Chapter 46
brIGGS
“I just mean… are we really sure this is the best plan?” Ellie’s voice is small. Her fingers weave through my hair as a sliver of dawn cuts through the curtains.
Not this again.
I release her nipple with a wet pop and press my forehead into her ribcage, inhaling her pear blossom scent. “Darlin’.” The word comes out a muffled sound against her skin. “We talked about this.”
“I’m sorry, babe,” she whispers. Her hand stills in my hair, palm heavy against my scalp. “I just hate the idea of you being in that house.”
I let out a long sigh. “Honey it’s just recon.” I press a kiss to her stomach and trail my lips lower in a desperate attempt to change this damn subject. “We’ll be in and out before you know it.”
She scoffs. “And why does it have to be the three of you?”
Jesus Christ. It’s a good thing I love this girl.
I huff out a heavy breath and roll off of her, the mattress creaking as I thump onto my back. “You read Zeke’s letter, El,” I say, hooking an arm behind my head. “You know why it has to be the three of us.”
She rolls over and drapes her leg across my thigh. Fingers tracing the barbed wire around her name inked on my chest. “I still don’t like it. Why couldn’t Khoza go? Or O’Malley… or hell even Laing?”
“Because Khoza’s massive ass and Mac’s fiery red hair will draw too much attention,” I explain, ticking the reasons off in my head.
“And throwing Laing in there with Bella will only create unneeded tension. We need Lex calm before the extraction, so I’m the best option.
Plus, he’s never met Ty or Brett. It just makes sense. ”
“But what if he—”
“We’ll be in masks,” I cut in. “And Brett’s gonna distract him. You know how much the guy likes to hear the sound of his own voice.”
That earns a small chuckle. “Yeah, I know.”
I wrap my arm around her and press a kiss to the top of her blonde waves.
“I’ll be fine darlin’. We’re just going in long enough to pull focus and to get a lay of the land.
Once I get Knox’s device on B’s wrist…” I tighten my grip, pulling her flush against my side until our heartbeats sync up.
“I’ll be back here holdin’ you like I never left. ”
She finally lets out a long, shaky breath against my chest. “You better be,” she whispers.
“I will be.” I roll back over, smirking as I pin her into the mattress before she can find another reason to worry. “Now, stop thinking about that damn house.”
???
Luca’s House - Ditmas Park
Later that night.
Ty’s hand clamps down on my shoulder as he leans up from the back seat.
“Damn,” he says. “Who knew B’s engagement would draw this kind of crowd?”
“Where the hell am I supposed to park?” Brett asks, his eyes scanning the horizon of black glass.
The streets of Ditmas Park are lined with looming Victorian mansions. Each one a different tribute to old-money Brooklyn. Every inch of pavement is choked by sleek black SUVs and polished luxury sedans. Their engines still ticking from recent arrivals.
I point toward a curb. “Just pull over up there by that Aston.”
Ring. Ring.
Ring. Ring.
I hit the button on the dash. “Hey darlin’, you’re on the truck’s speaker.”
“Don’t tell her that!” Brett mutters. “I like it when Buttercup is off her leash.”
“Brett!” Ellie shrieks. “Quit calling me that. It wasn’t cute at Christmas and it sure as shit ain’t cute now.”
“Sure as shit ain’t?” Ty snickers. “El, you’ve been hanging out with us for far too long, honey. Your accent is switchin’ up again.”
“Ugh! You guys are insufferable.”
“You love us,” Brett adds, pulling over between a silver BMW and a blacked-out Aston Martin that looks almost identical to Cade’s.
“Sometimes,” she admits, though from the sound of her voice I know her ocean-blues are rolling on that beautiful face of hers. “Are you guys ready? Did the masks I grabbed you look good? Is everything—”
“Darlin’,” I cut her off before this soon to be spiral gets out of hand. “Everything is solid. We’re fine. In and out, remember?”
“Ellie, give me that.” There’s a rustle on the other end followed by a high-pitched squeal from my girlfriend.
“Hey, Caleb,” Haley laughs. “She’ll be fine.”
“Thanks, Hales,” I say, shaking my head with a smile.
“Seriously though,” Haley continues. “Be safe in there.”
“Understood.”
“And when you see her…” she pauses, her voice breaking on a sniffle. “Can you tell her we love her?”
“Yes, please babe!”
My jaw ticks, the muscle jumping in my cheek as I glance over at my brothers. Brett’s grip tightens on the steering wheel so much the leather groans. Ty exhales hard, leaning back as his expression goes cold.
“I will,” I confirm, my voice dropping. “Now both of you relax, alright? We’re gonna get your best friend back.”
“Tonight,” Brett adds, slamming the truck in park.
“Comm check,” Nate’s voice fills my ear.
“El, we gotta go,” I say.
Ellie sighs. “Okay, I love you.”
“Be careful,” Haley adds.
“Love you too.” I hang up. “Nate, I can hear ya.”
“Me too,” Brett echoes.
“Same,” Ty says from the backseat.
