Chapter Four
Dominic
This is a bad idea. I don’t know why Zayden would even consider this.
I spent the entire plane ride here researching these people within an inch of their life, and I still don’t feel good about this.
We’re in no position to judge their relationship, but these guys are the heads of one of the country’s most powerful secret societies.
Scrap the country—the world. They’re nearly untouchable, and we really think they’re going to be okay with us waltzing into their vacation cabin with their kids a week before Christmas?
Yeah, Zayden may say I worry too much, but once again, he isn’t worrying enough.
Zayden chose to drive when we landed in New Hampshire. It’s currently dumping snow, and I have to be thankful that we landed when we did because otherwise, I’m not confident we would make it to their cabin before the snow buries the road altogether.
Now I’m sitting in the front seat with Blake and the boys in the back.
Silently, I’m pre-loading several guns, enough for all of us, even the boys.
They’ve been going to the shooting range we’ve set up at our house for a year now.
It’s not an ideal situation to hand two six-year-olds guns, but I’m not sure what we’re walking into, and if it gives them a small chance to live, then so be it.
I feel a pair of eyes on me, and I cut my gaze to the rearview mirror to see Blake staring at me with concern, those entrancing blue and brown eyes shining with emotion. I do my best to give her a comforting smile, but I know I don’t succeed.
We’re all more than a little rattled. We’ve never had our home invaded like that, not since the boys were born.
I feel like I’ve failed them all. I should have anticipated it, acted quicker.
Ryder and Aries haven’t spoken a word since we got on the plane, and I worry that our choices will affect them forever.
“Are we sure this is the best option?” Blake asks from the back.
Zayden and I look back to her as she looks down at the boys.
“I just… Are we sure this is what we should be doing?”
I look to Zayden, who hesitates for a moment before nodding.
“Yes. We need to get somewhere safe, with high security. Somewhere we can’t be linked to.”
I scoff and shake my head as I continue loading clips.
High security my ass. It took almost no effort at all to hack into their surveillance feed over six years ago, and clearly they never suspected a thing.
Zayden asked me to tap into all their properties and leave the link open should the need ever arise to use it.
To my knowledge, he’s only popped in a time or two over the years. I gotta say, I’m grateful for it now.
I look down at my phone and scroll through the different rooms. Right now, it looks like almost all of them are in the living room watching a show.
Until I see the girl, Skyla, stand and take the kids with her down the hall.
I try to follow them, but in the next moment she’s gone.
Furrowing my brows, I begin flicking through all the possible cameras before locking my phone.
“What?” Zayden asks.
“The girl and kids disappeared.”
“What do you mean?”
I shrug. “Probably a safe room hidden by a corner or something.”
“Does that mean we should be concerned?” Blake asks.
I turn to gaze over my shoulder and see the boys’ eyes looking to me in concern. But I have no concern; there’s no room for it. No one will hurt my family—not again, not ever.
“No,” Zayden and I answer simultaneously.
Blake looks at me like she doesn’t believe me, and I don’t blame her.
She knows us well enough to know when we’re lying or trying to pacify her.
She absolutely fucking hates it, but right now, she doesn’t seem to take much issue with it.
Instead, she places a kiss to each of our boys’ heads as we start up the rural road to the cabin.
“I love you,” I mouth to her.
She softens slightly, that smile that still makes my heart clench gracing her face as she mouths back, “I love you more.”
I never could have imagined winning the love of a woman like her. Our story isn’t cut and dry, though; it’s messy, complicated and, probably to most, fucked up. But I wouldn’t trade it for the world. She’s my everything. They are my everything.
As we crest the last bend, the cabin comes into view.
Of course, I’ve already studied it extensively, from the property lines and blueprints to the interior photos the real estate company posted when it was for sale.
Still, the place is fucking massive. I suppose it would have to be if you had six adults and three kids.
This is just one of their vacation homes too.
Zayden turns his head to face Blake and the boys before he speaks. “Stay here. Dominic or I will come get you. If you hear shots, you drive away, you hear me? You drive and you never look back.”
