ZANE

 

“We’re going to die,” Zach huffs in my ear. “We never should have come back to the States.”

“Would you quit it?” I scoff at him, craning my head around the kitchen counter to see that the coast is clear, or at least I think it is. “We’re not going to die. Not today. Not ever.”

“Why, because the Richards twins are invincible?”

“Stop doing that too.”

“Stop doing what?”

“Referring to ourselves in the third person, and also we’re not invincible.” I drop the clip out of my gun to count my bullets and then slam it back in. “We’re not even lucky.” I crack a wild grin at my younger brother—I was born seventeen minutes before him and that’s a small but crucial detail I’ve held over his head all these years. “We’re just real damn good at our jobs, so no, we’re not going to die today.”

I cock my head around the counter again, my eyes searching for the mysterious woman who’s currently trying to kill us or at least hold us at bay. She’s nowhere in sight. I glance back at my brother quickly before jutting across the open space between the counter and the back of a black couch. Just as I’m about halfway across, gunfire races past my ear. I throw myself forward, landing behind the couch with a dive.

When I throw my back against the couch, I immediately shoot Zach a knowing glare, the coast obviously isn’t clear. I pencil in a note that if I should survive this encounter then I’m going to strangle my brother for putting us into this position.

While I’m collecting myself, I hear the front door of the suburban house rip open and then slam shut behind me. I pass Zach one last glance before jumping to my feet and hopping over the couch. My feet land against the hardwood floor just before I rip the front door open to see Kaitlin—if that’s even her name at this point—fleeing in the Ford Security company car.

The white car spins its tires against the asphalt and careens around the nearest corner. I try to give chase, all the while knowing it’s a fruitless endeavor if for no other reason than I can at least pretend I tried to get the car back when Dom eventually finds out.

I finally come to a stop in the middle of the street, putting an end to the charade. I’m huffing and puffing and bent over at the knees while my gun hangs loosely from my hands. Out of the corner of my eye, I see an elderly woman with dark gray hair peeking out through her kitchen window. When we make eye contact, she rips the curtains shut in front of her.

I have enough experience to know that that nosey-ass granny is about to call the police, and the police are the last thing we need right now. I cock my head over my shoulder to see Zach approaching from my rear. He’s cool, calm, and collected and like I said before, I’m two seconds away from strangling him.

With the both of us standing in the middle of the street, I twist around to face him while shoving the gun into the back of my jeans. It’s amazing sometimes looking at him. I mean, I’ve been looking at him since we shared the same womb, but it never ceases to be a complete mindfuck. It’s like I’m looking into my own reflection—buzzed hair and deep-set emerald eyes.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” he questions as he approaches, crossing his arms over each other.

“That your dick almost got us killed?”

“How was I supposed to know the client was going to entrap us?”

“If you’ll allow me, I’d like to bring up something as it pertains to the record.” I straighten myself out and drop a hand onto his shoulder. “I literally told you the second she walked into the office that she was bad news and what did you say?”

He purses his lips and shrugs with apathy, even has the nerve to look away. I know him well enough to know that’s his tell when he’s lying. It’s also mine. “I honestly can’t remember.”

“Bullshit.” I point squarely at him. “You said, and I quote, if she’s bad then I don’t want to be right.”

“I don’t think that’s something I would say.”

“We have the same brain and let me tell you, not only is that something you would say but it’s something you did say.”

“Well, the past is the past and we can’t change it now.”

“You can be the one to explain to Dominic why we’ve yet again lost another company car.” I step past him in an effort to get as far away from the prying eyes of the old lady as possible. “And we both know he’s been in a weird mood lately ever since Luke disappeared without saying a word.”

Zach’s tall shadow falls over me as he follows me from behind. “You know if it was Anna asking for your help, you would have gladly jumped onto that horse.”

I roll my eyes and twist to him to confront him. “The difference between Anna and the woman who just stole our vehicle is that we know Anna.”

“But you’d like to know her more.” He nudges me playfully with his elbow but I’m not in a playing mood. Not when it comes to this and certainly not when it comes to Anna.

“I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.”

“Why don’t you just ask her out?”

“Because I’m not interested.” I shrug and angle my eyes at the building next to us. The same building that’s now been shot up and I still have no clue if it’s actually where that dreaded woman lives. “Besides, it’s against company policy.”

“I think company policy was thrown out the window when both Chase and Luke got with the clientele.”

“Anna isn’t a client,” I point out. “She’s a part of the team. Anything between us would only serve to complicate things.”

“Aha!” He wags an accusing finger in my face. “I knew you had the hots for her.”

“You’re an idiot.” I push him backwards with one hand. He stumbles slightly, chuckling with glee. “And you almost got us killed.”

“Way to change the subject.”

“The subject was changed when you brought up Anna in the first place. I’m simply taking the conversation back to the status quo, which is that this is the second disaster of yours you have dragged me into this year.”

“Are you really going to continue harping on that Seth Grimm debacle?”

“Probably until the day I die.” I force a smile and then turn on my feet to step back onto the sidewalk.

“He’s dead.” Zach walks by my side in tandem. “And all of his secrets went to the grave with him. We’re in the clear.”

“Yeah, that’s what I keep telling myself,” I say lowly and glance down at my phone.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m getting a ride,” I mumble under my breath as I swipe my finger across the screen. “I’m getting an Uber since we no longer have a car.” Once I’ve successfully hailed our ride, I shove my phone back into my pocket and glance back at my brother. “You know this is the sixth car that’s been destroyed this year alone. I have a sneaking suspicion that Dom’s going to stop providing transportation.”

“Yeah…” He chews into his bottom lip and then hooks his eyes back at me with a sly wink. “You could always get a ride from Anna.”

I ball my hand into a fist and punch him in the chest.