“You all know what to do?” Nate asks.
“Yeah, yeah,” Brett laughs while he adjusts his tie. “Get in, distract the fuck, get Bella the hair-tie, and get the hell out of dodge before Tyler starts making a scene.”
“I won’t make a scene,” Ty mutters. “If anything, it’ll be your ass makin’ a scene.”
“And it’s not a hair-tie,” Knox grunts. “It’s a tracking device loaded with enough code to shut down—”
“But it’s a hair-tie,” Brett interrupts with a shrug.
“Do you know how long it took to—” Knox gripes.
“Not now,” Nate cuts him off. “Just get in there and stick to the damn plan.”
I crack the door open. “You lettin’ the guys hear?”
A long breath bleeds through the comms. “Hear, yes,” Nate says. “Speak, no.”
Ty huffs. “Russian’s gonna be pissed.”
“Can’t risk it,” Knox says. “If Bella hears either of their voices, she’ll crack.”
“Heard.” The night air hits cold as I step out of the truck. I place the tracker around my wrist. “It’s on, Knox.”
“I’m getting a strong signal. You’re all clear.”
“Caleb, you remember where to go?” Nate asks.
“Yeah,” I confirm.
“Perfect,” he says. “Good luck in there.”
Brett circles the hood, whistling low as he checks his reflection in the tinted glass. “Damn… I look good.”
Ty rolls his eyes, buttoning up his suit jacket. “Conceited, much?”
“Can it,” I mutter as I pull the mask up and settle it into place “Let’s go.”
???
By the time we walk the damn near five blocks from the truck, Ty and I have about throttled Brett at least ten times. Probably more if I’m being honest.
“…look all I’m sayin’,” Brett goes on while still messing with his cuff. “If this pans out and we don’t put a bullet in his head tonight, we should—”
“For the love of God,” Ty groans, adjusting his black and golden mask. “Shut your trap.”
I huff out a breath.
Zeke knew what he was doing when he picked Brett to distract Luca. The man could talk a bullet out of a gun. Or at the very least get himself shot trying.
“Keycard,” the guard at the top of the stairs says.
As he reaches out, I catch a glimpse of a C scorched into the meat of his wrist when his sleeve rides up. I keep my face neutral as I press the plastic onto the cold glass screen of the card reader.
BEEP. BEEP.
“All good.” He nods to the door. “Welcome, gentlemen. The party is out back by the pool. Help yourself to refreshments along the way.”
We flash a quick smile and head inside.
“Shit,” Brett mutters as we pass by a table overflowing with gifts. “You think we should have brought something? I didn’t see a registry, but what do you get for a psycho who wants to marry his—”
I smack the back of his head.
“Ouch!” he groans, rubbing his neck.
“Split up,” I say, ignoring his soon to be tantrum. “You both know what to do.”
They vanish with a nod.
The backyard is full of masked men and women all dressed to the nines. Black ties and glittering gowns dancing beneath strings of Edison bulbs. Servers weave through the crowd with trays of champagne flutes. The liquid catching the glow like hundreds of little lightning bugs flickering in the dark.
Massive bunches of blood-red roses spill over everything—centerpieces, the bar, even climbing up a wrought iron stand over the main table. And past the heat of the crowd, the pool stretches out like a sheet of dark glass. Moonlight skims the surface, creating silver ripples in the breeze.
“Champagne?” a waiter with a glittering white mask asks.
I take the flute without looking at him, my eyes already hunting for Bella. It takes every ounce of willpower in me not to lunge the second I get a glimpse of her.
Luca’s standing beside her, looking like a damn predator in a tuxedo. His arm is slung way too low on her back as he parades her in front of a couple.
“I got eyes on B,” I whisper into my comms.
“How’s she look?” Nate asks.
Brett whistles. “Sexy as shit. Lex would be foamin’ at the mouth if he saw her.”
“Knock it off.” I grind my teeth, but he’s not wrong. The deep red satin of her gown clings to every curve and has a slit so high you can damn near see her ass from here. Lex would lose his mind if he saw her like this. Hell, Cade too.
Luca leans in and presses a lingering kiss to her temple. My jaw clicks.
“Brett,” I rasp, my grip tightening on the stem of the glass so hard I’m surprised it doesn’t shatter. “Get the fuck up there.”
“On it.” Brett weaves his way through the crowd and up to the main table. He offers a hand to the monster standing next to Bella. Her eyes widen when she sees him but she doesn’t flinch. Instead, she takes a deep breath and peers out across the sea of masks.
“She’s tryin’ to find us,” Ty says, clocking her glance.
“Don’t move,” Nate warns. “Let your brother get Luca away first.”
“Does anyone have eyes on Zeke?” Knox asks.
I scan the crowd quickly. “He ain’t here.”
“How do you know if they’re all in masks?”
“Because Ty’s the tallest fucker in here, and Z’s got at least two inches on him that’s how.”
“Jackass,” Ty snaps, sipping a whiskey from his seat at the crystal bar. “He doesn’t have two inches on me.”