28. Reghan
28
REGHAN
Two things happened at the same time that made it hard to breathe. One was watching Marshall hug and walk away from Barrett. They were both grown men, but their bond was solid. It would be the same as me leaving Raiden. No way could I do it. I worked with him, even if we were on rotating shifts most of the time. We lived next door to each other. We were in each other’s pockets all the time. Except since I started seeing Barrett.
But Barrett and Marshall had been through a lot during their lives. Now they were being pulled apart by some asshole who shouldn’t still be walking the streets. It was mind-boggling how no one had caught him yet.
The second thing was me walking away from Barrett. Every part of me screamed to stay with him and gather him in my arms. To reassure him that everything would work out. All it took was a glare from Jordan and my feet were moving. My body went one way while my heart tried to stay in Barrett’s apartment.
Raiden and I moved with precision as we stepped into the night air. Not only did we have to protect Jordan, but Marshall as well.
“Raiden, with me,” Jordan barked. Albert was back. If he had found something, we would have known.
My brother tossed me the keys to the Navigator. He’d found a spot across the street and down the block. I couldn’t help but watch as Marshall’s gaze bounced around.
“He won’t come for you right now,” I said.
“How do you know?”
“Because I’d put a fucking bullet in his head.” I winced after I said it. Marshall wasn’t used to this life. Now he was going to be immersed in it. Granted, he wouldn’t know what Jordan did or his day-to-day dealings, but Marshall was bound to get an idea once he stepped into Jordan’s building and saw men with guns everywhere. “Sorry,” I muttered and hit the button to unlock the SUV.
Marshall put his belongings on the back seat before climbing into the passenger seat as the Maserati drove past us.
I sat behind the steering wheel and pulled the door closed. I needed to follow Jordan, just in case. It was always just in case. He could handle himself but if I wasn’t there when I could have been, I’d hate myself.
“You don’t have to do that,” Marshall said once we were on the road.
“What?”
“Watch what you say in front of me. Barrett does, and I understand why, but I hate it. He acts like I’m a kid.”
“Maybe it’s that he doesn’t want you to have to listen to or deal with it.” I didn’t know why Barrett did what he did, but that was my guess, considering how protective he was of his brother.
“Maybe.”
“I won’t do it, okay? I’ll say what I want but if something bothers you or you have questions, ask me. I’ll tell you what I can. Obviously, some shit will be off-limits, given who I work for. That’s another thing. You and Barrett are close, but what you see in the building we’re going to, you can’t tell anyone about.” Not that I thought he’d see much. Everyone was good about keeping the secret shit behind closed doors. We just never knew what each day would bring.
“I won’t. Barrett’s the only one I tell anything personal to, and I wouldn’t want to put him in a position where he had to go behind yours or Jordan’s backs.”
“No close friends?”
We stopped at a light, so I looked over at him. Marshall had his eyes out the window, watching as a light rain started to fall. “No. I’m not like the others. They have loving families and grew up with money. They can do whatever they want and don’t have to worry about how they’re going to pay for things. Barrett does a lot for me, so I don’t ask him for much. What he gives me is usually because he buys it, not because I ask. After the way our parents treated us, what we’d been through together, I wish he’d trust me more.” Barrett had dropped enough information here and there, so I had a pretty good idea about the kind of people his parents were.
The light turned green, so I got us moving again. “He does. You’re the most important person in his life. Being as such means he’s terrified of losing you. I get it. If something happened to my brother, I’d lose a part of myself.”
“You’re identical twins.”
I nodded. “It can get confusing at times.”
“I knew right away how I’d be able to tell you apart, and I don’t mean the scar your brother has.” I shouldn’t be surprised how nothing slipped by Marshall.
“At first, I thought it was you walking into my room, even though the clothes were different, but it’s the way he holds himself and smiles more freely.”
“I smile.” Right? Sometimes? Fuck’s sake.
Marshall chuckled. “You have, but it’s not the same. He’s a bit easier going than you. Am I right?”
“You are, except when we’re working. We’re equally dangerous.”
“I don’t doubt that. Plus, he stands more relaxed where you’re stiff. No, that’s not right. You’re a coiled spring waiting to bounce. I don’t think it would take much to set you off.”
It was my turn to laugh. “You’d be right. You should have seen your brother and me when we’d go toe to toe before you met me. God, the two of us were a constant push and pull.”
“Let me guess, Barrett found a way to rile you up and was relentless about it.”
“How’d you know?” They’re brothers but to say that, he had to see more.
“Because I got the moody, upset side of him at home, which meant someone was getting under his skin or he was getting under theirs, and it wasn’t working. After meeting you, I knew it would be him doing all he could to piss you off.”
“You have no idea. We won’t talk about how many times I fisted his shirt and put him up against a wall while I seethed.”
“And yet you didn’t end up in prison.”
“Not everything was…” I didn’t know what to say. Legal? It wasn’t, but that wasn’t a conversation I should have with Marshall.
“It’s fine. I don’t need to know. I’m glad you two are where you are though.”
“I’m not sure where that is after tonight. Barrett’s pissed.”
