Now

Carys

AFTER EVAN LEAVES, I’M stir crazy, even with Anna, Tommie, and Tripp here—yes, Evan arranged for a posse to babysit me. I’m not sure if that’s because he didn’t want me to be alone or if he feared I’d go after him. Either way, I appreciate it. If I were alone right now, I’d be climbing the walls.

Tripp doesn’t know all the specifics because he can’t, but he insisted on being here and keeping me company. We both know there’s a high likelihood that what they’re doing is illegal and could implicate him if things go to hell in a handbasket. As FBI, he’d have an obligation to stop them, or worse, arrest them, if he knew what was going down.

“Here you go.” He hands me a glass of wine and sits down beside me.

For the past fifteen minutes, I’ve been watching Tommie with avid fascination. She’s with the team, sort of, watching and listening with an earpiece and her laptop. She refuses to let any of us look at what’s happening and while I hate it, I also get it.

As I observe, the courage to say what’s been on my mind for some time now rises within me. It won’t change anything, but I want the affirmation, if nothing else.

“You knew, didn’t you?” My deliberately vague question makes her head snap up, her expression confused. I was intent on getting her attention, and I succeeded.

“Pardon?”

“You were the only one who knew Evan was still in the city, weren’t you? You helped him set up his cover and watched me when he couldn’t, didn’t you?”

I try to keep my tone neutral, not accusatory. While I don’t like what they did, I can’t blame Tommie. She’s loyal to Evan and would likely do anything he asked, without hesitation. He saved her from something so unmentionable, he won’t even give me a clue.

I like knowing he wasn’t completely alone. I’d have preferred it to be me he leaned on, but I couldn’t have done what Tommie did. She’s a tech genius and was essential to his mission. Besides, having had time to digest that fact, I’m strangely comforted in knowing he was close by, even if I wasn’t aware at the time.

She brushes a dark lock behind her ear, worrying her lip as she contemplates. Clearing her throat, she glances down at the screen before answering.

“Yeah, I did. I’m sorry.” Her words and tone are genuine.

“I’m not angry. I’m glad he had you.”

“If it’s any consolation, I tried to talk him out of it. I really did. I also tried to get him to tell all of you.” She looks at Tripp, who’s sitting beside me and deeply interested in our conversation. “He didn’t know it, but I was also prepared to bring you all in if shit hit the fan. I wasn’t going to let him go down.”

Standing, I round the coffee table and sit beside her. She raises her hand to the top of the laptop as if she’s going to shut it, but hesitates. My eyes are glued to the screen where whoever has the camera strapped to them is running along between high, corrugated steel walls.

They come to the end, at what looks like an intersection, and I’m able to make out that it’s a container park and they are running between shipping containers.

“Who is that?”

I have more questions, wondering who they are and what they’re doing, but I bite my bottom lip and painfully swallow every single one of them because I know not to ask. She won’t tell me, and my inquisition might push her too far. She may end this screening and leave me in the dark. If Evan knew I could see this, he would not be pleased, but I need it. If I can’t be there, this is second best.

“Um, Carys, I don’t think this is a good idea.” Tommie’s usually self-assured voice is unsteady.

Our gazes meet and it’s no longer girlfriend to boyfriend’s coworker; we’re woman to woman. She understands what I need and she’s torn between giving it to me and honoring what we both know Evan would want.

Tripp’s now standing on the other side of Tommie and he, too, is intently watching the screen as we see this person stand beside another man in all black, including gloves and a balaclava on his head, with three holes for his eyes and mouth. I’m guessing it’s Tango, one of Evan’s men, based on the build of the guy.

“Please,” I beg as Tommie begins to lower the laptop screen. “We won’t say anything.”

“Carys, Tommie’s right, you shouldn’t watch this.” Tripp’s tone is firm and while he’s speaking to me, his eyes are as drawn to the screen as ours are.

“No, please.” My hand curls around Tommie’s wrist to stop the closure of the laptop. “I swear I won’t freak out or do something stupid, no matter what happens. Just please let me watch. It’s killing me to be worrying and not know how things are going.”

Perhaps it’s the raw vulnerability, the nakedness of my heart that she sees in my face. I’m at her mercy, and maybe it’s the heartfelt plea in my tone, but something stops her and she removes her hand. Tripp lets out a harsh breath on a snarl and my eyes flick to his, a silent warning in his gaze. He’s not pleased with me, but too bad. I’m a big girl and can handle this.

“Fine, but no sound,” Tommie grinds out, and then she takes my hand.

