ALL FIVE BROTHERS were in Portland, sitting in Declan’s living room. They scoured the city, spent hours searching surveillance video; Liam even wrote a program to scan the footage for him, searching for specific markers to make it go faster. Nothing. Not a trace. Not a clue.

Another program was designed to search hotel and rental car databases, searching for key words associated with Tom Boyd, looking for an alias or any clue that would give them something. Multiple alarms sounded, none leading to Tom. Not even the facial recognition imaging software got a hit, and it searched feeds from all over the city, the bridges, and freeways in and out.

They were high tech, had every resource imaginable, and turned up nothing. He was simply not there.

Blake was conferenced in from McKenzie to brief them about a lead he followed up on. Liam’s software had picked up Tom’s face in Arrow Springs, just one town over from McKenzie. By the time they got there and turned the town inside out, he was gone. In the wind again.

“Damn it!” Declan shouted, hitting his fist to the table. “Why can’t we get this guy? How is he always a step ahead when he’s out there, gone rogue, and we have all of this expensive fancy tech shit? Seriously!”

Luke was angry for his brother and wanted the asshole as much as he did. “Dec, you trained him. We’ve talked about this. He works like we do. He’s smart, calculated, and always thinking ahead. He doesn’t need the fancy tech shit. He has real skills, instinctive ones at that. This shit is second nature to him. Catching him is like trying to catch one of us.”

“Yeah. Remember when you and Lydia went off the grid a few years ago?” Wylie offered. “We couldn’t find you guys. You didn’t have any fancy tech shit. You just disappeared. You were smart, instincts like Luke said. You were always a step ahead. We need to think like that. Then we catch him.”

“That’s how he can be in two places at once and play these games. When one trick is exposed, he’s long gone and already putting the next in motion,” Dace agreed. “Let’s not forget that he knows how we operate. He has an advantage. He sees us coming before we even make a move.”

Declan shrugged and bobbed his head in agreement. “We need him to make a mistake. Or, draw him out somehow.”

“So, how do we do that? Our usual bag of tricks is dragging this thing out. We sit and wait until our mark gets tired and screws up?” Wylie said. “We don’t have that kind of time – we have clients that need us and lives to live, and he is pulling all of our resources.”

“Simple,” Declan announced, “we need to think like a psychopath.”

Lydia was in the kitchen, grabbing beers for the guys, listening to every word. Her gut was reeling, she wanted him, too. If the past few days taught her anything, it was that she was stronger than she remembered, and with the O’Reilly clan around, her confidence was endless. She had a plan. This started so many years ago because of her. It was going to end on her terms.

Hands occupied by a tray of beers, she entered the room and voiced her opinion as she set the drinks on the table. “Then let’s flush him out. Use me.”

Declan gave her a what the hell look and said, “Excuse me?”

Feeling brazen with her new-found confidence, she dropped her hands on her hips and fired back, “Did I stutter? Use me. I’ll draw him out. He said it wasn’t over, so let’s let him try to finish it.”

“Not a chance. It’s too risky – it’s dangerous – it’s…no. Let’s get a decoy.”

“A decoy?” Now Lydia wore the what the hell look and scanned the brothers’ faces. “Is he serious?

Wylie was the only one brave enough to step in the middle of their heated battle of wills. “Well, we’ve done it before.”

Rolling her head in disbelief, she sighed. “You said it yourself; he thinks like you. He’ll see that coming. He knows how you operate.”

Declan couldn’t believe what he was hearing or what he was seeing. When he glanced around the room, his brothers were each bobbing their heads in agreement, seeming to take her side.

“No, Lydia. I’m not gambling with your life. It’s exactly what he wants! Too risky. We’ll wait him out,” Declan decided.

“Well, sometimes it takes risks to reap the reward.” She sat on the coffee table in front of him. “I want to do this, Dec. Put me out there, let him think we tripped up and made the mistake.”

There was a long pause while Declan deliberated, weighing the risk and reward. When she raised her eyebrows at him, awaiting his response, he sat taller and puffed out his chest with a sense of pride. She had come such a long way, and he was proud of her.

Sealing the deal, she added, “You guys will get him long before he gets me.”

