Jared came downstairs that evening after his shower to find Reese standing barefoot in Gideon's kitchen, tossing oil into a pan on the stove. The nausea he had felt upon coming home after seeing the dead rescue in the stairwell had mostly abated, but the feeling of uselessness lingered.

 

He’d been too late. She’d had a name, a life, even if most people didn’t want to acknowledge it. Jared had been too late to keep her from a fate he knew very well could have been his own, if Johnathan Cooper had never found him.

 

Jared took a deep breath before shoving those thoughts away. He was already uncertain about his ability to provide adequate backup when they headed into Jefferson. He would be of use to no one if he couldn’t keep his emotions in check.

 

Jared shuffled into the kitchen, a pang of homesickness hitting him as he watched Reese cook. Rae and Declan were on the patio with Gideon, each with a beer in hand. Jared could hear their laughter through the screen door, and a pleasant early summer breeze filtered into the kitchen, mixing scents of fresh air and fragrant spices.

 

The domestic scene could have been any evening in the Cooper household, long ago on the nights that their dad was home with them. Jared missed that feeling, one of having a whole family. He'd become fond of Gideon and knew the man had a soft spot for him as well. Iris was intriguing, yet comforting, and her presence calmed him.

 

Jared still didn't have the words to try to explain to himself how he felt about Reese.

 

But without Johnathan, a piece of Jared’s family was forever missing, a link broken off a chain that would never be anchored together the same way ever again.

 

Tears burned at the corner of his eyes and he tangled his fingers together, pressing hard against his leather cuff so the burn of his scar would distract him from his bittersweet memories.  Jared took another breath and pushed away the melancholy, edging over closer to Reese. "What are you making?"

 

Reese grabbed the pan and gave it an air toss, shuffling its contents with a satisfying sizzle. "Steak fajitas." He gave Jared a self-deprecating smile. "Only thing I know how to make. You guys have been keeping me fed since I've hung around longer than normal. Just trying to repay the favor."

 

Jared rested his back against the counter near the stove. "Smells good." And so did Reese, a musky smell of bike leather, shampoo, and Gideon's back woods. Jared fiddled with the fastener on his cuff, snapping and unsnapping the metal. Now that he was within Reese gravitational orbit, he found it hard to move away.

 

Not that he even wanted to, despite Reese’s blatant rejection earlier.

 

All of that seemed gone though, as Reese casually set down the pan and adjusted the heat on the stove. After being brushed aside after the incident downtown, something deep inside Jared longed to be held by this man, to get back the feeling of safety and security he’d felt in those same arms last night.

 

"I still need to chop the veggies, if you want to help." Reese slid him a wry look out of the corner of his eye. "Keep your hands busy."

 

Jared startled, snapping his bracelet closed. His cheeks heating, he forced his voice steady. "Uh. Sure.”

 

Reese reached around him to grab a knife, his chest brushing up against Jared's back. His hand landed on Jared’s hip, moving Jared slightly to the left so Reese could pull out a cutting board.

 

Jared froze, gripping the countertop to keep himself from pushing back against Reese, into denim-clad hips hovering right behind him. He inhaled sharply when Reese gave his hip a squeeze.

 

Reese bent his head, his voice low in Jared’s ear. "Do I make you nervous, Jared?"

 

Jared lifted his head, his gaze catching on Reese's mouth. "You make me a lot of things,” he breathed.

 

The screen door snapped open, and the others poured into the kitchen. Reese gave Jared a knowing smirk, squeezing his hip one more time before letting his hand fall away.

 

"It smells delicious in here." Rae proclaimed, crossing over to the fridge to grab some more beers.

 

"You're makin' your famous fajitas, ain't cha, boy?" Gideon pulled plates out of the cabinet, handing them off to Rae and Declan. "Best damn ones I've ever tasted."

 

“Extra spicy for your portion, old man.”

 

“Just like Johnathan used to make.” Gideon said fondly.

 

Everyone froze for a moment. Rae and Declan paused with their hands in midair where they had been setting the table and Jared’s knife stilled halfway through a red pepper.

 

“I doubt I can match anything he made,” Reese diffused smoothly, sending a smile in Jared’s direction. “But my steak is pretty damn good.” He tossed the pan’s contents in the air again, the sizzling action sparking movement in the kitchen again.

 

“Show off,” Jared teased, tossing his bangs out of his face before gathering up the chopped veggies and tossing them in. Reese just winked at him, and Jared playfully poked him in the side.

 

“Less flirtin’, more cookin’,” Gideon ordered.