“That has everything to do with me, not you. He’ll be okay. I hope.”
I wasn’t sure if I should reach over and pat him on the shoulder. Would he want comfort from me? I didn’t normally do that with any of the guys I worked with, but I did with Barrett. I would always open my arms for him.
“Your brother is capable of handling himself.” That didn’t come out as confident as I had hoped.
“Are you sure about that? You don’t seem any better off than he is.”
Luckily, we were pulling into the garage and could put an end to this conversation. I liked Marshall, but I was torn up over Barrett. Leaving him behind ate at me. What if something happened to him? What if the guy who tried to take Marshall returned with backup? We had no idea if he was working alone or not. Although, in my gut, I thought it was only him.
“I don’t want to leave him behind,” was all I said.
“Your boss doesn’t like him.”
“My boss doesn’t like anyone.”
I parked the SUV and jumped out before anything else was said. The more we talked, the more I wanted to turn around and be with Barrett. He was capable, but I was more so. He trained to be a cop. I trained to hunt and kill. Trying to take Marshall was the wrong fucking move, yet I was stuck. I had to follow Jordan’s lead and his orders. I couldn’t go off and do this on my own. Time and again I’d seen how that turned out for people. I wasn’t about to become a statistic, no matter how skilled I was.
Grabbing Marshall’s belongings from the back, we walked to the elevator where Jordan and Raiden waited for us. Sheldon leaned against the wall, watching every step we took.
“You’re new,” he said when he saw Marshall.
“Hi, I’m Marshall North.” He extended his hand.
“Well, well, the detective has a sibling.” He took Marshall’s hand and shook it. “I’m Sheldon Copeland.” The elevator arrived, but Sheldon didn’t move.
“Get in it or get the fuck out of my way, Sheldon,” Jordan warned.
Sheldon slid to the side and whispered to me, “You need to tell me what happened.”
“No, he doesn’t,” Jordan barked. “Get the fuck in here, Reghan.”
I motioned for Marshall to go first. He tucked himself into the back corner on the opposite side of Jordan. I stood beside him, hoping he felt a little comfort in that. Jordan was more bark than bite where Marshall was concerned. The rest of us waited for the bite when we did something Jordan didn’t like.
The ride up was quiet, except for Sheldon tapping his finger on the wall. I thought Jordan was going to break it, but Sheldon stopped with one look from our boss.
We rode to Jordan’s home where he and Raiden exited.
“Twenty minutes, then I expect you up here, Reghan.”
“Yes, sir.”
He glared at Sheldon as the doors closed.
“I’m sure he wanted me to stay up there,” Sheldon observed. “Being in here is more fun.”
“You’re not going through my door,” I told him.
“Why?”
“You don’t live there.”
“But you’re letting the younger North in.”
“I have a name,” Marshall cut in.
Sheldon rubbed his chin as the doors opened on my floor. We all stepped out. “You do, but you need a nickname.”
“My brother calls me Mars.”
Sheldon’s fingers snapped. “That’s brilliant. I’ll use that too, if it’s okay with you.”
“Of course. I like my nickname. It helps that my parents never used it and tainted it.”
“Parent drama. I know that all too well.”
Jesus, I needed to get Marshall inside and leave Sheldon in the hallway before they started comparing childhood traumas.
“It was nice to meet you,” Marshall said as I unlocked and opened the door.
“You too, but I’ll be out here when you’re done.”
“No, you won’t,” I said. “If I find you out here, I’m calling Forest and will make up an elaborate lie about you, or I’ll tell him just how much you want to see him… naked.”
“Wow, you’re a dick,” Sheldon stated. “I was just trying to be friendly, and you got all defensive. I guess you’re the protector of the North brothers. Good to know.” He walked backward down the hall. I had no clue where he was going, but he knew the building like the back of his hand from his late-night wandering through the halls.
I raised an eyebrow. “And you’re not protective of Forest?”
“I am. I’ll poison anyone who touches him.” He said it so casually, he could have been talking about running an errand.
“That’s what I thought. Night, Sheldon.” I stepped into my apartment and closed the door.
Marshall stood in the middle of the kitchen with his eyes on me. “Did he say poison?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. Mental note, don’t piss him off.”
“I’d use that note for everyone you encounter in the building, even Irene. She knows how to withhold the delicious food she makes.”
He laughed. “Good to know. Your apartment is beautiful.” He turned in the kitchen and then walked into the living room, not stopping until he was in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows. “The view is amazing.”
“Thanks. I don’t have furniture in the other bedroom. I wasn’t thinking when I said you’d stay with me. If you give me a bit, I’ll get a bed up here. There are plenty of extras in the building.”
“You don’t have to go to any trouble. The couch is fine for me.” I would have told him I’d sleep on it, but I didn’t fit well.
“You’re not sleeping on the couch.”
I picked up my phone and called Barry to ask where I could get a bed. He told me there was already one on the way up. The man missed nothing.
It wasn’t long before Rory and Vincent showed up, carrying in the frame first, then the box spring, followed by the mattress. They both introduced themselves to Marshall, but I quickly ushered them out. I had to see Jordan and wanted to give Marshall time to get settled.