Chapter Nineteen

Declan was running out of ideas on where to look for whatever the Eighty-Sixers and Daggers were after. Kenzie showed them the email she received, and it renewed his determination to end this as soon as possible.

The box of cash and coke he found inside the ceiling in Jamarcus’ room wasn’t enough to rally both gangs to the level of violence they’d committed. Killing LaTonya and burning down the condo were moves of desperation. The Daggers would now be on the warpath after one, possibly two of their members had been taken out by Declan and Noah. While he felt remorse for the man who lost his life, he didn’t feel guilty. It was kill or be killed.

Noah had received a call and was standing across the room looking grim. He hoped it wasn’t the bosses ordering his three coworkers back to the office. He hadn’t offered to cover the fee yet. The others assured him that Luke and Logan wouldn’t accept payment, but maybe they didn’t consider him one of the staff yet.

Noah disconnected and slid his phone in his pocket, pausing in thought before returning to where Declan sat in a chair in front of the muted television. Kenzie, Jamal, Ethan, and Kayla played a board game at the table, laughing and having fun. He was glad they could put aside the worry for a short time. He was too wired to relax. Noah plopped into the recliner next to him.

“The Eighty-Sixers have been released from custody.”

“What?” He shot forward in the chair. “How? They almost killed Eric.”

“Bail for the two on the surveillance cameras. The police are building cases against the other fourteen and couldn’t continue to hold them without charges. They’ll eventually be locked up, but they’re back on the streets until then.”

He collapsed back against the cushion. “So, we’ve got two gangs after Jamal again.” Great.

“Declan.” Jamal raced over and grabbed his arm, his eyes wide. “I just remembered something. I maybe know where Jamarcus hid something. It might be what the Eighty-Sixers want.”

He called for the others, and they hurried into the room. Once everyone was seated, he prompted Jamal to tell the story.

“I’d completely forgotten about this until something made me remember while we played the game. A couple of days before Jamarcus was shot, my mom and her friend were making a bunch of noise.” He wrinkled his nose, and Declan shared a grim look with Kenzie. His mom had obviously been having loud sex with one of the many men who frequented her bed. They would need to be especially careful with their trysts around him. “I couldn’t sleep, so I went outside to the car and climbed in the back. There was a bunch of stuff back there, so I huddled beneath the clothes and bags and junk and slept. I woke up when Jamarcus put something in the trunk, and then he got inside and slammed the door. Then he started driving. He didn’t know I was there, and I was afraid to tell him. He would’ve made me get out and walk, and it was late.” This time, Declan glanced at Noah to see the same rage burning in his eyes that Declan felt. Jamal had lived in fear of his brother. “I could see highway signs, and he drove into Indiana. I panicked, thinking he was running away or something, but then he parked in front of a building with a bunch of doors, you know, the kind that you have to lift from the ground.”

“I know the ones you mean. They look like garage doors.”

“Yes. That’s them.”

“Did Jamarcus get out?” Noah asked.

Jamal bobbed his head. “He opened the trunk and carried something inside. I looked over the back seat, and there was already a bunch of stuff in there, but I couldn’t see what it was, and I was afraid he’d catch me and lock me in there.”

Excitement coursed through his veins. This was the break they’d needed. “Did you see the name of the buildings?”

Jamal’s brows creased in thought. “No, but I saw the number above the door. It was easy to remember because it was one, two, three.”

“Did Jamarcus talk to anyone? Maybe someone at a security gate before you arrived at the building?”

“Un-uh.”

“Good job, Jamal. You’re doing great. Anything else you can tell us? How far into Indiana did he drive? How far off the interstate?”

“What’s an interstate?”

“It’s the big road with three or four lanes of cars.”

“He drove on one like that until we crossed into Indiana, and then it was a smaller one with two lanes.”

“Do you remember him paying tolls?” Ethan asked.

“Yes.”

“Interstate ninety is a toll road around Chicago and into Indiana,” Kayla informed them.