 

Declan slammed the plates in his hand down onto the table. “Jared, you wanna help me get the drinks we left outside?”

 

Jared faltered. “Uh, can Rae do it? I’m helping Reese cook. We both know she can’t do that,” he joked, trying to make Declan laugh.

 

It didn't work. He frowned as he watched his older brother storm outside.

 

“Definitely need another drink,” Gideon muttered.

 

 

“You’re an idiot,” Rae commented as she and Declan gathered empty beer bottles from the patio.

 

Declan paused, three bottles hooked between his fingers. “Excuse me?”

 

Rae put a hand on her hip. “You can’t stop the inevitable, Declan. And pushing Jared away from Reese is only going to make him want him more. Quit interfering, and let Jared have some fun. He’s not some teenager who needs boundaries and curfew.”

 

“Fun? You think messing around with Slater is called fun?”

 

Rae grinned. “Oh hell yeah. You do have eyes, right?”

 

Declan’s face twisted. “Okay, enough.” He tossed the empties with much more force than necessary into the waste bag Rae held. “He’s a maverick. Too fucking cocky for his own good.”

 

“Look who’s talking.”

 

Declan scowled at her. “I’m still on the fence as to whether he’s really on our side.”

 

“Yeah, he probably shot himself in the leg on that last job, just to throw us off.” Rae rolled her eyes. “News flash, Declan, you can’t control everything.” She handed him the bag full of bottles.

 

“He’s going to get hurt.” Declan tied off the bag and turned to follow Rae back inside.

 

Rae paused before sliding open the kitchen door. “Maybe. And he will handle it.”

 

“Jared has had enough pain thrown his way to last ten lifetimes. The last thing he needs is to be abandoned again.” Declan reached around her to slide open the door, not caring if anyone heard his words.  “He’ll get hurt, and we’ll be left to pick up the pieces.”

 

Rae wrapped her arms around him in a reassuring hug, halting his progress. “Then we will. Every damn one of them.”

 

Declan brought a hand up to squeeze her wrists where they were locked around his chest. “At least let me shoot him. If he breaks Jared’s heart, at least let me shoot him.”

 

Rae squeezed. “Only after I shoot him first.”

 

 

They were finishing up dinner, everyone’s plates practically licked clean as they nursed their third round of beers. Unfortunately for Rae, the topic had fallen to her long list of questionable lovers. “And then there was that time you brought home that guy that only ate raw foods.” Declan’s face twisted in a picture of disgust, but he shot Rae a wink.

 

“Oh yeah, he was the worst!” Jared doubled over laughing right along with Declan. “Sorry, RaeRae, but he was something else.”

 

Rae smacked Jared’s arm, but she started laughing right along with them. “He was, wasn't he? Ugh, what was I thinking?”

 

“He had a great smile,” Jared consoled.

 

“Dad had no time for him.” Declan grinned and leaned over to flick Rae’s ear. “That hippie kid wasn't even close to good enough for you. You could have laid him out in two seconds flat.”

 

“I don’t think Dad liked anyone I brought home,” Rae sulked, taking another sip of her beer.

 

Jared leaned over and nudged her side. “Yeah, I hear ya. At least you got to bring them home.”

 

“Ain’t no one ever been good enough for Johnathan Cooper’s kids.” Gideon raised his beer in a toast. “Don’t think for one second he wouldn't have wanted you to be happy, though.” He shot Jared a look. Jared’s eyebrows knotted together, trying to figure out what he meant.

 

Declan cleared his throat, causing an uncomfortable silence to fall over the table. He looked at Gideon. “We good to go for Jefferson?”

 

Gideon matched his look. He took his time answering, but eventually said, “Best as we can be. Haven’t heard from Iris in a bit.”

 

Rae stood, starting to clear plates. “You two don’t share intel?”

 

“Course we do.” Gideon huffed. “She’ll fill me in tonight.”

 

Declan rose, helping Rae gather their dinner dishes. “Maybe she can figure out who the hell has been leaking info. There’s got to be a reason our jobs keep getting fucked up.”

 

Jared handed them his half full plate, too nervous about Jefferson to have eaten much. "But as coordinators, Gideon and Iris know all the Renegades. Wouldn’t they know if someone was leaking? I mean, we know the two of them aren’t the ones helping Agents."

 

Gideon sat back in his chair and folded his large arms across his chest. "My intel comes from all over, and I hand out lots of jobs. It’d be pretty damn hard to figure out who is feedin’ it back,” he admitted.

