Pushing off the wall, Lachlan strode into the living room, picking up the discarded toys in his path and tossing them into the play bin. Lucky for him, Sebastian had been partially sympathetic to Lachlan’s compromising position. He’d untied him, but not until after he’d taken a few photos for blackmail. The images would undoubtedly make the rounds to the rest of the Stingray Security Team the second Sebastian left his house.
“You’re an asshole.” Sebastian sat on the couch, surrounded by dolls on either side, watching a cricket match on television. “I told you to stay away from Stacy, and you didn’t listen. Calling her for a booty call after you put Paloma to bed, then calling her by Britt’s name during sex.” He shook his head.
“I know.” Lachlan waited for Seb to analyze his mental state, or pressure him to talk to someone about moving past his grief. Things he had no plans to do. But Sebastian spared him the conversation they’d had dozens of times before.
“You should call Stacy. Smooth things over with her.”
“My fucked up love life isn’t important right now.” Lachlan grabbed a handful of dolls from the couch. He tossed them into the play bin and sat next to Sebastian. “Tell me about Titus. How do you know he’s dead?”
“Bobby intercepted communications from the PIIB.”
“Why was he listening in on the island feds?” Lachlan asked, disturbed that the security team hacker would risk getting on the Palmchat Islands Investigative Bureau’s radar. They were just starting up operations and didn’t need the extra scrutiny.
“I didn’t ask.”
That response told Lachlan everything he needed to know. Bobby was still burning the candle on both ends—one foot on theside of law and order and the other in the quicksand of organized crime. He hoped his friend didn’t get burned.
Sebastian continued, “I tried to confirm with my old contacts, but couldn’t get any official details.” Sebastian had been a Palmchat Island Special Command Operator, the elite group of special operatives within the Palmchat Air and Land Forces, for several years before leaving. Whether active or not, PISCOs were a brotherhood that remained close. Sebastian could tap into his old network anytime and get useful information.
Lachlan stared at Sebastian, reading between the lines. “Did you figure out how to get us those details unofficially?” He needed confirmation that Titus was dead before he decided whether this changed anything for Paloma. There was no point in dreaming of a life where Paloma could grow up free of danger, getting to do the things her friends did, like sleepovers and school trips. The life of the secret granddaughter of a notorious crime lord would never be normal as long as the man was alive.
Sebastian grinned. “I’m catching up with our old buddies, Wesley and Micah, for lunch today. It’s been a minute since I’ve seen them, and I’m sure I can get some details about Titus without looking suspicious.”
“I’m going with you,” Lachlan said, since he knew both men almost as well as Sebastian.
Micah Butler was in Sebastian’s class at the Palmchat Islands Military University and the son of an ex-pat like Lachlan. The three of them had grown close while at university.
Wesley Thomas was a few years older and had become a PISCO the same year as Ike da Costa, the scion of the King Family and presumed missing leader of Stingray Security. Lachlan remembered Wesley being on the fringes of their social gatherings due to the intense competition between Ike and Wesley. A frenemy of Ike’s was a frenemy to Lachlan and the restof the Stingray team—they were cordial with Wesley, but kept him at a distance.
“Micah and Wesley don’t know about your connection to Titus. Joining in on the inquisition could be risky. You don’t want to trade one threat for another,” Sebastian reminded him.
“The only thing scarier than Quattro finding out Titus is my daughter’s grandfather is the PIIB and PISCOs discovering the connection,” Lachlan muttered, raking a hand through his hair. The good guys weren’t above using Titus’s grandchild to take down the gang. “But I have to be sure the threat from Quattro is really over. I need to be there.”
Sebastian looked over his shoulder toward the hallway that led to Paloma’s bedroom. “What are you going to do about her?”
“I was hoping you could convince the love of your life to give her a tour of the coffee fields?” Lachlan suggested.
“Nope. Too risky. Paloma knows Ike is alive. If she gets to talking to Gabs, we could all be in trouble,” Sebastian said, then added, “But there’s some breakdancing classes for kids at the community center today. Kane will be there and can keep an eye on her.”
“She’d love that,” Lachlan said, knowing Sebastian was right. They’d taken a big chance letting Paloma see Ike, but their friend needed someone to brighten his days while he recovered from his injuries. Ike loved having Paloma around, and she adored him. But asking his five-year-old daughter to lie to Ike’s family was out of the question. Better to keep her far away from Ike’s sister.
Sebastian rose from the couch. “I’ll sign her up. Drop her off around noon, and then we’ll head to lunch.”
Chapter 6
Lachlan leaned forward as Micah complained about his most recent assignment. They’d been at the beachside restaurant for over three hours, reminiscing about old times, swapping dozens of new stories, and drinking just as many bottles of Felipe beer between the four of them.
“Here’s something you might find interesting, Lachlan. You know, I’m not one of Commander Galloway’s favorites, like that one over there,” Micah lamented, pointing his beer bottle at Wesley. “He gets all the sexy ops. I get banished to babysit some island feds headed to the US to confirm that some fucker was killed with white phosphorus.”
Lachlan and Sebastian grimaced at the same time.
“That’s a nasty way to die,” Sebastian said, raising an eyebrow.
“Tell me about it. They rigged his shower with a pressure-triggered dispersion system. When the water hit him, the WP spread instantly. You know how it works. That shit burns at over two thousand degrees. Keeps burning through skin, muscle and doesn’t stop. The water made it worse, spreading the chemical burns faster and deeper into his body. By the time we gotthere ..." He shook his head. "Just bones and that signature white smoke still coming off him.”
“The guy must have pissed off some powerful people. It’s a highly restricted substance. Not many outside the government or military could even get their hands on it,” Lachlan said.
“Not hard to piss off folks when you’re the notorious Titus Freeman, ruling Quattro with an iron fist,” Micah said with a laugh.