“How far did you travel on the smaller road once you crossed into Indiana?”

“Not long at all.” Jamal bit his lip. “The entire trip wasn’t super long. I don’t know how to judge the time,” he fretted. “It was late, and there weren’t many cars. The ride home was quick.”

Declan squeezed his shoulder. “That’s okay, bud. Do you think you would recognize the buildings?”

He nodded slowly. “I think so.”

“Ethan and I will search for all the storage buildings around the Whiting and East Chicago area first,” Kayla said. “It doesn’t sound like they drove into Gary.”

Noah stood and palmed his phone. “I’ll see if Peter Dennis and the cyber crew can find a record of any unit Jamarcus rented.”

Once the others left the room to gather intel, Jamal climbed onto his lap. “Is what I remembered helpful?”

Declan hugged him. “Tremendously.”

“I’m so proud of you,” Kenzie said, reaching over to pat his arm. “Maybe this will all be over soon.”

Jamal looked at Declan over his shoulder. “And then me and Kenzie can move in with you?”

Alarm shot through him at the mention of Kenzie moving in with them. Not that he didn’t want her to—he did. Maybe too much. He chanced a look to see the same shocked expression on her face. Did that mean she was open to the idea? Or appalled? He sidestepped the question. “I told you, wherever I go, you go. We’re a team.”

“A threesome,” Jamal corrected. “You, me, and Kenzie.”

So much for the sidestep. “Yeah, bud. You, me, and Kenzie.”

#

Kenzie was still reeling from Jamal’s sneak attack as she looked for something to snack on inside the large pantry. She was a notorious stress eater. She found an unopened package of Oreos and swiped them off the shelf.

As she stuffed two in her mouth, she couldn’t help but remember the flash of excited hope she felt when Jamal asked Declan if she was moving in with them. It was quickly extinguished by the look of horror on Declan’s face. Clearly, he wasn’t on the same page. Was the thought of living with her so horrible? Another cookie found its way into her mouth.

“There you are.”

Busted. She spun around guiltily to see Jamal’s smiling face, and her sour mood quickly vanished. He had that effect on her. She held out the package. “Want one?” It came out garbled with a few black specks flying from her mouth, but he understood and nodded eagerly, and soon he was munching contentedly on a cookie. A pang of guilt nagged at her. She should feed him a healthy snack like an apple or carrot sticks, not round sugar bombs. And before dinner too. Bad Kenzie.

Since her hiding place had been discovered, she found a clip for the package and guided him back to the expansive kitchen island where Declan and the others had set up shop with their laptops.

Noah disconnected from a call and said, “The cyber crew came up empty on a records request.”

Ethan glanced up from his computer. “He most likely used an alias and probably paid cash.”

Kayla spotted them approach. “Ethan and I have some photos for you to look at, Jamal.”

“Okay.”

He climbed up on the stool next to Declan, who glanced over at him and narrowed his eyes. “What’s this?” Using his thumb, he wiped crumbs from his mouth.

“Kenzie gave me cookies.”

Great. He ratted her out.

Ethan made a show of looking at her empty hands. “And you didn’t share?”

“Oh, sorry.”

“I was kidding,” Ethan called after her retreating form as she reclaimed the package from the shelf, found a paper plate, and spread the cookies on it before returning and depositing it in the center of the island. Everyone reached for one, including Jamal.

“No more before dinner,” Declan chided.

With a long-suffering sigh, he withdrew his hand.

“Jamal, there’s no pressure,” Kayla assured him as she placed the photos on the table in front of him. “Just let us know if something looks familiar.”

“Okay.” He stared at the top picture. “Nope.” She removed it, uncovering the next one. He shook his head. “Wrong color doors.” The doors were too big in the third one. They hit pay dirt on the fourth picture. “That’s it!” He pointed to the snapshot, his gaze darting around to each of them. “That looks exactly like the building.”

“Great job.” Kayla turned the photo over. “It’s only twenty miles away.”

“We’ll come up with a plan and then head there first thing in the morning,” Noah decided.