 

Jared pondered that. He wasn’t sure about Iris’s security, but he had a feeling not much got past her. In fact, she seemed to see more than just what was in front of her. “Okay, but no one else has access to your map, or the jobs you put together. So how could-"

 

"No," Declan bit out the word on a humorless laugh. He stepped up to Reese, crowding his space. "Except you."

 

Reese gave him a languid once over before abruptly pushing his chair back and drawing himself up to match Declan's cagey stance. "You got a free pass last time you put your hands on me, Cooper. The next round you'll pay for."

 

"You said yourself, Gideon's house is your home base," Declan seethed. There was a quiet rage simmering beneath his words. "You may have talked us out of Pine Bluff, but you knew the other Renegades would take it."

 

Jared's heart pounded at the sight of his brother and his...well he didn’t know what Reese was, but Jared was sure he wasn’t a traitor. "Reese went to Salt Lake and got shot, Declan. He wouldn't have gone if he thought he might get killed."

 

Declan jutted his chin forward. “Unless he knew he’d get out with only a scratch.”

 

“I coordinate lots of Renegades, Declan, not just Reese." Gideon cautioned, rising from his seat. "Ease up."

 

Declan's arms twitched, his shoulders drawn tight. He and Reese stared at each other, jaws locked, while no one around them said another word.

 

Jared fisted his fingers around his cuff. He was as sure of Reese’s loyalty to the Renegades as he had been of his own father’s, but there was no doubt Reese was hiding something, and loathe though Jared was to bring it up now, Declan would keep jumping him at every turn until the air was completely cleared.

 

Realizing it could cost him everything he’d had with Reese so far, Jared voiced the thought that he’d finally been able to pin down. “This morning at the lake you said you knew I must be nervous about Jefferson,” Jared forced out. He swallowed hard, looking at Reese. “But no one had even mentioned the job yet.”

 

Reese’s eyes went dark as they cut to his. Jared wanted so badly to believe Reese was a true Renegade, but he also felt a pull in his gut, a visceral need not to get hurt again. He couldn’t handle someone else betraying him, the way Corey had when he’d dumped Jared for someone tougher, the way Declan had with his lies of omission regarding meeting with Vivienne, the way his father had when he swore, he swore, he would forever keep Jared safe.

 

But he also couldn’t doubt Declan for being suspicious. Jared made himself ask Reese a question about something only he had seen and heard. “Who were you talking to on the phone the other day? It seemed...” Jared pushed on. “It seemed like you didn’t want me to hear it.”

 

Reese’s jaw stayed tight, but something akin to guilt flickered in his stormy eyes.

 

“Son?” Gideon fisted large hands over the back of his chair, looking expectantly at Reese. The ensuing silence was heavy, hanging in the air so long that it dared anyone in the room to point it out.

 

Reese looked at Jared. “I’ve got a contact inside. With the Agents.”

 

Jared’s mouth dropped open. “That…that’s excellent.” He was upset at Reese for keeping something like this from them, from him, but a dash of hope flickered inside Jared at the news. “That’s what we need. They can tell us-“

 

Reese cut him off with a harsh laugh. “He used to be an Agent.”

 

Jared faltered. “Oh.”

 

“What the holy hell are you playing at, Slater?” Declan was stayed only by Rae’s firm grip on his arm, a grip Jared knew he could easily get away from if he chose.

 

Reese paced the kitchen. “He didn’t choose to be. He got forced into it by his father, then got caught up in something he shouldn’t.” He lifted his gaze. “We met a few years ago, shortly after he realized what kind of hate the Agents stand for now.  He’s been trying to get out, but defecting from Vivienne’s numbers is next to impossible without painting a goddamn target on your back.”

 

Jared stepped up next to Reese, their shoulders lightly brushing. “It sounds like he’s trying to do the right thing.”

 

Reese’s jaw tightened. He reached out for Jared’s hand, their fingers automatically curling together. Reese turned imploring eyes on the rest of the group. “I know it looks bad, but the secrecy of the phone calls is for his own protection. He’s been helping us out, feeding me intel.” Reese looked at Declan. “He’s the one that told me about Pine Bluff, and to keep you guys out of it because we need you more on the Jefferson compound raid. That’s where he will defect.”

 

“Convenient,” Declan said with a sardonic smile. In one smooth move he broke away from Rae and pulled his pistol from his waistband, pointing it at Reese. “And he will bring how many Agents with him to take us down?”

 

“Declan!” Rae’s eyes widened in horror.

 

“Put it down, son.” Gideon ordered. “Hear him out.”

