that I am an only child."

"Keegan! Stop the damn truck already!" Kaiden was keeping up but barely. Keegan stopped short and unlocked the doors. His brother pulled open the back door and threw himself across the back seat, breathing heavily. "You're a real jerk, you know that?"

Keegan grinned over the seat at his brother. "Katie must be quite the cook. You're a little out of shape, brother."

"I am not!"

"Whatever you say." Keegan hit the gas and the truck lurched forward, sending Kaiden rolling off the bench seat.

"I hate you."

"You love me. You have to. We’re twins."

"There's no law that says so and I should know. I'm a real law man." Kaiden crawled back up to the seat and righted himself in the position behind Nikki. "If you didn't want me to drive, you should have just said so."

"Pretty sure I did."

"Whatever. Just drive already." Kaiden let his head lean against the back window. "I'm taking a nap."

Keegan steered the truck onto the interstate and headed for route fifty eight. "You can take a nap too, if you want Nikki. You've had quite the night."

"I'm good for now. Thanks."

"Okay, then. Why don't you find something to listen to on the radio? Preferably something that will drive my brother crazy."

"You should just go to hell," Kaiden mumbled from the backseat. "I'd kick your ass right now but I'm too tired. Maybe when we get to Ma's place."

"Sounds like fun. I look forward to it."

"Ugh. Why couldn't I have been an only child?"

"Because Mother Nature knew you'd need a smarter, more logical brother to keep you in line."

Kaiden grunted in response. Keegan just smiled to himself and kept on driving. It wasn't often that he won a sparring match with his twin but he just had and it felt good. Really good. Maybe being around Nikki was good for his confidence. God knew she was good for other parts of him.

He had to remember to drop Margot an email and thank her for ruining his former life. The future had prospects far better than anything she ever had to offer him.