Wylie kicked back with crossed arms and a tilted head while stretching out his legs and crossing his ankles. “Well, well, well…what do we have here?”

“Sounds like a new member of the team, boys,” Dace answered, matching the pride among the brothers.

“I’ve been listening to you guys for weeks, now, and let’s not forget all of those months on the run. I might have picked up a thing or two. I learned…from the best.” She leaned forward, resting her hands on Declan’s knees, winning him over.

“Okay then. Let’s get back to McKenzie Ridge, business as usual. We’ll draw him out and put him away, once and for all.”

With cheers all around, the brothers stood, mumbling about getting ready to head back the next day with a plan.

“My only condition…” Lydia tossed out, just when they thought it was decided.

“Oh shit, here it comes,” Wylie warned.

Dace laughed. “Just like a woman. Get everyone on board, then start tossing out conditions.”

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that, Dace. My condition is we keep Jax out of this – as much as possible – he’s not involved.”

Luke nodded in agreement. “Easy. Just let him be seen a time or two, so Tom knows he’s back too – and make all of this is believable. Jax will be protected, Lyd.”

“Tom knows where you go, we go, by now. And we know he’s watching. So seeing a few of us with you and Jax won’t be a surprise,” Luke added.

Lydia nodded. “After that, back in the shadows. Jax is done. Even if it means getting him out of there all together – if stuff turns bad.”

“You got it, sis,” Wylie said. Using the endearing term made Lydia’s heart swell a little. “Even if Jax is the target, it should be enough to get him to move on you, to get to him. Either way – we got him.”

Lydia shuddered at the idea of Jax being the target but knew they were right. It was a possibility. If she wanted a safe, quiet life with Declan and Jax – she had to fight for it. This was her fighting.

“I’ll go pack.”

It was their last night in Portland. The brothers had gone back to McKenzie ahead of them to get set up and to avoid looking like the cavalry. Ronan and Ryker were in Portland, however, to escort them back in the early morning. It made more sense. Since Ronan and Ryker were still in the background, Tom wouldn’t be watching for them.

Blake called earlier in the evening; Jessie’s brakes went out on her car. They had been tampered with. It was clear that Tom was around and had been in town.

Blake was furious and one hundred percent on board with the plan. He, too, was more than ready to take the guy down, whatever the cost. He was ready – his team was ready.

Colleen brought dinner by from the Pub again. Lydia adored her, admired her really. She knew what her sons did, and it couldn’t be easy to know they were walking into danger every day they went to work. They became fast friends, and Lydia felt connected to her somehow. She was nurturing and sincere – something Lydia never had in her own mother. She even offered to keep Jax in Portland, with her, until they were done with whatever needed to be done. Lydia appreciated the gesture but ultimately turned it down, to which Colleen told her the offer stands, should she change her mind.

“My boys, they’ll keep you safe. They’ll fix this, ya know. They always do.” Colleen left on that note, offering her hugs and affections before heading for the door.

Lydia looked forward to coming back to Portland, spending more time with Colleen and getting to know her. Somehow, that woman had already made Lydia feel like she belonged. Like she was an O’Reilly, too. Portland was starting to feel more and more like home.

Jax was staying one more night with Felicity and Reagan. When Liam was out of town, Reagan usually stayed with Felicity. It was part of her job but also something she loved. Since the two kids had become joined at the hip, Felicity offered a final night of sleepover time.

“If you want to leave Jax here, in Watermark with me and Reagan, I’m more than happy to keep him,” Felicity offered.

“Oh, I do appreciate it, but I just…I don’t know. It wouldn’t feel right with him so far away. I would worry even though he is safer here than there,” Lydia admitted.

Felicity smiled. “I understand. Just know that I’m here if you need me.”

“Please don’t think that it’s because I don’t trust you,” Lydia corrected, fearful she was sending the wrong message, “because I do. I just need him nearby and don’t want to bring any unnecessary harm to you or Reagan if Tom were to try and come for Jax.”

“I completely understand, Lydia. No need to explain.” She leaned in and hugged her new friend before heading out the door with the sleepover crew. “Just remember, I’m only a phone call away, okay?”

Reagan was several years older than Jax and doted on him like he was her own little brother. The two walked out the door behind Felicity, holding hands and giggling. It warmed Lydia’s heart to see their immediate bond so strong and loving. Jax was going to miss her.

