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“That I do. I had only two choices: do it my way and watch you get yourself killed or join this fucking crazy idea of yours.”
Their family had never told each other how they felt. This conversation and group effort was the closest any of them came to expressing sibling love. It was unfamiliar, and yet Alex found it comforting. He’d been willing to do this alone. Hell, he knew the consequences and prepared himself for the worst. Having Brice and Dean here would be great moral support, but he didn’t know how they were going to help if a shootout took place. I don’t want them in danger. They have their wives, but I have no one, so it doesn’t matter if I go down.
“Are just you and Dean on the jet?”
Brice laughed. “On the jet, yes. There is a commercial flight that should arrive shortly before we do. I believe Bennett has a few friends coming to the party.”
“A few?”
“I don’t ask questions. Sometimes it’s better I don’t know.”
Alex laughed. I don’t think he’d tell us if we asked. “Must be jet lag, because you don’t sound like the brother I grew up with.”
“Having a family of my own has changed my perspective. Lena’s shown me what normal is supposed to be. Who knows, maybe after you get the answers you’ve been searching for, you’ll think about settling down?”
It was something Alex had contemplated over the years, but he’d never found anyone he pictured spending the rest of his life with. It would take a special woman. One who understood he hated being tied down. Even someone as intriguing as Ziva would tire of me.
His brothers might be able to handle being stuck behind a desk and running business meetings. That wasn’t him. Even when they were young, and their father made them all work at Poly-Shyn in the family business, he intentionally screwed up so his father would kick him out.
That’s why he enjoyed his career as a novelist. He was free to travel any place anytime, and live the adventures he wrote about. Settling down would eliminate that.
“I think the single life is for me.”
“I remember saying those exact words. Now I can’t picture my life without Lena. And being a father, damn, it’s a good feeling.”
He was glad Brice enjoyed his life. But it wasn’t for him, and telling him that would be like talking to a wall. Never listened to anyone before. I don’t think you’ve changed that much.
“If you’re done with my love life advice, how about sharing your brilliant idea on how we meet the big guys?”
“We ask for more. More than the local guy can provide. Tell them we’re willing to pay, but we want to see the ladies first. And that we’re not thrilled with the arrangements at the hotel. Our father may’ve been willing to stay in something substandard, but we’re not.”
“Yeah, that’ll piss the manager off. And what exactly do you think that’ll do?”
“He’ll go running to his boss, who will want to keep us happy at all costs. Our name has a reputation here, Alex. I say let’s use it to our benefit.”
“I like the way you’re thinking. Let’s show these assholes that dear ole Dad wasn’t as tough as his sons are,” Alex added. He figured the people here would eat up that lie in a blink of an eye.
“See you when we land. Can you update Bennett with the change of plans?”
“Will do.” Alex would call Bennett, but right now he needed Bennett to stay on the current assignment. Follow Ziva and make sure nothing happens to her.
It all sounded good in theory, but there was one thing Alex hadn’t mentioned. Finding and protecting Ziva.
Ziva drove downthe winding road, rip-roaring mad at Alex. He was so damn arrogant to think he was above the law. If we had any laws that prevented such things. He’d brushed everything off, as though he hadn’t hurt Myla at all. As though Myla hadn’t been in his room, in his bed. His actions were despicable.
And even though he knows I know everything he did, he still had the audacity to kiss me. Ziva brought her right hand up and slammed it into the steering wheel in frustration. She was angry at Alex and had every right to be. But she’d kissed him back. Hell, I practically gave him an invitation. What kind of woman am I? How can I think of anything other than disdain for him?
Ziva pulled up and parked the truck behind the trees as she had earlier with Myla. This time she stomped her way to the cabin. Each time her foot made contact with the ground, she pictured it crushing Alex’s foot.
It was funny, because the worst thing she could think about doing was stomping on his toes, yet she’d pulled a gun on him. What had she been thinking? A man like that wasn’t afraid of someone like her. It’d been written all over his face as she’d ordered him around. Alex had played along, only until he had the upper hand. Which wasn’t too long. Ziva could pretend to be fierce, but he obviously knew she’d never pull the trigger. And it wouldn’t have done any good since it wasn’t loaded.
She pictured Alex laughing when he picked up the gun and saw it had no bullets. He didn’t take her seriously before, and this wouldn’t resolve that issue.
Myla ran out of the cabin to greet her. That wasn’t supposed to be; they were supposed to be more careful than that. Then again, she wasn’t sure she’d taken the time to explain all the ins and outs to Myla. She’d been so focused on seeing Alex and making him pay she hadn’t paid attention to what was important. These girls.
“Myla. You need to wait in the cabin and be very quiet until I give the signal that it’s safe to come out. What would’ve happened if Mr. Henderson had been with me?”
“Why should I be afraid of him?” Myla asked.
