Dusk (Dangerous Web #1) - Aleatha Romig Page 0,5

case,” Sparrow said, sitting beside me, his dark brown orbs looking directly into mine, “Araneae is my fault. If I could have walked away from what my father promised and allowed Kennedy Hawkins to continue her career in fashion, she could have met a nice, safe man, and right now be living a regular life in a small house in Denver, with a dog and 2.5 kids.”

“I brought Lorna to the tower,” Mason said, also sitting. “She’s my sister. If anyone is responsible for her, it’s me. It always has been.”

“Fuck this, you assholes,” Patrick said.

We all turned his direction.

“Yes, Mason,” Patrick began as he paced back and forth, “you brought Lorna to the tower—why? Because you thought it was best.” Patrick turned to me. “And you, hell, Reid, you fell in love with her. How fucking terrible for you both. I’m sure isolation in a country where she had to drive backward would have been a better route.” His blue gaze went to Sparrow. “And I’m damn sure Araneae hasn’t lamented the loss of safe and boring. That woman is many things; none of them is boring. You two fucking belong together.” His Adam’s apple bobbed as he took us all in. “Get your goddamned heads in the game. It wasn’t that long ago you basically told me the same thing. I don’t have to guess what it feels like to have the woman who you love missing. I know. I knew for longer than” —he looked at his watch— “six or seven hours. I pray to God—if he exists—that you never have to live with that feeling for as many years as I did.”

The room fell silent. Only the roar of the plane’s engines humming in the background registered as Patrick’s words settled around us.

He was right—the voice of reason.

Infighting wouldn’t benefit Lorna or Araneae.

Mason spoke. As he did, his cadence was calmer than before, his words more pronounced, thought-out, and distinct. “I know it’s not Laurel who is missing, and I’m thankful for that.” He turned to Patrick. “Or Madeline.” He looked at Sparrow and me. “They’re your wives, not mine or Patrick’s, but as I’ve mentioned, Lorna’s my sister, and I’m not losing another one of those.” He looked directly at Sparrow. “Or my best friend’s wife. Fuck, Patrick’s right. I wasn’t here when you two found one another, but I’d bet she gave you hell.”

Despite the circumstances, we all briefly grinned.

“I am certain,” Mason continued, “there’s no other woman in the world who would put up with your sorry ass.” He smirked. “She gives you as much shit as you shovel out, which is glorious to watch. You two were meant for one another. And that kid she’s carrying, he or she has an empire to inherit. We’re getting them all back.”

Patrick exhaled and took the final seat at the table. He placed his hands palms down on the surface and leaned forward. “Are we good?”

We all looked around, to our friends, our colleagues, and the men we all trusted more than any other souls on this earth. We hadn’t let the US Army, a war, organizing a coup, or even the death of a close friend separate us.

“I’m good,” I said. “I guess I want to kick your asses because you’re here” —I grinned— “and because I can.”

Scoffs and murmurs of disagreement abounded.

“Whoever did this is dead,” I said, the humor suddenly absent from my voice.

Everyone nodded.

“I’m good.”

“Good.”

“I’m good.”

Patrick nodded. “All right, we move on. Whether Lorna and Araneae are the loves of our lives or simply women we love—because whether there is blood or not, we’re a fucking family—we all have a stake in their safe recovery. Agreed?”

“Agreed,” came from all around the table.

“After we sit down with Garrett,” Patrick said, back on business, “and learn all he knows, we’re sending him back to Chicago.”

“Why?” I asked.

“We need him there,” Patrick said. “If this is a diversion” —he looked around the table— “it’s fucking working. Look what it’s doing to us. Imagine the rumors flying through the ranks. We can’t leave Chicago without a leader. Garrett is the closet capo we have to a number three, or in our case number five. That’s why we trusted him with the women. With all four of us in Montana, Chicago is vulnerable. And that might have been the fucking plan.

“We need him there. The Sparrow capos know and respect Garrett. We can’t have anyone further down the line fill that position.” Patrick sat taller, pulling