Chapter Two
An engagement party. Stace was at a fucking engagement party.
Shit. Honor hated dressing up. She’d had just enough time to grab a hotel room and change clothes before heading to the party for Ally Samms and Blake Summers.
It wasn’t exactly how she wanted to meet the people she’d put together files on, but what choice did she have?
None. Nada. Zilch. Zero. There wasn’t time to wait for the festivities to be over.
Who knew how long before the crazy bastard came after her?
Honor banked on his cockiness to buy some time before he found the note she’d left. Why would she leave when she had a hunk like Vince Towner hot for her? She laughed. Ego. Men seemed to have it to spare. Vince would probably choke on his own tongue if he saw her now anyway.
She cleaned up well. She didn’t do it often.
She really wasn’t a dress-and-heels kind of girl.
Her height didn’t need heels, but fuck it, what good was dressing up if you didn’t have the shoes?
And when else would she be around a group of guys who were tall enough for her to wear stilettos and not be the tallest person in the room?
She stepped from her Jeep, took a deep breath, then shook out her hands in hopes of diffusing some of her nerves. She pushed the number pad on her door to put in her alarm code then waited for the lights to flash. Call her paranoid, but the car was her baby. Now, it held her entire life.
Please don’t let me fall! She repeated the words all the way across the lot to the door.
No one stood outside. She couldn’t believe they wouldn’t have security.
Not these guys. It was in their blood. No matter the place, someone would be watching.
She had little doubt her arrival had already been reported.
The hair on the back of her neck rose, and she turned to search for the eyes on her.
She was startled for a moment, not expecting to see Tyler Andrews.
He’d quit working with her dad several years ago.
Of all the guys who’d worked for Zach Davison, he’d always been one of her favorites.
It had broken her heart when he’d walked away, but she’d understood.
He was proof shit got real in actual combat, and people died.
His being here only meant one thing. Her father had called him.
“Well, well, well. Do my eyes deceive me, or is it really Honor Davison under all this glamour? Damn girl! No wonder Zach keeps you hidden away.”
“I’d say it’s a pleasure to see you again, but we both know I’ve never been great at lying.”
Tyler laughed and pulled her in for a hard hug.
Honor’s eyes got a little wet, and she blinked rapidly to keep her tears from spilling.
It was so good to see him. Had he been in Legacy before her dad called or headed this way to meet her?
It only took a moment before things clicked in her head, and she pulled back to look at him.
“You know someone with Midnight, Inc., don’t you? You were in the Army, right? Is it the Viking, Shep? Rangers together? Is this where you’ve been? Are you working with Midnight now?”
“Going over my file in your head?”
She glared at him, arms crossed over her chest.
“First question. I’m assuming ‘the Viking’ is Shep.
He gets that a lot from people Especially women.
” Tyler chuckled at the disgust on her face.
“Yes, we spent some time together in the Rangers. I’ve been in Legacy for a few years now.
Turning over a new leaf, so to speak.” He seemed to find his comment exceptionally funny, and she calmly waited for his laughter to die down.
“I don’t work for Midnight, but I made a point of introducing myself to Jack Madigan when I arrived in town. He offered. I declined.”
“Did Daddy tell you I was coming here?”
“He worries about you. Plus, I was invited to this party. He knows something’s up, something big. He’ll dig until he finds out what. When he said you’d be finding Stace as soon as you arrived, I figured you’d plan to come here.”
“So, are you my bodyguard, or do I need to keep my eyes open for one of the other guys to pop up?”
“We both know you’ll keep those gorgeous eyes open, no matter what I say.”
She snorted. “I’ve missed your flattery.”
He grinned. “You’ve missed everything about me, and you know it.”
Honor snorted again. He was right. He was one of the few guys who’d stood up to her dad.
Which reminded her she didn’t want her father involved in this.
“When you call him, tell him I’m fine. He won’t believe me.
You can verify you’ve seen me with your own eyes, and I’m as gorgeous as ever.
” She fluttered her eyes at him, playing on his earlier comment.
He opened his mouth, and she immediately shook her head and placed a finger on his lips.
“Don’t ask me,” she warned.
“Why not?”
“I don’t want to lie to a friend.”
“Are you planning to ask Midnight for help?”
She nodded.
