Page 31 of Declan

“A cargo container full of women and girls was all I needed to know.”

“But why you specifically? She’s gotta have a ton of mercs on speed dials. Professionals that specialize in hits. That’s not what you’re about. You don’t sell your services. I’ve seen the list of men. Much like Emerson, you pick them for a reason.”

Thad grunted at Max’s reminder that his wife had also been in the game. Emmy didn’t have the body count Autumn had, but her hands were far from clean.

Autumn looked wholly uncomfortable as she shifted from side to side. She was thinking hard about something, and I knew when she came to a conclusion because she looked from Max directly to Thad.

“I knew what Emerson was doing. Not the whole time, maybe two years after she started. Actually, I saw her at an art gallery—she was with the man I’d chosen as my next hit. He had a small stable and was looking to expand, so I needed to shut him down. But there Emmy was on his arm. At first, I thought she’d been taken. But she was working him. I watched her, and she was good. After that, I did some digging and figured out what she was doing. As good as she was, she was leaving a trail.”

“And you cleaned it up?” Thad surmised.

“There are hits that are not on Tex’s list. Some I carried out personally, some I hired out. But I had to keep her safe.”

Thad bowed his head and exhaled loudly.

“Fuck,” he grunted. “All this time you’ve had her back. Kept her safe and she didn’t even know it.”

“I know it’s asking a lot, but I’m asking anyway. Please don’t tell her. And not because I’m worried about what she’ll think of me. I’m worried she’ll feel misplaced guilt. She didn’t make me kill those men. But she’ll view it that way. She finally has you back, she has everything she ever wanted. I want her to enjoy it.”

Thad’s mouth twisted into a frown but he nodded. “I won’t tell her.”

“Thank you.”

“So tomorrow, noon. We clock this bitch and take her out.” Max brought the conversation back to the mission.

“No reason for me and Kyle to bolt if this will be done in twenty-four hours. We can break into three groups, nail the bitch, then head home.”

I glanced at Autumn and then my heart skipped a beat when she smiled full-on at her brother-in-law. “You just can’t help yourself.”

“Nope.”

“You know Declan wouldn’t let anything happen to me.” Autumn’s smile had faded and her voice had dropped to a near whisper.

That one statement was so unlike her. She didn’t need me to protect her. That was for Thad’s benefit, his peace of mind. Autumn was trying to put his mind at ease. That wasn’t like her, either.

Fucking, fucking, hell.

Heat hit my chest and burned a golden path.

“Yeah, Autumn, I do know.” Thad’s eyes came to mine. “Damn right I know.”

Christ, that felt good, too.

Chapter 11

Well, now what?

Thad had gone to his room to call Emmy. Declan had gone to his to call Zane. And I was alone with Kyle, Max, and Brooks. The three of them were very different in the looks department. They varied from hot to seriously hot. But all of them had the same intensity, an air about them that said you didn’t fuck with them or you’d end up in a world of hurt.

“Have a seat.” Kyle jerked his chin in the direction of the empty seat.

Yes, I was the only one standing in the room.

Awkward.

“I think…”

“Take a load off,” Max put in.