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“I do too. We could all hang and relax, disconnect from work and the city.” I was following Jace’s lead, but he seemed to have cooled off.
“You better build a nice-ass deck to grill on where we can all sit outside and see the water.”
I almost smiled. This was Jace’s way of meeting me on common ground and calling a truce.
“I was thinking the same thing. And a boat of course.” I squinted against the afternoon sun but loved the warmth of it on my skin.
“Definitely.” Our gazes locked. “Zayne, we’ll be back in a few.”
“Stay where I can see you,” Zayne ordered.
At times, having Zayne around threw me back into my childhood, when Mom warned me to stay nearby so she could keep an eye on me.
“Where are we going?” Jace asked as he walked beside me.
“Not far. I wanted to talk to you about the shit with Tim. The plan.” I squinted as we headed to the lake. “I realize this isn’t easy. It’s not for me either. Working for Tim is a last resort.”
Jace shoved his hands into his pockets, his expression serious. “I know, Holden, but I’m in danger of losing Brynn, River, and you. That’s more than half of my family.” His deep voice cracked, fear bleeding through.
We reached the edge of the property and stood with our backs to Zayne. “Mine too, Jace. I have Mom, but other than that … if I lose my girls.” I gulped, a swell of heartache rippling through me. “We’ve known each other since we were kids, Jace. You’re my brother. I’d do this for you, too.”
Jace rubbed his neck. “I’d do it for you as well.”
We watched the water lap against the shore. “I’m sorry I ripped you a new asshole. Going after Tim scares the shit out of me, but I have to find River. I don’t have any other options.”
“I know. And I won’t say a word to Brynn. I was just being a dick.” He smirked. “Although she’d be hell to deal with even if she is sick.”
I chuckled. He was right.
“Are we good then?” I asked, glancing at him.
“Yeah. We are.” Jace slapped me on the back. “Buy this property, Holden. It’s gorgeous.”
It wasn’t necessary to say anything else. Jace’s approval of the property was enough.
I glanced at my watch. “I’ll call and put in an offer. I’m shocked I love the first property I’ve seen, but when it’s right, it’s right.”
My cell vibrated in my back pocket, and I reached for it.
“This is Holden.”
“It’s Pierce. You at a point you can come over and we can make a plan? Brian from the FBI is on his way.”
Holy shit, this was really happening. I swallowed the fear down, squared my shoulders, and took a breath. I was going to bring my baby home if it fucking killed me.
This time Pierce and Sutton were in their living room when we all arrived. The aroma of fresh coffee tickled my nose as we exchanged hellos.
“Are you ready?” Pierce asked, sinking into the leather chair near the recliner. Instead of jeans and a Westbrook Security shirt, he’d opted for dress slacks and a navy button-down shirt.
“As ready as I’ll ever be, I suspect.” I sat on the couch with Jace.
Pierce glanced at his watch as Sutton set a tray on the coffee table with a white carafe and matching cups. Zayne followed her with two more, one with crackers, meat, and cheese, the other with soda. I was a little puzzled about the food, but I’d find out soon enough. Apparently, we were going to be here for a while. “I’d better use the bathroom before we get started. Looks like it might be a long meeting.”
“It’s down this hall, second door on the left.” Sutton pointed me in the right direction. She seemed all business. Her white silk blouse was tucked into gray slacks, and her hair was piled on the top of her head in a tight bun. As I headed down the hallway, I studied the thin chinking between the logs of their house. To me, they’d found a fantastic balance of light and dark wood. Some places had log walls as well, which I didn’t like. I also didn’t care for a ceiling that was all wood.
I preferred a lighter wood so the interior wouldn’t be so dark in the Spokane winters. If we built on the property I’d just seen, we would have a harsher winter than here. Sandpoint, Idaho, was only an hour away. It would allow for the feeling of a small town, but not too far to drive when we needed something. Plus, the club would be in the city, so it would work out well. I made a mental note to ask Sutton and Pierce questions about construction and who they’d used.
Once I located the bathroom, I relieved myself and continued to study the design. They’d gone for a more contemporary fixture style instead of rustic. I was finding that our tastes were similar. I couldn’t wait to talk to River about the ideas.