The guy’s holding what looks like a drill or something and he’s cutting the lock on the door, then two guys slink into the darkness of the container.

“What was that?”

“That was a cordless bolt cutter,” Tripp says, running a hand through his blond hair.

“What are they doing?” I can’t resist asking, although I know I shouldn’t.

Tommie sighs. “Carys, I can’t tell you—either of you, so don’t ask. Just watch.”

Like a young child always asking why, even after having received a response, I press. “Who has the camera on them?”

This time, she releases my hand and clasps hers together. Anna walks into the room and stares at the three of us sitting on the couch, eyes glued to the screen. Reading the room accurately, she silently slips in behind me and does the same.

“Please…” Tommie begins.

“It’s Van,” Tripp offers, attuned to Tommie’s hesitancy.

Swallowing hard, I turn back to the screen as Anna lays her delicate hand on my shoulder and holds tight. As if we’re at the movies, watching some action flick, there’s utter silence as Evan and his men run between the containers, randomly opening some, and then two guys go into the darkness and come out a few minutes later.

It’s slight, but Tommie stiffens, as if she’s reacting to something she heard via her earpiece. My gaze moves over her facial features, which have tightened with pursed lips and furrowed brow. I don’t know what it is, but I know something is about to happen.

In the next instant, the screen’s aglow with brilliant, blazing yellows, oranges, and reds. Thousands of pieces of debris of varying sizes shoot out in all directions, and it’s indiscernible if it’s wood, metal, or who knows what. Several shipping containers have exploded and the camera swings away from the heat source.

As if the camera’s been thrown through the air, the picture is fast and fluid, fragments sailing past the lens before the only things visible are asphalt and the night sky. There’s blackness with small specks of glowing pieces landing on the ground in the distance, and that’s all we see. He’s down. A large metal scrap crashes to the ground only feet from the camera, from Evan.

Tommie gasps, Tripp releases a string of expletives, and Anna lets out a small sob, her nails digging into my flesh. My stomach bottoms out and my heart twists as tears sting my eyes. Dammit, he’s got to be okay.

“He was thrown from the explosion,” Tripp says, his explanation as much for us as it is for himself.

“Yeah.” Tommie’s voice cracks as she fiddles with her earpiece, pushing it farther in. “They’re coming to get him.”

The lens rises. It appears Evan is upright, and a man comes to stand directly in front of him. He’s saying something, but he too has a mask on, so I have no clue what. He nods his head, the image wobbles up and down, and then it’s shaky and jumpy as he begins to run. We all exhale simultaneously as Tommie slams the laptop shut.

My heart hammers against my rib cage and the tumultuous churning in my stomach lessens somewhat, but it’s still there. I need to see him, touch him, to make sure he’s okay.

“They should be home within the hour. It’s over.” She tucks the computer under her arm and before she can leave, I grab her hand.

“Thank you.” I squeeze it in gratitude. Nodding, she returns the gesture and marches to the kitchen.

It’s almost two hours before Evan’s home and I don’t even let him put his pack down before I launch myself at him. His strong arms envelop me, and I laugh and cry into his neck, drinking in his scent mixed with smoke and an oily almond odor.

“Hey, I’m okay,” he soothes, rubbing my back and pulling me tight to him.

“Thank goodness,” I murmur, loosening my hold on his waist.

Evan still has me tucked to his side when Anna runs in for a hug and we both embrace her. She really is a tiny thing and my heart swells and warms at seeing how much her brother means to her already.

“Anna, it’s all good. We did what Franco wanted and now you’re with us.” He kisses the top of her head and she gazes up at him with a wobbly smile.

“Thank you so much.” She returns the kiss with one of her own before stepping out of his hold.

Tripp gives him a wry smile and shakes his head. “Never a dull moment with you, man. Call me.” He pats Evan on the shoulder and says, “And I’m glad you came back in one piece.” We all nervously chuckle at his poor taste in jokes.

Tommie’s on the periphery of the room, her eyes locked on Evan, disquiet evident in her dark, exotic eyes. She was worried, really worried. With my concern a thing of the past now that I have Evan in my arms, I’m able to see that this also took its toll on her. Evan sees it too, and he brings me with him as he walks toward her.

“Tommie girl, come here.” His gruff, low voice snaps her out of her fear-induced trance. She straightens and smirks before going in for a hug.

“Don’t ever fucking do that again,” she admonishes, while clinging to him.

Her head rests on his chest and her eyes on me. We share a mutual understanding. He has me and Anna, and he also has a sister in Tommie.

