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If he couldn’t convince her, would she haunt him forever—thefuture he couldn’t have?
“Are we sure the roof isn’t going to cave in?” His unclelooked up, squinting as though trying to see cracks in the ceiling.
Cooper groaned. “The roof is fine. The building is sound,and if you walk through my dungeon again with a safety checklist, I’m going togive you a rundown on all the scenes your spawn have run on each apparatus.”
Big Tag hadn’t been happy about having this meeting with theCanadian operative at The Hideout, but TJ had insisted. Oh, he’d given a bunchof reasons why it would be safer for the twins and their secret to hold this inthe conference room at the small club the group had bought and was currentlyrenovating. The Hideout had started in an unattached garage on the rambling propertyCooper, Aidan, and Tristan shared. Tristan’s parents had bought the place whenthey thought Tristan would be coming home from the Army and getting married.Years later, he still used it as his place to bunk down between assignments,though TJ had heard he hadn’t been home in a long time.
And Aidan would be moving in a few short weeks because heand Carys had an apartment near the hospital they both worked at waiting forthem after the wedding.
Would they offer him Aidan’s old room? He didn’t want it. Hewanted to be with Lou, but he had to think about the fact that he could be inDallas for a while, and though he loved his parents, he didn’t want to livewith them.
Big Tag sighed. “That’s fair, I suppose, but you have toadmit this place is a piece of crap. I would think Julian Lodge would plunkdown better money for the place his kids play at. That old man has gottenstingy.”
Gabriel Lodge was a founding member of The Hideout, and hepreferred not to take money from his billionaire father. Not because he didn’tlove the man but rather he wanted to be independent. TJ kind of thought Gabeenjoyed hanging out with the regular folk. He seemed perfectly happy to spendhis off time working on building the club with his own two hands.
“Be nice.” Aunt Charlotte sat next to his uncle. “The clubis coming along beautifully, Coop. I like what you’ve done with the lounge.It’s tasteful and functional.”
“Until it burns down because we’re in a neighborhood full ofmeth dealers,” his uncle muttered under his breath.
His uncle had gotten soft. Yes, the neighborhood wasn’tgreat, but Sanctum hadn’t exactly been located in Highland Park.
“You don’t have to be here. You could conference call in,” afeminine voice said.
Kenzie walked in, followed by Lou.
Every head turned because for some reason Kenzie had changedinto an electric blue corset and PVC leggings. Her magenta hair was done inloose curls that flowed around her shoulders, and she had on a set of heelsthat would probably mean she could look TJ straight in the eyes.
God, his cousin was trouble. She must be serious about thisBen guy.
And Lou had changed, too. Lou was dressed like an Amishunicorn. She had on an ankle-length jean skirt and a sparkly unicorn sweaterthat covered every inch of her torso.
Brat.
“Kenzie Shay Taggart, what the fuck are you wearing?” UncleIan said in his best dad tone.
Aunt Charlotte was hiding a smile behind her hand.
Kenzie turned, a hand on her curvy hip. “I am in the cluband I am a sub in this club, so I am properly dressed. It’s the rest of you whoare not respecting the club. I don’t know what’s up with Lou. Her boob dress ispractically fet wear, but she insisted on changing.”
“We’re in the conference room,” Lou countered. “And I’m notwearing the boob dress because everyone calls it the boob dress. And we allknow why Kenz is dressed like that. Ben Parker is about to be here.”
“Well, I say, that will get the man’s attention.” OliverKnight perked up. He’d been sulking all afternoon, spending most of his timearguing with his parents over the phone. “As distractions go, you’ll do, cos,and might I say the term cousin is affectionate. There’s no blood between us.Not at all. You should think about that. I’m much more fun than the Canadian.”
Samantha Knight rolled her eyes and winced as she sat back.He’d heard Kala had gotten the British operative in a choke hold that had herout for a good three minutes, but it seemed to have done the trick because thetwo had been talking earlier and using more than four letter words.
“You little shit,” his uncle began. “What do you think I’mgoing to do to you for ogling my daughter?”
Oliver shrugged as though completely unworried about anypossible outcome. “I don’t know. You should worry about me ogling your wife.You are looking gorgeous tonight, Mrs. Taggart, and really, your daughter’sright. Fet wear only for pretty subs. Does anyonehave a set of leathers I can borrow?”
“I’ve got a ball gag you can borrow.” Zach looked up fromhis notes. He and Cooper had been in the conference room when TJ had come in,poring over notes and reports. Now he looked up at the MI6 agent. “Look, if youthink my last name not being Taggart is going to save you because I won’t letthem filet and eat you, you’re wrong. I’m hungry, and I bet your posh ass islike Wagyu beef. So keep it up and see how long you last here, Your Highness.”He glanced over at Charlotte. “Though you do look lovely, Mrs. Taggart. In orout of fetwear.”
Cooper nodded his way. “Nice save, brother.”
“See, that was the way you compliment a woman in a fet club,” his uncle agreed. “Polite. Hello, madam, yourbreasts are looking luscious this evening, and I hope you have somespectacularly filthy sex with the partner of your choice. Civilized. And howdoes our military CO feel about his operative’s clothes?”
Zach’s gaze went steely. “If your sister didn’t have ashiner, I would swap you out in a heartbeat. You are not here to seduce BenParker, and if you can’t do your job, I’ll find someone who can. Kara can takethe night off. Lou, what the hell? Are you a professional, whole, grown-asswoman or a teen from an overly religious community who will cry if she shows aknee? Both of you need to get your shit together because this is serious. Thisis not a place where we should think about our love lives.”
“Here, here,” Samantha said, nodding approvingly Zach’s way.“And Ollie’s club is just as bad as this. Papa wouldn’t bankroll him. Told himif he wanted a sex club, he should earn it. It’s in the suburbs. It’s so bad.”
