had met Trees, all big and bad and tattooed, Zy thought his dad was going to piss his pants. “An even better reason for you to talk to him.”
Trees scoffed. “He won’t even take my call. Man up, dial his digits, and get this shit taken down. When I pull over to get some shut-eye, I’ll send you screenshots so you can be specific with him.”
“Thanks, man.” Zy hated what he had to do, but he appreciated the information that might help him finish this mission sooner.
“Just trying to help.”
He knew. “Stay safe, check in, and keep your dick in your pants.”
Trees sighed. “The first two? No sweat. The last one… No promises.”
Zy headed back into the house and frowned. It was still and dark. And when he poked his head into Tessa’s bedroom, she lay in bed wearing a pair of silky blue pajamas with a book open on her chest, fast asleep.
He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t feeling the effects of a whole night of sex himself. Exhaustion nipped at him, but he pushed it aside. He wasn’t making love to Tessa tonight, and he hated to wake her. And sadly, finding a safe house for Valeria and her son in the next five hours and calling his dad were more pressing than his hungry cock.
With a sigh, he kissed Tessa softly.
She sat up with a startled gasp. “What? What’s going on?”
“Nothing. You fell asleep.”
“Oh. Sorry. You were on the phone for a while, and—”
“I totally understand.”
“You coming to bed?” She propped herself up on her elbows and searched his face.
Even in the moonlight, she looked tired, dark circles bruising her under eyes. He couldn’t be a selfish bastard tonight. She needed to rest. And he had other priorities.
Zy shook his head. “I have to head out. That was Trees, and he needs some mission support. It’s urgent. If I get any sleep tonight, it will be late, so I’ll do it at my place. And I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
“Sure. Be careful and stay safe.”
Would she be worried if she didn’t care about him? Maybe love him at least a little?
“I will. Night, baby.” He kissed her softly.
“Night,” she mumbled, then lay back on the pillow.
She was asleep again before he even left the room.
Zy let himself out of the house, locked the door behind him, hopped on his bike, and sped through the chilly night back to the office. It was late, but not obnoxiously so for a call. The instant he set foot in the office again, he flipped on the lights and the coffeemaker, prowled to the conference room, propped his feet on the table, and called Cutter.
The former EM Security operator, now married to the TV star he’d once protected, answered almost immediately. “Zy?”
“Yeah. Hey, congrats on your marriage, man.”
“Thanks. Sometimes I can’t believe my good fortune.”
No shit. Shealyn West had made People’s most recent Sexiest Woman Alive list, and she’d fallen not for her on-screen movie-star boyfriend but for a regular Joe who wasn’t famous and wasn’t rich. But Cutter was real. Zy really respected her choice since he’d grown up in the land of the plastic.
“I’m sorry to bug you this late.”
“It’s not that late for me. I’m in LA. Just arrived a few hours ago.”
Cutter was starting his new life with his new wife…and he didn’t need the old life dragging him down, but Zy wasn’t sure where else to turn for a quick answer.
“And I know you must have a million things to do.” Including his gorgeous bride. “So I’ll keep this quick. I need a safe house somewhere around Lafayette. And I need it in the next few hours.”
“That urgent?”
“Life-or-death. And I don’t know the area the way you do.”
Cutter sighed. “I have some thoughts. Gimme ten.”
“If you can come through, my life won’t be the only one you’re saving.”
“Want to tell me about it?”
If he was still a team member, Zy wouldn’t hesitate, but the EM brothers had left him in charge, and he wasn’t going to risk sinking their ship by having loose lips. “I can’t.”
“Sorry. I wasn’t thinking. Of course you can’t. I’ll get right back to you.”
The line went dead. Zy barely had time to make a cup of coffee and text Kane to be on standby for further instructions when his phone rang again.
“That was quick, Bryant.”
“Like you said, I’m more familiar with the area. So I’ve got two choices for you.”
“You’re a miracle worker. Lay them on me.”
“My best friend,