Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Tyler shut the door to his bungalow. A bungalow that just happened to be right beside Ronan’s. Gray tended to be obsessive with organizational points like that, so the location was hardly a surprise.
“I don’t see any candles.” A pout pulled at Esme’s lips. “Or rose petals.” A forlorn sigh. “However will I cope?” She glanced back at him. Whatever she saw on his face caused all amusement to vanish. In a breath, she was in front of him. Her hands rose to press lightly against his chest. “What is it? And how can I help you?”
She helped him by breathing. By being in his world because he couldn’t imagine life without her. His deceptive and dangerous but ever-so-lovely bride.
“You’re worrying me, Tyler. You know I don’t like to worry. Worry wastes valuable energy.”
No, Esme didn’t like to worry. She liked to live in the moment. One hundred miles an hour, that was her. Living life to the fullest and usually terrifying him in the process. “He’s possessive of her.”
“I did notice that.”
“He was pissed as hell that I’d scared her.”
Her hands darted up to curl around his shoulders. “I noticed that detail, too. I like to be observant.”
“Ronan is never possessive.”
“There’s a first time for everything.”
“They’re involved.” He could see it in the way Ronan watched her.
She nodded. “I saw her face whenever she looked at him. The woman has fallen, fast and hard.”
Yeah, and Luna Black would be hurt. “Ronan will not fall in love. He might be fucking her, but…” His words trailed off. Five minutes ago, he would have said that Ronan would never fuck a target. He would have been wrong about that assessment.
“Anyone can love. Even the darkest villain can have one person that touches something softer inside of him.” Her head tilted. Her hair trailed over her shoulder. “What is it about Ronan that makes you so sure he can’t love her? After all, he loves you.”
Tyler frowned at Esme.
“He’s your friend. Your family. You might still be a wee bit pissed about what went down between the two of you, but the bond is there. Unbreakable. Isn’t that why you’re here? Because Grayson called you and told you that he wanted someone to watch Ronan’s back?”
Yes.
“And in a blink, you dropped everything. Here we are.”
He wanted to tell her more about Ronan. About why he was so sure Ronan would not give in and love Luna. About the wall that Ronan had always put up. Hell, Ronan hadn’t wanted the ties of friendship. They’d been forced on him.
Tyler remembered when he’d first met Ronan. The guy had smiled plenty, but the smile had never reached his eyes. That was the thing about Ronan. He could seem open. Even easy-going at times. But it was a lie. Nothing really got past Ronan’s guard.
A guard that had been put in place when Ronan was just a teen. The time he’d gotten the scar on his face. After that horrible day, Ronan had become far too good at pretending.
And maintaining outward appearances. Hell could be brewing inside Ronan, and the rest of the world would never know it.
Tyler exhaled.
“I don’t like it when you keep secrets. Aren’t we supposed to share everything?”
Before he could answer Esme, his phone rang. Right on time, of course. Gray was always punctual. Unless, of course, he’d been kidnapped and subjected to a long torture spree. That recent event had been the only time Gray had gone off the radar. Like his buddy Kane Harte, Tyler was increasingly worried about what that time in torture had done to Gray. Not that Gray would share his secrets or his pain with them. The man tried to act invincible.
No one was invincible.
“Saved by the bell. We will revisit this chat. Secrets bite everyone in the ass.” She released him and stepped back.
“Sweetheart, you are the queen of secrets.” She lived and breathed them.
She blew him a kiss and turned away.
He put the phone to his ear. “Don’t know if you’re aware,” Tyler began, “but phones are frowned on in this establishment.” He was using the Wi-Fi calling option on his phone because regular cellular coverage was pretty much shit on the little island. Or key. Or whatever the hell it was supposed to be.
“Yes, the very lack of phone usage in your location is why the retreat makes for such a perfect hiding spot. But even seemingly perfect things have flaws.” Gray’s voice was tight with tension.
Tyler felt his gut twist. Something was wrong. “I’m in position. Made contact. He knows backup is close.”
“We have a problem.”
“Already?” Way too fast. “I haven’t even unpacked.”
“A hit has been placed. One of our techs just passed along the news. We monitor the Dark Web and?—”
“Yeah, yeah, save me that particular explanation. I get that the Feds have their naughty fingers in all sorts of places. Get focused on the hit.”
Esme slanted him a frown over her shoulder. “Did you mean for that to sound X-rated? Do tell Grayson to keep his fingers to himself.”
“I am focused on the hit,” Gray groused. He’d obviously overheard Esme.
The hit should not have come so fast. “I thought Marcus Aeros believed that Luna was dead?” He’d been briefed before his arrival so Tyler understood what he was facing. Or at least, he’d thought he understood.
“Oh, Marcus does believe she’s dead. Currently, anyway. Despite the plan I previously threw out to Ronan.”
What plan?
“This hit isn’t for Luna. That’s what makes it problematic.”
Uh, hits tended to be problematic by their very nature. Someone was being paid to kill someone else. A bad thing. A problematic thing. “Who’s the target?” Tyler asked.
Silence.
“Gray, I’m not in the mood for games.”
“Ronan.”
“What?”
“There’s a hit on Ronan’s head. He’s the target. I’m thinking Marcus fears he’s in a kill or be killed situation. As I told you before, Marcus sent his goon after Ronan. Only instead of dying, Ronan killed the bastard.”
Yeah, he’d heard all about that. Not just from Gray. Kane had been spilling details, too. Kane was particularly worried about Ronan. And after seeing Ronan with Luna, Tyler understood his concern. He’s not going to be unemotional where she’s concerned.
But Gray wasn’t done talking. “And now, I think Marcus is panicking. I believe Marcus is trying to take out Ronan before Ronan comes for him.”
“I didn’t know Ronan was going after Marcus. Thought he was supposed to stay close to the woman.” Unless there had been a change in plans that he didn’t know about?
Silence.
“I can’t work blind,” Tyler snapped when the silence went too long.
“Ronan is supposed to stay close to Luna. And they’re both supposed to stay alive. Let’s see if we can make that happen, shall we? Double win.”
“Gray…”
“A hit has been placed on the head of our hitman. Priority one right now? It’s for you to make sure that Ronan keeps breathing. I’m rather fond of that bastard.”