“Can I go?” Jamal looked hopeful.

Ethan reached across the bar and ruffled his hair. “Sorry, J-man, you’ll have to sit this one out.”

“But I can tell you for sure if it’s the right place,” he pleaded.

“Still a no.”

“But—”

“No buts,” Declan said in a voice that brooked no argument.

An alarm beeped, and Kenzie almost fell off her chair in panic. Had the Daggers found them? What about the Eighty-Sixers? The alarm stopped after two dings, and no one else seemed concerned.

“They’re here,” Ethan announced.

She looked around in confusion. They all knew something she didn’t. “Who’s here?”

“A few of our coworkers drove up to assist. Two are originally from Chicago. One was a detective and still has strong ties with the police department.”

The door opened, and three tall, fit, attractive men entered, greeting the others. The noise level raised several octaves, but Kenzie was rooted in her seat. She surreptitiously wiped her mouth to make sure she wasn’t drooling at the sight of so many hotties in one place.

“Is it a requirement to be gorgeous to work for COBRA Securities?” she murmured to herself, not realizing Kayla was listening.

“Oh, yeah.” The other woman nodded. “Wait till you meet the rest of them. It’s almost criminal to have so many studs in one place. They make your eyes hurt—in a good way.”

Kenzie’s heart skipped a beat at Kayla’s words. She made it sound like Kenzie would have the opportunity to meet the rest of Declan’s coworkers. Too bad Declan didn’t share Kayla’s view.

The group made their way to the kitchen, and Noah introduced her to Alex Mylonas (wow), Dorian Demarchis (swoon), and Gage Monahan (yowza). Standing beside the newcomers, Noah and Ethan looked like a set of hunky twins, but Declan outshined them all, in her opinion.

The group got down to business, making plans on how they would visit the storage facility in the morning. She and Jamal weren’t part of it, so they retreated to the living room to play a video game while the others planned. It was Jamal’s favorite racing competition, and he beat her soundly every time, but then, her heart wasn’t really into it.

She looked up when Declan approached. She was happy to note the horrified look was gone. “We’re going to order pizza. You guys hungry after all those cookies?” There was a twinkle in his eye.

“Yeah, I want pizza,” Jamal chimed in enthusiastically. “Pepperoni.”

“Kenz?”

“Pepperoni sounds good to me too.”

Once the food arrived, they sat around eating and laughing, with stories of how some of Declan’s soon-to-be coworkers met their significant others. She already knew one of Declan’s bosses was married to Oscar winner Juliet LaRue, but she was shocked to discover that his other boss married Layla Brooks, the music superstar. Noah was dating Peyton Durant, Olympic goddess, while another coworker was married to the U.S. President’s granddaughter. She was just an unemployed editor. Maybe it was a good thing Declan didn’t want her moving in with them. She wasn’t anywhere near their leagues.

She glanced at the clock, surprised to discover hours had passed. Declan and the others planned on heading to the storage facility early, so they called it a night. Jamal was still wired. Oops. Her bad.

“There are only seven bedrooms and nine people. Ethan and I will share a room,” Noah offered.

“Declan and I can share,” Jamal piped up. “And Kenzie too.”

#

Declan almost groaned at Jamal’s words. There went any plans for a repeat of last night, though Kenzie had been giving him funny looks ever since Jamal mentioned her moving in with them. Good or bad, he couldn’t decipher.

Ethan chuckled, and Noah looked amused. “Then that frees up enough rooms. Alex can take Kenzie’s room. Dorian, you use Jamal’s, leaving the one at the end of the hall for Gage.

As the group disbanded, Noah pulled Declan aside. “Are you okay with the three of you sharing a room? Jamal offered, but there’s plenty of room if we double up.”

“It’s not a problem. Jamal feels safer that way, and after everything he’s been through the last few days, it’s the least I can do to ease his worries.”

“He’ll probably be that way for a while after all of this.”

“Yeah.” He wondered if he should look into counseling once they were settled. Therapy wasn’t for him, but it might help Jamal in the long run.