Declan was sitting at the edge of the dining room table, which sat between the kitchen and living room with a perfect view of the front door, arms crossed and chuckling. “Those two certainly hit it off.”

“Right? Jax adores Reagan – City too! He’s hardly said two words to me since we’ve been here.”

“I’m glad he’s having a good time – distracted,” Declan said.

“Me, too. Last time he was too young to understand what was going on. This time, he still wouldn’t understand, but he would definitely pick-up the fear.”

Declan looked at her, his demeanor changing from amused to something Lydia didn’t recognize. “I’m not going to lie, Lydee. I’m not excited about using you this way, but I am damn proud of your badassery.”

He pulled her against him, leaving her standing between his legs, resting his arms round her waist – hers around his neck.

“Badassery…cute. You want forever; this is how we get it, right?” she asked with confidence.

That look of his changed, yet again, to something darker swirling in his eyes, desire.

“Damn right. I’m so proud of who you’ve become. You just keep impressing me. I’m going to marry you,” he said, matter-of-factly with a deep rumble to his voice as he started to kiss her neck.

With her head back, enjoying his heated touch setting her skin to a low smoldering burn, she struggled to put her thoughts into words. “Ohhhhh…are you now?”

Lifting her arms slowly, she teased him, invited him to take what he wanted because she wanted it just as much, if not more. Following her lead, his fingers skimmed her shirt hem and slid it up her body slowly, seductively.

He dipped his head and trailed kisses along her stomach, following the shirt to her breasts, where he spent time appreciating the ample cleavage displayed, then to her collarbone. He dropped the shirt to the floor and reached behind her to unclasp her bra, which fell to the floor in a growing pile of unneeded clothing.

With her bare breasts on display, she stood boldly, daring him to make another rousing move. His obvious hunger was so hot it burned her flesh, causing her belly to flutter and tighten with excitement. With hooded eyes, heavily weighted with a torching sense of desire that was threatening to explode with only a look, she arched her back and put her offering level with his mouth.

“Well?” she said in a breathy whisper, “are you?”

Her question was loaded with innuendo, and he wasn’t sure what to answer first – the part about marrying her or the part about her tantalizing breasts he was preparing to feast on.

“Well, not now. I’m…sort of busy. But when all of this over, I am going to marry you.” Taking to his feet, he turned and cleared everything from the table in a fast sweeping motion, then turned her too, laying her flat on her back and kicking the nearby chair out of the way before he quickly dragged her pants and panties off of her and fell to his knees. “I’ve waited so long. I’m tired of waiting.”

He pulled her ass to the edge and spread her feet wide, pushing her knees out. He buried his face in his favorite place, right between her legs. There was nothing sweet and sensual about it. It was brash, bold, and dirty.

Her cries of pleasure drove him to take more, to push her to the limit, and he did, driving his fingers into her while his mouth seduced her most sensitive spot, tempting her to tighten around him. Her back arched, lifting her ass from the table, trying to get more of him.

His hands now free, he held her hips in the air and pulled her against his face where his tongue would stroke her, then dip in and out of her. When he opened his eyes, he saw her hands, playing with her own breasts, greedy, wanting to peak. The sight of her alone, scandalous as it was exhilarating, almost took him to his peak.

In one vast movement, he stood. Taking his sweats down, he slid her ass off the table by her hips and flipped her over, face down on the table. Such an erotic move, it made her yell his name as she gripped the edges of the table while he took her from behind. Fast, hard, and greedy, he rode her, grinding into her, rolling against her, trying to get all of her.

He lifted one of her knees to the table, turning her slightly to the side, giving him access to one breast to pull and tweak as he laid over her, burying himself in her deep and sideways. One, two, three strokes with his hard length in that position, and she was crashing down around him, squeezing him with her heat, draining him as she did – both of them laid on the table, waiting to come down from their tantalizing high.

Stepping out of his sweats, which were still clinging to his ankles, he scooped her off the table and walked toward the bedroom, leaving their clothes in a heap on the floor.

“For now…I’ll just make love to you while I wait for that forever,” he said, to which she sighed in a dreamy tone, still speechless from their spontaneous encounter.