Blake shakes her head in protest as I cut in.
“Baby, yes. Our first priority is you three. You will get to safety, okay?”
She looks conflicted as the boys gaze up at her, then us. In the next moment, Ryder unbuckles his seat belt and throws himself around my and Zayden’s necks. We both hold him close, pressing kisses to his head.
“We’re gonna be okay, Ry, I promise,” I whisper into his ear.
He nods as he pulls away, then Aries does the same. We both offer Blake a confident nod before I grab a few guns, passing them to Zayden before holstering my own, then giving one to Blake as well. She takes it easily, shooting me a worried look before Zayden and I climb out of the car together.
We make our way up to the front door of the cabin, our heads constantly swiveling for the slightest indicator that something may be off. When we approach the door, Zayden looks to me, checking to see if I’m ready. I nod as he lifts his hand to knock.
Knock—can you believe it? I don’t think he’s knocked on any door a single day of his life.
Slowly, the door opens to reveal Vincent Griggs standing in the doorway.
“Graves,” he says with a nod to Zayden before turning to me. “Other Graves.”
I scowl at that as Zayden lets out a laugh I think is supposed to sound amused but really just sounds maniacal.
“I told you I liked this kid, Dom.”
I grunt in response as I stare him down. He meets my gaze when I cock my head to the side.
“Well? Are you going to let us in or what?”
“Why did you want to come here?” Griggs asks, turning his focus back to Zayden.
“You know, I’ve just been really feeling the need to get together with you, catch up. You got any beer?”
Griggs remains impassive, refusing to feed into Zayden’s bullshit for one second. Hm, maybe Zayden is right. I kinda like this kid too. Doesn’t mean I trust him, though.
“Let us in and we’ll explain as much as we’re able,” I say.
“How do I know you won’t blow my family’s brains out the moment I widen this door?”
“How do we know the same?” I throw back.
Griggs narrows his eyes and clenches his jaw. Finally, he relents, giving a shaky nod before pulling the door open.
“Thank you, good sir,” Zayden says with a dramatic bow, stepping in first.
I follow right behind him, clocking each of the remaining men. Two Putnams, one Walcott and a Preston. They all appear armed and guarded, ready to attack. That makes two of us.
“This is—” Griggs begins before I cut him off.
“No need for introductions; we know who you all are. Where are Skyla, Seraphina, Jackson and Brooks?”
Mentioning the names of their woman and children sets them all off, and predictably Asher Putnam is the first to step toe to toe with me, pushing his gun against my stomach.
“What the fuck did you just say?”
I look at the impassioned hothead and roll my eyes. This is the leader of the Brethren? Seems like an ill fit, but what do I know about running a secret society?
Zayden tsks. “Dominic, don’t set our hosts off like that.” He smiles to the room before his gaze settles on Asher. Zayden’s friendly demeanor vanishes in a moment.
“I suggest you remove the gun pressed against my brother before I cut out your entrails and shove them down your goddamn throat.”
That seems to catch Asher off guard; he turns to Zayden, visibly disgusted.
“What the fuck?”
Griggs sighs and shakes his head. “Look, Graves, we’re just trying to protect our family, same as you. The sooner you tell us what you want, the sooner we can all go about our lives.”
Zayden looks to me before speaking. “The Four Horsemen are after us. A job went south with them, and nine hours ago, they tracked down our safe house and attacked us. We need a safe place to keep our family so we can take care of them properly.”
“And fast,” I add.
Everyone in the room seems to relax a bit as Ronan Putnam speaks.
“So that’s it? You just need us to look after your wife and kid?”
“Kids,” I correct.
“And no,” Zayden says as his gaze turns to Griggs. “We’ll be requiring your handy-dandy hitman as well. Maybe a few others if you can hold your own.”
“And if we say no?” Asher asks.
I look to him, surprised at his boldness, before reaching for Walcott. He tries to fight me off, but I subdue him easily, pressing my gun to his temple. In an instant, every weapon is drawn on me, but I don’t care. I see the look of fear in Asher’s eyes as I hold hostage the man he loves.