 

“See, that’s the thing.” Declan’s hand tightened around the gun. “Last time I heard someone out, the three of us were left without a father.”

 

“Declan.” Jared dropped Reese’s hand, moving to stand in between him and the nose of Declan’s pistol. “He’s not William. And he sure as hell isn’t an Agent.”

 

Reese reached for Jared’s hand to pull him out of the way, but Declan’s voice stilled him. “Don’t touch him.”

 

Reese lifted his hands defensively. “You’re wasting your anger, Cooper. There are a hell of a lot of people out there who want you dead, but I’m not one of them.”

 

“Jared.” Declan said, his voice so calm it sent chills up Jared’s spine. “Move.”

 

“Son, you’ve got two seconds to put that away and show me you still have some sense left in your head.” Gideon edged closer to Declan.

 

Jared stood firm in between Reese and Declan, for once his hands steady and sure. He reached out towards Declan’s pistol. “You’ve protected me my whole life, Declan. Don’t make me need protection from you.”

 

Gideon stayed quiet. Rae whispered Declan’s name, her voice shaky but full of conviction. Reese  stood holding his ground but for a slight movement sideways, in an attempt to keep Jared out of the line of fire.

 

At Jared’s plea, the haze of rage cleared from Declan’s steely gaze. He lowered his pistol.  Rae took it expertly, passing it off to Gideon.

 

A look of shock crossed Declan’s face. “Jare. I would never hurt you.”

 

“You would, if you hurt him.” Jared stepped closer to his brother. “I know you’re pissed. I know you’re hurt. I know you still aren’t over Dad.” He offered Declan a sad smile. “None of us are. But I need you to put that rage away for a second, and look around you. You’re so worried about protecting me and Rae that you are blind to anyone else trying to help as well.”

 

Declan bristled at that. He glared at Reese. “Slater might not be out to wreck us, but damned if he’s protecting-“

 

“Why do you think I didn’t tell anyone about Nick?” Reese asked sharply, referring to his contact. “We’d all like to think the Renegades are airtight, but after talking with Tate and his brother, it only confirms our suspicions that someone isn’t playing straight. I couldn’t risk anyone knowing about Nick and accidentally leaking it to the wrong person.” Reese cast a meaningful look at Declan. “You’ve got to know that the Coopers are on Vivienne Knox’s short list. If Nick had been found out while you are all here hiding out at Gideon’s, the Agents could have made him lead them straight to you.” He pressed his point. “To Rae. To Jared.” 

 

Declan blinked, and held up a hand. “Wait, what did you say his last name was?”

 

“I didn’t. It’s Farrington.”

 

Declan studied him. “As in Ken Farrington’s kid?”

 

Jared could see Reese tense at the name. “One and the same,” he confirmed.

 

Gideon cursed. “That man is bad news.”

 

“Yeah.” Declan crossed his arms. “So what’s to say his son isn’t the same?”

 

Reese pinned him with a stare. “I say.”

 

Jared pinched Declan’s side.

 

“Fine,” Declan said, though he was far from happy about it. “You say he will be in Jefferson. He gonna be working against us tomorrow?”

 

Reese shook his head. “He’s walking a fine line, and he’s pushed his cover as far as he can. He will be the perfect liaison to help Rae and Jared get the rescues out.” Reese looked at Gideon. “Nick gave me the coordinates to the compound. I can guide us to within meters of the rear entrance. Going into an Agent compound is a huge risk. Nick knows we need all the help we can get. He will defect and fight alongside us.”

 

Gideon caught onto his hesitation. “But once he does, we lose our inside source.”

 

Reese nodded. “And it really doesn’t make tomorrow any less dangerous.”

 

“Better to lose our source than to lose his life to Agents,” Rae pointed out. She laid a hand over Reese’s. “Thanks for telling us.”

 

Jared gave Declan a pleading look, and his brother rolled his eyes at him before responding to Reese. “I’m still not sure about this, but not having to hunt for the compound saves us time. That ain’t nothing.”

 

“It’s a hell of a something,” Gideon agreed. He looked at Reese. “Your guy gonna be safe tomorrow, coming over to our side? You’re the only one who knows what he looks like. What’s to say one of us doesn’t accidentally take him out?”

 

“He’s the spitting image of Ken. You’ll know.”

 

“You should have told us earlier,” Declan muttered. “Hell, he could have told me while I was still inside.”

 

“Yeah?” Reese raised his eyebrows. “And did he know about you, when you were holding those secret meetings with Vivienne?”