He was thankful Dorian, Alex, and Gage arrived to assist. He’d met the two senior agents during training, and they were as knowledgeable, skilled, and proficient as everyone he’d met. Each person had gone out of their way to make him feel welcome and to provide bits of wisdom when needed. He and Gage sweated through grueling training sessions together and had become good friends.

While everyone enjoyed the pizza, he snuck away to call his new bosses. He informed them he intended to pay the fees, but they wouldn’t even let him finish the spiel he’d worked out in his head. He wondered again at the twist of fate that put him in the position to work for an amazing company with such incredible people. When he left the service, he didn’t know what he’d end up doing for a career. Most likely, he’d be wearing a police uniform and patrolling the mean streets of the city. Now, he wanted to say he’d be working his dream job—only he’d never envisioned a job like this was possible. He thought he’d miss the camaraderie of his teammates when he left the military, but he’d found something better—a family.

After goodnights all around, they retired to the bedroom, and it was as if they were back in the motel, sharing a single room. They took turns using the attached bathroom—the same one he and Kenzie had steamed up earlier. Declan would have trouble using the shower without picturing her luscious body all sudsy and wet. He stifled a groan, craving her again. He had a feeling he would always want her. She was a drug, and he was addicted.

Jamal had been excited to meet the other agents and reveled in being the center of attention. He’d barely showered and brushed his teeth before he crashed. He was out like a light on one side of the bed. Declan would have to move him without waking him. If he had to sleep beside Kenzie, he wasn’t sure he had the willpower to resist her.

With their pint-sized chaperone dead to the world, he stepped into the bathroom, scaring Kenzie into spitting toothpaste against the mirror.

“Good grief, you move so quietly,” she grumped as she mopped her face.

Sliding his arms around her, he crowded against her, letting her feel what she did to him. With a moan, she dropped the washcloth into the sink and leaned into him. With one hand, he moved the silky curtain of hair out of the way and nuzzled her neck. She shuddered in his arms.

“Are you mad at me?” He continued his assault, licking and kissing her. “You were sending off some strange, cryptic vibes earlier tonight.”

“What are you, some kind of new age, aura-reading guru?” All of this was said with her eyes closed as she ground against him.

Trailing his fingers beneath her T-shirt, he cupped her breasts in his palms. They were a perfect fit. The moan this time was loud enough to wake Jamal, though he remained thankfully asleep.

A ding sounded from the other room. They’d set up a laptop so she could monitor her email in case the Daggers tried to contact her again. “We should check that.”

She rotated in his arms and grabbed his face. “Later.” She fused her lips to his, and all thoughts of emails, gangs, and the rest of the world faded. He had enough sense to close and lock the door before he lifted her to sit on the counter and then stripped off her clothes. His quickly followed, and then he sank into her heat again, reveling in the snug fit. She was made for him. He never wanted to separate their bodies.

They tried to be quiet, and he wanted to take it slow, but as with the other times, she drove him mad. They flew over the edge together, the force of his release weakening his legs until they wouldn’t support him any longer. He collapsed to the plush white rug, taking her with him to lie on top.

He wasn’t sure he’d be able to move again. Each time with Kenzie was better than the last. He was content to stay here all night, but another ding sounded, reminding them of their situation. With a sigh, she climbed off him, and after quick showers—separate, so there would be no temptation—they headed back to the bedroom and checked her email.

“There’s one from an email address I don’t recognize,” she whispered. She clicked on it and gasped, her hands flying to cover her mouth before she darted back inside the bathroom. It was a picture of—he counted quickly—eighteen men lying on the ground, their hands bound in front of them, feet tied together, neat round holes in the center of their foreheads. It looked like a shot you’d see in a horror movie—only it was shockingly real. The following few pictures were close-ups of faces with the Eighty-Six tattoos visible. Dear Lord, it looked like the Daggers had murdered every last one of them.

A chill skated down his spine at the simple message beneath the last photo: You’re next.