Chapter 15
Brogan
Silence.
The three of us remained in the living room, glaring at an unneeded fire in the gas fireplace. Why Alexander had lit it was beyond me, other than the flickering light allowed him something to concentrate on. He’d been deep in thought, likely sulking because of the events of the evening.
While we all had drinks in our hands, I had the feeling he was ready to toss his glass into the flames. Hell, maybe that would make us all feel better.
Daniel had carried Cassie into the house, and I’d been able to tell instantly that they’d been intimate.
Not only did it surprise me that she’d allow a single one of us get close to her, but also that I’d felt a pang of jealousy.
Maybe I had wanted to be the one she’d go to for comfort.
I couldn’t seem to get the single time I’d met her all those years ago out of my mind.
While the sun had been glaring that morning, I’d been drawn to her eyes, especially the way she’d looked at me.
Garrison had mentioned he had someone he wanted me to meet, but I’d felt certain it was another girl he’d met.
By that point, Emily had been ripped from our lives.
I’d always known it had been for the best, but Alexander was furious, angrier than I’d seen him in a hell of a long time.
Now I realized why. She’d become a small part of our family.
Now this beautiful creature had awakened all three of us once again.
Well, that was over. Cassie should return to her life. She damn well deserved something better than three broken men.
“Who do you think spotted her at the university?” I asked, just as concerned as they were what that might mean.
“It doesn’t matter. She’s no one to them,” Alexander stated.
“You’re certain of that?” Daniel barked.
“I already made some calls, including to some folks associated with the university. There’s nothing to indicate anyone knows who she is. What we need to be concerned about is Rocco. While he’s still in New York, he can’t learn her identity. She’s already a weakness.”
“A weakness,” Brogan repeated. “You’ll end up spending your life alone and lonely.”
“If that’s what needs to happen, then fine. I refuse to allow her to be in any danger.”
“How admirable of you, Alexander. I assume that means we can get her off the damn island,” Daniel said through clenched teeth.
“You’re that eager to get her out of your life, my friend?” Alexander hissed then took a gulp of his drink, immediately climbing out of the chair and heading toward the bar.
“Don’t be a martyr, Alexander. It doesn’t suit you,” Daniel retorted. “Besides, she wants to go. We’re going to fucking let her go. But you damn well better make certain Rocco doesn’t come after her.”
“I plan on doing just that, my friend,” he retorted. “I guess it means you won’t be there to help.”
“I’m sick of the crap between the two of you. Cassie deserves to have her life back, but I agree with Daniel. She will be protected if I have to do it myself.” I looked from one to the other, hissing under my breath.
“I don’t work for you, Alexander, and I never will,” Daniel said quietly, moving closer to the fire.
“What a shame, Daniel. I was hoping you’d invest in my grand plan on the island.” Alexander swept his arm out.
I expected Daniel to go off the deep end. He just shook his head. “Yeah, that’s not going to happen.”
“Never say never,” Alexander added.
“You’re going to work for him again, Brogan?” Daniel snipped, glaring in my direction.
I took a sip of my drink, trying to keep my anger in check. “I don’t know yet, Danny, but if Rocco is threatening us, then he won’t stop until he gets what he wants. I’m not going to allow that to happen.”
He exhaled then looked away. He knew I was right. Sadly, he was fighting what he knew would need to be done.
Sighing, I headed for the open door, leaning against the doorway and staring out into the darkness.
I ordinarily enjoyed hearing the sound of the ocean, but it did little to comfort me at this point.
We’d had so many rounds of silence; I wasn’t certain we could be friends any longer.
I rubbed my finger where the ring should be, wishing I’d protected it when I’d had the chance.
“I don’t want to lose her,” Alexander said after a few minutes. “But it’s for the best.”
There was no adequate way for either Daniel or me to respond. There was no best in this.
“We take her back tomorrow. Then we return to our happy little lives.” Alexander stopped just inside the doorway, his breathing ragged. “The funny thing is that I’d walk away from my father’s business if she’d agree to stay with us.”
“Us. You really think that could work?” Daniel piped in, shocking the hell out of me. The tension in the room changed. Maybe we were all thinking the same thing.