“Then I suppose this will turn into one big turkey shoot.”
“Enough with the dick measuring,” Ronan grinds out. “Let Liam go, and we can discuss what you need further.”
“As a matter of fact, hand over your guns,” Wesley adds.
Zayden lets out an amused laugh and shakes his head. “That’s not happening, but we will lower our guns in good faith. Right, brother?” he says as he holsters his gun and raises his hands in surrender dramatically.
I push Walcott to the side and do the same, securing my weapon before I lift my hands.
Zayden and I don’t need to converse to understand the situation here.
They don’t trust us as much as we don’t trust them, but they don’t want a fight any more than we do.
The woman they love and their children are here, same as us.
They’re a neutral threat for now, which is good enough for me.
Once our weapons are lowered, Griggs lowers his gun before looking to the others. Slowly, they all do the same, Asher being the last to finally do so.
“Well, now that we have the warm and fuzzy greetings out of the way, how about you go get your family and we’ll get ours. Make the kids feel more comfortable and all,” Zayden tells—not asks—them.
I see several hesitations before Ronan and Wesley nod, then disappear down the hallway that I watched Skyla vanish from.
“I’ll go get them,” I say to Zayden.
“Sounds good! We’ll play catch-up while you’re gone!” He grins, waving to me like a fucking psychopath.
Asher and Liam give him uneasy looks before I hear Griggs and Zayden begin discussing our situation.
When I step out of the house, a door is thrown open, and Aries runs for me, Ryder close behind him and then Blake, yelling at them to get back.
I crouch down and scoop the boys up. “Did you forget that I said to wait in the car?”
They both look down, rightfully ashamed as Blake comes up to me, shaking her head.
“I swear to God they only listen to you two.”
She pauses for a moment, looking for Zayden. “Is everything okay?”
I nod. “For now. Don’t lower your guard, but for now, we’re okay.”
Blake blows out a breath and nods as I lean in to press a quick kiss to her lips. She melts against me before I pull away, setting the boys down and taking her hand in mine.
When we step inside the house, I have the boys tucked behind Blake and me as all eyes swing to us. Four new pairs of eyes are among them, all watching with varying levels of hesitancy. One seems to capture the attention of the boys, though.
Before we can stop them, Aries sprints forward, followed by Ryder, until they’re inches from Seraphina, the family’s four-year-old.
“What’s your name?” Aries asks.
She looks at him nervously before glancing at her mom, who gives her a small nod. “Seraphina. What’s yours?”
“I’m Ryder,” he says, pushing in front of his brother.
Aries shoulder-checks him so that he’s front and center once more. “I’m Aries.”
She nods, still watching the boys with bright gray eyes like she’s unsure of them.
“Do you want to play?” Jackson, the family’s three-year-old asks.
Aries and Ryder nod as they take off with Jackson, running towards the back of the cabin, Brooks toddling behind them.
Aries pauses, looking back. “C’mon, Seraphina.”
Now she looks to her dad, or so I’m assuming, since the girl appears to be a spitting image of Griggs. He’s frowning at her like he doesn’t approve before Skyla places a hand on his shoulder and nods to her daughter.
“Go play, baby. We’re going to talk about grown-up stuff.”
She nods and trails after them. None of us miss how Aries grabs hold of her hand the instant she’s close enough, leading the way like this is his house or something.
“Oh Christ,” I mutter under my breath.
Zayden casts me a look as a laugh bubbles out of Blake.
“Um, I think my boys are taken with your daughter.”
Skyla laughs, nodding as she closes the distance between her and Blake. She holds her hand out. “I’m Skyla.”
Surprise flickers in Blake’s eyes as she nods before taking her hand. “Blake.”
Skyla smiles warmly at Blake, and I watch closely for a hint of malice or deceit, but I come up empty.
“So how do we kill these Horsemen fucks and get you all out of here?” Asher asks.
“Ash,” Skyla hisses, whipping her head round to face her asshole of a husband.
Zayden seems to be amused by it, though, as he cackles a laugh and nods. “He’s right. Let’s dive into it.”