He held her gaze for a long moment, and she knew he was deciding if he should call her dad or not. Finally, he shrugged at her. “If you need anything, you come to me right away. Understood?”
She smiled. “I will. I’ve missed hearing your voice on the phone. It’s been way too long. How are you?”
“I’m good, kid.” But his eyes were shadowed, and she didn’t believe him.
She might have to stick around longer than she’d planned.
Why hadn’t her father told her Tyler was here?
Zach Davison wouldn’t let anyone walk away without keeping tabs, and he’d obviously known since Tyler was here checking on her.
“So, feel like being my date for the night?”
“Wow. Are the women here smart enough to see through your playboy smile?”
“Shh. They think I’m a nice, respectable guy.”
She snickered. “Good lord! You have them snowed.”
Tyler laughed. “Come on. I promise to do my best to keep you from tripping and going headfirst into the floor.” He trailed his gaze down to her feet and then back up. “Stilettos? What were you thinking?”
“I like the fucking shoes?”
“And you might want to tone down the language a bit. Pretend to be a lady.”
“Fuck you.”
Tyler laughed. “I’ve missed you, kid.”
Honor shook her head. She’d missed him, too. She had a million questions. But she had other shit to deal with first.
Tyler held out his arm for her, and with a deep breath, she took it, wrapping her arm under his and placing her fingers lightly above his elbow.
She’d play nice, be social, and have him formally introduce her to a few people.
Then she’d take Stace aside and let her know what the hell was going on.
Once they were alone, she’d beg for help.
If Stace was on her side, perhaps, Honor could get Midnight to help, too.
“Ready?” Tyler whispered close to her ear.
She nodded. She was as ready as she’d ever be.
* * * * *
Griff did his best to seem interested in what the woman beside him said, but if she asked him anything, he was screwed.
He felt edgy tonight and not in the mood to be at this event.
It could have something to do with showing up solo again, when it seemed everyone else was pairing off.
Or, more likely, it was his mother being here with Roman.
She stood across the room from Griff, talking to his sister, Katie, and Katie’s husband, Ben. Roman was beside Griff’s mom, his hand at the small of her back.
Griff’s his jaw clenched, and he had to look away. He wasn’t sure why he was unable to accept his mom’s relationship. Roman was a good guy, a decent guy, and anyone could tell the man worshipped Catherine Daniels.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Roman bend to kiss her.
Almost immediately, Griff’s jaw clenched again.
Whenever he saw them together, he thought of his dad and how he should be the one with her.
Just before his dad died, Griff had promised to watch over Catherine.
His mom thought Griff was mad at her, and maybe, he had been at first. Mostly, because he’d never thought of her with another man.
He’d never really thought of her as anything other than his mother, and he was trying to work through his emotions.
It wasn’t that he wanted her to be unhappy.
It was the feeling he’d betrayed the trust his dad had put in him.
Stupid, he knew, but it was still how he felt.
He nodded at the woman who was still talking to him and let his gaze scan the room.
All his friends and family were here in one place.
Everyone was smiling and laughing. It was good to see.
His gaze snagged on Shep’s pal, Tyler Andrews, as he walked in with a freaking super model on his arm.
She was gorgeous. Tall. Over six feet since she was almost level with Tyler.
Griff knew the man was a good six-foot-three-inches.
Then there was her mane of hair. It was like liquid sand or, with all the shades of blonde and light brown, maybe more like a tawny lion’s mane.
The waves fell down her back and spilled over her tanned shoulder.
He took note of her sleek muscles. She was toned and definitely a woman who worked out.
She hadn’t gotten that definition without effort.
He nodded again as the woman talking to him ceased her chatter.
“You will!” Her squeal brought his focus back to her. “Thanks so much. I’ll let them know you’ll come in and help.”
She scampered off, and Chetan snickered behind him.
“Tell me I didn’t agree to something I’ll regret.”
“Depends on what you find regrettable,” Chetan answered in typical Chetan fashion.
“Just tell me, please.”
“You’ll be donating some time at the boy’s club, mentoring.”
“Oh, I can handle that.” Griff would enjoy it. As much as he loved working with everyone at Midnight, Inc., he missed working with the kids he’d taught in his former dojo.
“There. No regrets needed then.”
“I saw Tyler Andrews arrived a few minutes ago.”