“You seem to forget that we grounded each other. We were family. Now, I just want the adult version, the happily ever after. The damn white picket fence. Hell, I even want a dog.” He laughed, as if wishing was the closest he could get. “Anyway. I’m going to bed. Alone. Maybe I need time to think.”
I closed my eyes, hearing his jarring footsteps. I hated this shit more than anything.
“I’m going to do that as well. Wallowing in self-pity isn’t going to do us any good.”
Before Daniel could reach the door, I turned around to face him. “Would you do that?”
“Be a foursome, you mean?”
“Yeah.”
Daniel exhaled, rubbing his jaw. “I love her too, Brogan. I know it shouldn’t be possible, but I’m like Alexander.
I can’t imagine living the rest of my life without her.
We were good together all those years ago, even throughout the craziness.
What I won’t do is become mixed up in crime again.
I also refuse to drag her into the lifestyle.
You saw her. She’s a perfect flower in the summertime. ”
“Who says you have to change what you’re doing? We find an estate with plenty of room.”
His laugh was as bitter as I’d ever heard. “Well, the CIA would have a very difficult time understanding why I was living with a notorious mafia leader, even if it was in a compound. I’d have to leave my profession, which I would do in a heartbeat, although I have no clue what else I’d do.”
“You were good at everything, including business. Invest in this place.”
Now he laughed. “The last thing I want is a damn kink club. Sorry. Not my thing. What’s most important is making certain she’s allowed to return to her life.”
“You don’t mind if Alexander cleans up the mess, but you don’t want to be involved.”
He narrowed his eyes and glared at me. “I don’t think I need to answer that. But I will tell you this. I’ll do what’s necessary in order to make certain she’s safe.”
After he left the room, I eased into the leather chair directly in front of the fire, a cold chill sliding up my spine. I had a bad feeling that continued to get worse.
The threat was far from being over.
As I settled in, I glared at the flames, rubbing my hand across my heart. A white picket fence, huh? What the heck? I would enjoy getting a pup. I closed my eyes, trying to clear my mind.
No, that was never going to happen. Fantasies didn’t come true for bad men like the Wild Boys.
* * *
Cassie
Goodbye.
That’s exactly what this was. Not a so long or a see you later.
It was a hard-core split that was necessary for all of us.
I’d go back to my paralegal position. Daniel would resume his life as a dangerous CIA agent, catching bad criminals.
Hopefully Brogan would find something that made him happy, although he knew very little besides being a soldier in a monstrous army.
And Alexander would pretend he owned the world, never finding the happiness that…
He deserved.
I loved all three of them. There was no reason to deny it at least to myself.
The adoration had started through stories, tales of adventure, making me feel like I was close to them.
I might have been a lovestruck kid back then, but through Garrison’s eyes, I’d been able to see more than just rebellious young men.
Then I’d learned just how human they were. I’d felt the horrible guilt all three had lived with. I could sense sadness that would never go away. Then there’d been their heated touches, passionate kisses.
I held my arms and stared out the plane window, uncertain if I felt like Illinois was home any longer.
The quiet inside the jet was more difficult than I could have imagined.
Sadly, we had nothing left to say to each other.
I could tell all three men were giving me space, but I was sick inside, uncertain what the right thing to do was.
When the pilot communicated that we’d be landing in ten minutes, I closed my eyes, thinking about what Alexander had suggested I do with Garrison’s money.
There was no way of telling how much he’d earned from criminal activity.
He’d made excellent investments, which the nice financial advisor had gone over with me.
I could do something with five million dollars.
The ten minutes flew by in record time. When the plane touched down, a single tear slipped past my lashes.
I didn’t want this. Then again, I wasn’t certain what I wanted at this point. It wasn’t fair to try to find out while being around one or all three of them.
As soon as the plane stopped, Alexander rose from his seat. “I already called for a service to take you home.”
“That’s not necessary.”
He turned his head slowly, crouching down in front of me. “I want you to stay with us, Cassie, not just for a night or a weekend. I see the four of us spending our lives together.”
“Is that a demand?” I asked, realizing the jab had gone straight through his heart when I hadn’t meant for it to.