Margaret hovered over Samuel’s shoulder as he dug through his Dragonfly files for something that could be of use to them. He murmured, “They don’t allow us access to any accounting functions. I’m on salary, so I don’t turn in a time sheet or anything like that.”

Margaret responded thoughtfully, “Open your e-mail and type in cc: all staff. I want to read whatever Donovan thought was important enough to share with all staff.”

The man began reading out titles from each e-mail.

Margaret stopped him. “Back up, read the one about overseas operations.”

“From this point forward communication with international offices is forbidden. Dragonfly Corporation is currently defending a class action suit against the Dubai office and any communication between international offices may be construed as an attempt to suppress evidence.” Turning to her, he asked, “Do you think that could be true?”

“We’ve taken over every other international office. He’s just making sure people associate with the London office don’t discover his organization is getting pulled apart at the seams.”

Elsie and Little John were having some kind of disagreement across the room. Though their voices were hushed, Margaret could make out something about her coming back to live with him. She was pretty much telling him to fuck off. That filled in the missing blank for Margaret about why his MC was so eager to step up when she went missing. They had a history and the big biker was clearly still attached to her.

Suddenly, the door flew open. Dark stepped through with his son at his side. One hand was resting on a Bluetooth on his ear. “You two can dig through Dragonfly e-mails when we hit the road.”

Margaret flew into his arms, like a giddy school girl, making him smile. “You miss me, sweetness?”

“You better believe it. Did you get Donovan?”

“Fucker hired a body double and gave us the slip. I think he’s decided to go after Don Carlo himself.”

“That’s a really stupid move; Don Carlo is a mobster on his home turf with a load of foot soldiers. Donovan’s not really much of a fighter from the look of him.”

Samuel sounded off from across the room, “Donovan’s smart enough to know that he only needs a few loyal fighters and the advantage of picking the best time and place to nail the gangster or a member of his immediate family.”

“God, I hope he doesn’t have a sniper.”

Samuel approached cautiously. “You know better than to think he doesn’t have a sniper. You were one of a half dozen.”

Dark stared at him. “We’re going to pay that little vice president of his a visit. She talked to him as he was leaving this morning and it’s clear she has intel on his plans.”

“Eleanor Fields is a tough old hag. What if she won’t talk?”

Dark’s hand landed on the knife that Margaret had been toying with since taking it from Samuel. “I’m betting she will be reasonable.”

Tossing Little John his burner phone, Dark jerked his chin to the big biker. “Can you arrange to have a couple of your boys who look a little more security conscious meet us at Dragonfly? Men we can count on to show up every day, looking the part of a security detail?”

“You got it, mate.”

Elsie backed off when he was distracted. Little John spat angrily, “Don’t go too far. I’m not done with you.”

Darkness growled his objection, “You fuckin’ well are done with her. I don’t want you talking to her, looking at her, or even thinking she might be yours one day.”

Pecking out a text the man absent-mindedly responded. “You got it all backward mate. That little bitch is everything to do with me and you’d best get your head around that. Elsie’s my...”

Before he could even finish the sentence, Darkness pulled out his gun and aimed it at the other man’s head. “No. She’s mine. Say her name again and I’ll blow your fucking head off.”

Stepping between them, Elsie looked at Darkness, “Put the gun down.”

“You’re mine. Say it.”

“How about this? You put the gun down and I’ll think about being yours. You shoot my cousin and I’m definitely not going to like you nearly as much.”

Slowly lowering his weapon, Darkness took a deep breath, “Cousin?”

“Our mothers were sisters.”

Little John tossed the cell phone back to Dark. “I was getting to that, but you got all gun happy.”

Shoving his gun back into his jacket, Darkness jerked his chin at the other man. “Sorry about that, dude. I didn’t know.”

Dark looked over at Elsie. “You’re trouble. I knew it the minute I set eyes on you.”

“Leave her alone, old man. I mean it.”

Elsie stepped closer to Darkness, running on hand over his massive chest. “You’re pretty wound up. Why don’t you bring it down a notch or two, mate?”

Tilting his head to stare into her eyes, he murmured, “I’m trying to.”

Slipping her arms up, he was too tall for them go all the way around his neck, she spoke in a teasing voice. “I’ve been thinking about that offer of that threesome with you and your robotic girlfriend.”

A slight smile twitched at his lips. “I’ve been thinking about that as well. We should ditch her, cause I don’t want anyone’s hands on you but mine.”

“That might work for me. How’s about you work on getting us out of here in one piece, and we’ll talk more about that.”

“Elsie, think about what you’re doing, little bird,” John’s voice sounded a subtle warning from across the room.

Instead of listening, she pulled Darkness down for a kiss.

“Now is not the time for whatever love-hate you shit you two have going on today, boy. We’ve got a job to do and you’re getting distracted,” Dark’s aggravated voice rang out in the quiet room.

“Says the dude with a pretty woman in his arms.”

Dark looked down at Margaret and realized he was hardly in a position to refute his son on that glaring inconsistency. “We need to get out of here.” Shooting Samuel a dark look, he stated, “Not many of your men made it.”

“Not my men. Dragonfly’s men.”

“We’ve got a little errand to run. Get your family and meet us at the old runway. The one you grabbed Elsie from.”

“You got it.”