Chapter 12 Cade #2
He gasps when I push open the double doors, and I watch as he steps inside. He’s quiet as he moves around the space, his fingers dragging across the shelves, stopping when he comes to an enclosed glass case. “Oh my god, you do have ancient texts. Who the fuck are you?”
“The Buckinghams.”
“The Firm.”
His voice rasps that, as if he’s remembering where he is and what kind of danger could lurk in the corners of this house. Not that anyone would harm him, but still. It’s good for him to be careful.
To be wary of people. I know I can be trusted, but he should take care.
I can respect that.
“So, you’re really part of The Firm?”
I nod. “Yep. At your service.”
“For a price.”
I wink at him. “Butterfly, consider our services free of charge for you.”
He looks uncertain, and I hate it. I gently tug him into my side, throwing an arm around his shoulders. “Don’t think about that right now. I’m more than my family or The Firm.”
“Can you tell me how it works?” His head is cocked, and I sigh, not really wanting to talk about business right now, but I’ll give him anything he wants.
“You want to know how The Firm works?”
“Yep. Can you tell me that, or do I need to take a blood oath?” I snort a laugh, and he blushes. “I love your dimples,” he admits, and my heart thrums in my chest.
“Thanks, got them at birth.”
Ansel grins back at me, and I focus back on his question. “Well, The Firm has been around for ages. My father, unfortunately, handed it down to all of us.”
“You don’t like it?”
“I don’t mind it, but when I think about it too hard, I would have rather had a choice in the matter. But none of us did. We were required to take up the torch and carry on with tradition.”
“That sucks. I’m sorry. Would you rather have been an astronomer?”
I chuckle, loving that he remembers that. “That or joined the army. But it is what it is. Now I don’t know how to be anything else.”
Ansel moves forward, pulling a book from the shelf and thumbing through it.
“So the whole ‘leave a note under the church brick’ is a thing?”
“Yep.”
“How do you monitor it?”
“Technology.”
Ansel’s eyes flick up to mine. “I guess that makes sense. You don’t just sit there and watch people like a hawk.”
“No, we get an alert, and one of us goes down and retrieves it.”
“Aren’t you worried about getting caught?”
“No. And if we were, well, that person wouldn’t last long.”
“You mean you’d kill them.”
I shrug, not wanting him to see me in a bad light. Instead, I step up to him, set the book down, and pull him into me.
He doesn’t shove me away, so I take that as a good sign. “I suspect some must know. It’s partially why I insisted we send my selfie. I knew that if they’d made the connection between the Buckinghams and The Firm, they’d back off.”
“And they did.” Ansel chews on his lip. “Aren’t you worried that they know your true identity?”
“Nah. Wylder worries about that stuff. I just do what I’m told.” I kiss along his neck. “I’m going to need some names though, butterfly. Details. That sort of thing.”
He sucks in a breath. “Why do you need to know? They’ve backed off.”
“But they might come back.” I don’t add that it doesn’t matter even if they leave him alone forever.
They’ve already signed their death warrants as far as I’m concerned.
Ansel’s gone deathly pale. He lifts a hand to touch his temple as his breath quickens. “I don’t… I can’t… Cade, please.”
Alarmed, I hold him closer. Now clearly isn’t the time to be discussing this. I can’t upset Ansel while he’s recovering. “Come on, let’s stop talking about The Firm. It’s boring. Let me show you my favorite room in the house instead.”
He’s still too pale, but his breathing slows. “What room is that?”
“The weaponry. If Wylder got his libraries, I wanted one with my own collection.”
“Of course it’s weapons.”
“Well, I couldn’t collect actual stars, and taxidermy isn’t my thing.”
“Thank god,” he murmurs as he follows me around a corner to a single door. I unlock it and step inside, flicking the lights on and letting Ansel appreciate it in all its glory.
Weapons of all shapes and sizes hang on the wall.
“Where did you get all of these?”
“Auctions. And I usually rent these out to museums.”
Ansel turns on the spot, taking it all in. “Which one is your favorite?”
I move toward a three-foot object on the wall. It’s thick and flat, with obsidian pieces along both edges. “It’s a macuahuitl from the Aztec Empire. Some would consider it primeval, but I think it’s fascinating. It’s so sharp that it’s capable of decapitation. Tried it once. It worked.”
“Oh my god,” Ansel murmurs with a flinch, and I realize I’ve said too much.
“Never mind that. All you need to know is that the man deserved it. Most do, you know.”
“I don’t know. I know nothing.” He shakes his head rapidly. How he ever thought he was capable of kidnapping is beyond me. I’ll thank my lucky stars every day that I was the one he captured.
“You’ll learn, butterfly. Come on. Let me show you another really cool weapon.” I lead him down the hall toward a few katanas I’ve collected from actual samurai. By the time I’m done prattling on about them, Ansel yawns.
I stop abruptly. “Oh shit, I’ve bored you. Come on, let’s take a break from the tour. Let’s just rest for a bit.”
He nods, and I pick him up, carrying him down to the living room and situating him on the couch.
“Just so you know, I wasn’t bored. I’m just tired from everything.”
“I know,” I say, stroking his face gently.
“Can I have my phone?” he asks when I place a blanket over him.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I speak slowly, knowing he’s not going to like my answer.
He worries his lip with his teeth. “I have to let my best friend know I’m okay. If I don’t, then he’ll come looking for me.”
“Is this the N from the wall?”
“The same one.” I hesitate, and he adds, “We have a rule. If we don’t hear from one another for three days, then we panic.”
I tuck the blanket in closer around him. “Well, we wouldn’t want that, now would we? I’ll have to speak to my brothers about this.”
“Good. Thank you. I just wouldn’t want you to be subjected to his panic mode. He gets really mean when he’s upset.”
“Have you disappeared before?”
He gives me a sheepish look. “Yeah, kinda. Was stupid and went on a bender once. He found me in an abandoned house outside of town. I was pretty out of it.”
I don’t like that. Not one bit. “You still go on benders?”
“No, I don’t do drugs anymore. I learned my lesson. That was not a fun recovery.”
I clasp the back of his neck and pull him closer. “I’d find you faster than three days.”
“I don’t know if that’s possible. If I wanted to disappear and never be found, I could.”
My eyes narrow at that. Is he threatening me? Or maybe he just wants to play. I do love a good game.
I kiss his forehead. “There’s no need for you to disappear. Stay here and relax while I go talk to my brothers about your phone.”
“Thank you, Titan,” he says drowsily, and my heart flutters at the nickname.
It must mean he’s serious about me.
I watch him intently until his eyes drift shut and his breathing slows.
Then I set out to track down my brothers.