Page 58 of Declan

Not only had Landry fucked over Brooks’ wife but he was also a human trafficker, a successful one, so Zane’s declaration didn’t come as a surprise.

“Gone. As in dead.”

I sat back in my chair and tried to relax knowing the endeavor was futile. I didn’t think I’d ever feel at ease again. The ball of tension in my chest had grown with each passing day that Autumn was gone. I glanced around the room and that ball felt like a lead weight. I didn’t belong here. And as grateful as I was that Zane Lewis had taken me on after I left the CIA, had given me a chance to be close to the sister I still hadn’t connected with in any real way, that realization had become crystal clear.

I was surrounded by good people. Men I couldn’t measure up against. Men who found the women they were meant to be with and weren’t afraid to keep them. But I’d already had that and lost it. And the longer I was around it, the pain only intensified.

I had to leave.

It was time.

“Owen,” Zane called. “Any closer to getting Natasha to talk?”

My gaze slid to Owen and his expression said it all. Natasha wasn’t talking. Which wasn’t surprising because she hadn’t spoken much since she was rescued from Novak. A man who’d taken Eva in an attempt to use her as a pilot to transport his drugs and the woman he’d bought. That woman being Natasha. Though it was doubtful that was even her name.

“That woman is locked up tight. She won’t even tell me how old she is,” Owen answered. “I sent Tex her toothbrush. I wanted the story to come from her but we can’t wait any longer.”

“If you need to move her to a safehouse—”

“No. She’s good where she is,” Owen cut Zane off.

Interesting. Natasha had been living with Owen. Yeah, it was time for me to beat feet. Love was in the air so thick I couldn’t breathe.

“Keep working her,” Zane instructed. “Gabe, Mathias will be in touch with you if he needs anything.”

“Copy that. We’re ready,” Myles, the Blue Team’s leader responded. “Dec and his team took all the action and left us with the cleanup. How about next time, we get the fun, and Gold gets the grunt work.”

The room filled with chuckles but I remained silent.

“Good. Then we're done. Jaxon, Thad, and Dec, a moment in private,” Zane requested.

No, Zane demanded—he simply had phrased it like a request.

Fucking, fucking, hell.

The rest of the men and Jasmin filed out of the room. While I waited, I tried the old trick of counting to ten. When that did not a thing to calm my temper, I made it to thirty before I gave up the ghost and admitted to myself that there was nothing that was going to quell my anger.

“Dec—”

“Don’t.”

Zane leaned back, completely unaffected by my tone.

Asshole.

“Given you a long time,” he continued. “Probably too long.”

“And them? Why are they here?”

“Because they’re your brothers. More so than the men who just left. Jaxon’s your sister’s husband. And Thad’s your woman’s brother-in-law.”

I fought to keep my hands where they were instead of wrapping them around Zane’s neck.

“She’s not my woman,” I seethed.

“Who knows?” Zane ignored my correction.

“Knows what?”