 

Declan blew out a breath. “No. Dammit.” He slammed his hands down onto the hard surface of the kitchen island. “I am so fucking tired of not knowing what the hell is going on in there,” he cursed.

 

“Join the club,” Rae said, a mild bite in her voice.

 

Jared stepped in between Reese and Declan once more, reaching for Reese’s hand. “We aren’t going to get anywhere if we don’t trust each other,” Jared said. “I know there are lots more Renegades, and we can weigh them out as we come across them. But for now, it’s got to start here.”

 

“Damn right.” Gideon lifted his glass of whiskey in toast, and pinned his eyes on Declan. “Listen to your brother, boy. Smart.”

 

Rae pressed gently into Declan’s side. “If Reese had wanted us gone, he could have done it ten times by now.”

 

Declan still glared at Reese, but after several more beats he finally backed off. “Dammit, I know.” He scowled at Reese’s hand on Jared’s hip. “But don’t think I’m gonna start being happy about that.”

 

Reese snickered. “Of course not. That would be too easy.”

 

Jared shot his brother a smile, finally able to relax when Declan did his best to return it.

 

Declan pointed at Reese. “You’re riding with me tomorrow. We’ve got the whole car ride to Jefferson to figure this out, see if we need to change our plan.”

 

“Can’t wait,” Reese deadpanned.

 

 

Later that night, Declan almost ran into Reese in the upstairs hallway on his way out of the bathroom. He gave Reese an are you kidding me look, glancing in the direction Reese had come from, where Declan and Gideon’s rooms were. Jared was still bunking with him, now that Reese was back in Jared’s old room. 

 

Reese held up his hands. “Relax. I was just giving Hatch the coordinates for the camp. Crazy old man never sleeps, wanted to map it out tonight.” He shoved past Declan into the bathroom to brush his teeth, ignoring Declan’s looming presence in the hallway.

 

Reese spat in the sink and looked at Declan in the mirror. “Good grief, Cooper, he’s in Rae’s room. I’m not going to try anything.” He grinned. “Not right under your nose, anyway.”

 

“You just keep baiting the hook, you know that?”

 

“And you keep taking it.”

 

Declan bit his tongue on the retort that lingered there. He watched Reese’s quick, efficient movements and tried hard to see what the hell his baby brother saw in this man.

 

Declan’s heart skipped a beat when he thought of Jared standing in front of the barrel of his pistol, his eyes wide and pleading for Declan not to hurt him. He may as well have held up a mirror, the way he had horrified Declan with what he saw staring back at him in Jared’s eyes.

 

Rubbing a hand on the back of his neck, Declan started, “Earlier, when I...” He coughed. “The gun, I mean. It was...I shouldn’t have done that.” Declan mumbled, shoving out the weak apology so quickly that he half expected Slater to make him repeat it.

 

Instead the guy just spat into the sink again, then turned around slowly, crossing his arms over his massive chest, waiting for more.

 

Declan looked over his shoulder to make sure the hallway was still empty, then swore softly. “You are just so damned convenient to be mad at. Every time I see you look at my brother with your stupid, besotted, bad boy expression, I want to punch you in the face.”

 

The corner of Reese’s mouth curled up. “It’s taking everything I have right now to figure out whether I should feel insulted or complimented.”

 

“Whatever.” Declan rolled his eyes. “We leave in six hours. I don’t know about you but I am going to at least attempt sleep.” 

 

He stopped in his tracks when Reese spoke again. “Agents killed my sister.”

 

The words were uttered so matter of fact that Declan had to try hard to hear the pain laced underneath. Declan swung back around. “Your sister was a rescue?”

 

Reese bit out a harsh laugh. “No.” He briefly relayed to Declan the story of his innocent baby sister getting killed in the crossfire of a surprise raid. “At her school, for shit’s sake.”

 

Declan listened, silent.

 

“Agents broke my family, and I want a piece of them just as bad as you do.” Reese looked at him, his gaze set in stormy determination. “Maybe that will help you make you feel better about tomorrow.” He shuffled past Declan, striding across the hall towards his room.

 

Declan softly called out to Reese before he could shut the bedroom door. “I’m sorry.” Declan dragged his eyes along the hallway to look at Reese. “About your sister.”

 

Reese clicked his tongue against his cheek. Eventually meeting Declan’s gaze, he nodded. “I’m sorry about your Dad.” He stepped into his room, flicking out the hallway light as he went.

 

Declan stood alone in silence in the dark hall for several more moments before turning in for the night.