at The Arsenal, but Resino, Texas wasn’t exactly a hotbed of opportunity when it came to finding a sexual partner. Call her crazy, but she couldn’t enjoy a man who couldn’t hold his own with her. She enjoyed men who challenged her, who could handle her being her without being put off by what she could do.
Sure, any operative at The Arsenal qualified in that regard. But she’d drawn that line firmly after being there for a few months. She couldn’t go there with someone she fought alongside on ops.
Family.
Marshall had called them family and he was right. In some twistedly perverse way, everyone at The Arsenal was more of a brother or sister to her than she’d ever had with Peter.
Life had been simpler before she’d arrived in Resino. Before The Arsenal, she’d been drowning in chaos and danger twenty-four-seven and never saw loving relationships like she did now. Watching Dylan with Mary and Jud with Vi and Dallas with Kamren. Gage with Zoey.
Jesse with Ellie.
Now Rhea with Fallon.
Addy sighed heavily. She wanted that. The admission burned deep because it absolutely terrified her. It opened a doorway she’d considered permanently shut after the debacle months ago.
Kristof.
She couldn’t fight a war with him when she wasn’t even sure she wanted to win. Fuck. She shook her head and set down the bag she carried when she approached the corner of the last hallway on the schematic she was drawing out.
One more drone then she’d get her crazy ass to bed and move on. There was no other option, not when everyone needed her focused on getting the missiles.
She keyed in the serial number of the drone into the wrist apparatus she wore and put it into place in the upper corner facing southward. Based on the layout she’d blueprinted, all of the mansion was now under surveillance except for Kristof’s bedroom and a locked room in the same area.
Bree was going to have a seizure when she found out how many drones it’d taken to fully cover the interior of Kristof’s domain. Addy chuckled. She missed the brilliant hellion and the freakish way she incited chaos in her wake at every turn.
“Movement along the eastern exterior,” Gage said in the com. “Making entry via the first level eastern side door.”
Addy drew her Sig from its thigh holster and sprinted toward the nearest stairwell. “Engaging from the interior. Drones are activated inside.”
“Six targets on the western side,” Beast said. “How the hell did they bypass our perimeter and Lavrov’s external security?”
Good question. Anger rolled through her as she arrived at the stairwell.
“Cover Kristof, Addy,” Mary ordered in the com. “Cord and I will use the drones to engage targets on the first level.”
Mary was awake and monitoring? She was supposed to be on maternity leave. Addy vaulted up the stairs to the upper level and sprinted to Kristof’s room. She paused at Maksim’s door and banged.
Kristof was in danger. Again. Anger and worry consumed her insides.
“We’re under attack!” She ran toward Kristof’s suite. Maksim exited his room but remained in the center of the hallway with his weapon drawn. On guard.
The door opened as she approached. Anger simmered within Kristof’s gaze as she halted in front of him. He chambered a round in the weapon he held.
“Get dressed,” she said as her gaze swept his bare muscular torso then downward to the shorts and bare feet.
“I could order the same of you,” he growled.
Addy glanced down at the spaghetti-strapped top and snug shorts she used to sleep in. “There’s no time. We need to get you secure. Is there a panic room? I haven’t found one.”
“Downstairs in the basement, but I won’t cower.” Kristof charged past her and stopped where Maksim stood. “Where are they?”
“Six making entry along the western door and one at the eastern. We’re engaging with drones.”
“There’ll be a second group,” Kristof said. “Another wave.”
How the hell would he know that? Addy growled her frustration. The insufferable idiot was hiding something, and she would find out what, after he was secured.
“On it,” Gage said. “We’re engaging now. Shep, get inside and help Addy in case we missed anyone.”
Two drones flitted around Addy. She grabbed Kristof’s arm when he moved toward the stairs. “Don’t. Mary and Cord are using the drones. We’ll engage if they make it this far.”
“They won’t,” Mary said.
“You have drones in my house.” Kristof’s eyebrows rose.
“I couldn’t sleep. Seemed like the thing to do.” She shrugged. “How did you know about the second wave?”
Kristof and