“What are you doing?” Rick asked Luke. “You need to claim that woman before anyone else gets a chance. I mean, fuck, Sonya and I have some insane chemistry, but your shit is off the charts.”

“It’s complicated.” The message he had gotten from Quinn made it clear that neither of their feelings mattered.

“Oh, yeah, I know about Orsino Clan laws. They had to have been written by a real chauvinist pig. If I ever tried to subjugate Sonya, she’d feed me my nuts. As she should. I mean, hell, she’s more bad-ass than most men I know, and I’d want her to have my back in any fire fight. But you can uncomplicate stuff pretty quick if you want.”

“It has to be Quinn’s choice. She feels a strong sense of responsibility to her family. I know what that means. It’s the same way I felt about my unit in the army, and it’s the same way I feel about you and the rest of the team. Sometimes, it’s not about what I want, but what’s best for everyone.”

“The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Is that what you’re trying to tell me, Commander Spock?”

Luke chuckled. “Something like that. Tell me about this guy we’re going to see.”

“His place is literally called The Secret Spy Store.”

“If it’s called that, then the literally part is implied.”

“Smart ass.”

“No. If my ass was smart, I’d have stayed away from this whole Orson thing and left the party and its security up to you.” Luke scratched his beard. “I hate this. I hate everything about it. The thought of Quinn with another man is eating me alive. If I could, I’d unzip my skin and flee the country.” Which was sort of his plan as soon as he got Quinn safely through the night. Flee the country that is. He’d already called his commander and given him his verbal intent of rejoining the mission.

“Bad break, man,” Rick said. “Don’t give up hope.”

“You can’t give up what you never had.” Up ahead on the right, tucked into a packed street was a sign for The Secret Spy Store. The irony of the big bold letters that practically shouted at passerbys wasn’t wasted on Luke. “Looks like we’re here.”

“Subtle,” Rick commented. They parked in an open spot on the next block and walked back to the store. An alert beeped loudly when they walked into the store. It was a typical brick and mortar business, reminding Luke of a Radio Shack in his old neighborhood that had long since closed. His phone dinged. He gave it a quick look as a balding man wearing jeans and a flannel shirt walked out of the back.

I miss you, the text read. It was his mom. Luke stuffed the guilt way down. The last time they’d talked, he’d gotten angry with her for trying to meddle in his life. She’d wanted to set him up on a date with a daughter of a friend. He could feel her desperate need to keep him close, and it scared him. He hadn’t wanted to be needed like that by any one. It was easier. If something happened to him, he wouldn’t be leaving anyone who counted on him behind. Not like his father had.

Just another reason he needed to get as far away from Quinn as possible.

“Luke,” Rick said already at the counter. “This is Stewart Paul. He owns the place.” Rick had carried in several of the cameras and listening devices and placed them on the counter. “Thanks for talking to us, Stewart. Can you check serial numbers on these and tell us who purchased them?”

Stewart smiled. His teeth were crooked, and he had a slight overbite. “I can do better than that. He reached under his counter and pulled out a purchase order. “The guy was a total dick, so I don’t give a shit about his privacy. Although, he paid in cash, so I can’t be sure if this is his real name. I don’t require a photo ID since most people buying this stuff don’t want to be caught buying this stuff if you know what I mean.”

Luke frowned when he read the name. Alpha Boötes. “Is that some weird play on Alphabet?” he asked Rick.

Rick shook his head. “It’s Arcturus, the brightest star in the constellation Boötes, and it represents the guardian of bears since it resides next to Ursa Minor and Ursa Major.”

Luke raised an impressed brow.

Rick shrugged. “What can I say? Sonya likes the stars.”

“Well, it takes a major douche bag to give himself the title of bear guardian.”

“That fits Trey Steele to a tee.”

“You can keep that copy,” Stewart said. “I’ve got another.”

Luke nodded and tapped the bill of sale before scooping it up. “Oh, shit.”

“What is it?” Rick craned his head to look at the paper Luke held.

“Cellphone and computer spy tech. He’s been monitoring the phones. Fucking hell.”

“You wouldn’t have been able to find any trace if you’d have looked,” Stewart said. “That particular software doesn’t leave a signature behind. But every call log, voice message, and text message are sent to a remote computer where whoever installed the software can monitor is all.”

“Christ,” Luke said. “He’s reading her text messages. We’ve got to get back to the house. Quinn’s in more danger than she knows.”