She’d burn the world for him. I don’t fully understand their bond but I’m not threatened by it; in fact, it’s the opposite. I embrace it, loving that Evan has her.

“I’m gonna leave you guys, but call me, Van. I want a debrief.” She’s all business as she gives both Anna and me a goodbye.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Anna’s next to excuse herself, but not without giving her brother another hug and thanking him, again, for all he’s done for her.

“Alone at last,” he says as he shuts our bedroom door. He comes to stand behind my back and his arms encircle my waist as I lean my head on his hard chest.

“Yes, finally, and I know what I want.” My voice is low and sultry.

“And what’s that?” he murmurs softly into my ear, his warm breath tickling the nape of my neck.

“Get in the bath, Evan Hart,” I command, and he chuckles.

“Damn, woman, you don’t have to tell me twice.”

§

Evan

I WATCH AS MY men file out of the large HC conference room. It’s been nearly twenty-four hours and we just debriefed on the Balducci operation.

The room is clear, except for Ry and Coop, when Tommie enters with Carys and Anna in tow. I don’t normally do this, in fact, never, but I promised Carys, and myself, no more secrets.

I contemplated not including Anna, but realized that was my ego talking. Anna’s eyes are wide open where the mob is concerned and I’m willing to guess she has a pretty good idea what took place.

Anna smiles at us, blushing when her eyes land on Coop. He nods in return, averting his gaze from me, as Ry clears his throat with a sly grin. Before I can dwell on what the hell that was, Carys plants a kiss on my lips and then glances from Coop to Anna with a knowing look. What the fuck am I missing?

Once we’re all seated, Tommie dims the lights and an aerial view of a shipyard is now visible on the screen.

“Our mission was to destroy Balducci’s latest shipment before his crew had a chance to distribute.” With the cursor, she points a black arrow at a row of shipping containers. “These, right here, were the target. Each container was rigged with explosives, which were to be detonated all at once. One batch went off early, while some of the team were still retreating.”

Tommie pauses and Anna looks to me, as Carys squeezes my hand. It had been a close call, but fortunately, I was far enough away that I was only thrown from the blast and nothing hit me. We’ve surmised that one of the detonators might have been faulty and went off while teams were getting into position.

“We’re investigating what happened, but it’s likely equipment failure that resulted in the early explosion.”

Tommie sounds so professional and removed, despite how shaken she was from the near miss. We had a long talk this morning and I hope I alleviated her fears.

She prides herself on being the best and by extension, working with the best. The thought that someone screwed up, resulting in the near loss of my life, pisses her off. Frankly, me too, but I doubt that was the case.

“We successfully destroyed all of it, and so far, there’s no indication that law enforcement knows of our involvement or that they suspect Mari, although I wouldn’t be surprised if his name comes up at some point,” Tommie says.

“I know you guys are good, but weren’t there cameras? How did you get in and out undetected? And how do you know that HC or one of you hasn’t been mentioned?” Carys asks.

My line of work fascinates her and my lack of sharing is evident in her curiosity. I prepare to respond, when Ry surprises me, beating me to it.

“We’re better than good, we’re fucking awesome.”

His smartass comment earns him a scoff and an eye roll from his sister. Carys is serious. She wants to understand and I’m more than happy to indulge her. Ry may feel differently, likely wanting to keep her away from this, but for me, her needs come first.

“Tommie intercepted the camera feeds with a loop of the shipping yard from an hour before we arrived. We’re also monitoring the FBI, ATF, you name it, as the investigation unfolds, so we can keep on top of any leads they may get,” I say.

“And we’ll continue to do so for the unforeseeable future,” Tommie adds.

“What was in the containers?” Anna asks.

“At first glance, it looked liked just stolen electronics, but on closer inspection, there were also drugs and firearms,” Tommie replies.

“What? Why would Franco want that destroyed? What if it was for the overall outfit? He’d be delivering a direct blow to the boss,” Anna says, puzzled.

“Yeah, that’s what we’re trying to figure out. We don’t know if any of it was intended for the Cavallo organization, or if Balducci’s doing this on the side. We’re looking into it,” I say.

“Thank you,” Anna says for the millionth time.

“Anna,” I start at the same time Coop says, “Stop that shit, you don’t need to thank us.”

Her cheeks redden and she glances down into her lap. Carys wraps an arm around her and adds, “They’d do it again, in a heartbeat.”

As I watch my sister, my gut twists because we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us. I have every intention of finding out what Balducci is up to and why he and Franco are at odds.

We just need to lay low for a bit, until the dust settles. But I’m not done with Franco Mari, as long as he has his hooks in Anna.