Cabin 1 Read online

  “The wrestling ring in the back yard.”

  I’d left my freaking cell phone. Been completely out of reach for the last two hours. Not good when you ran a personal security company.

  “Well, go get it. You need to tell them, now.”

  I hesitated, not wanting to leave.

  “Go. Go get your phone. I’ll be fine.” She smirked, a sexy feline smirk. “You’ve got me completely exhausted. I might actually be able to sleep through the night.” She crawled toward me, naked, then lifted up on her knees, tracing her finger down my stomach. A knot formed in my throat.

  “Will you come back?”

  My heart skipped a beat. A validation that she wanted me to come back. I leaned down and kissed her.

  “Hell on earth couldn’t keep me away. Give me twenty minutes.”

  “Good.” She smiled. “In that case, bring food.”

  “I’ll do that… and a bottle of champagne.”

  Her eyes sparkled with the smile on her face. My heart kicked. I reached down and plucked the security necklace off the floor and handed it to her. “Put this on. Always, keep it on.”

  “Yes, sir,” she winked.

  I grinned. “I like that. See you soon. Set the alarm behind me.”

  After confirming the alarm was set, I took the cart to the main house, stopping for my phone on the way in. Two new texts from Feen—

  Text One: Dad’s office

  Text Two: Come see me when you can - solo.

  I was instantly pulled back to reality, and instantly wanted to be back in Niki’s bed. Twenty minutes. I could make a quick stop upstairs, then the kitchen, then get back to Cabin 1—with bells on.

  I jogged up the steps feeling the most energy I’d felt since I was back in Iraq, fighting for my country, my life. I was always on a high back then. But realizing I was in love with Niki was a freaking amazing high. A different high, but a high nonetheless. Fuck me if I didn’t like that one better.

  I pushed through the office door and found Phoenix in the exact place I’d left him earlier in the day.

  Christ, had he been there all day?

  “I found something…” his eyes sparked with excitement, and were no less heavy with exhaustion.

  I crossed the room, concern quickening my steps.

  Stacks of printouts covered Dad’s desk, a cold cup of coffee sat on the edge. The same running code as earlier ran across the computer screens.

  Feen pointed to one of the monitors. His hand was shaking.

  “That secret code embedded in the satellites that I told you about…”

  I went back in time, recalling the information that seemed so long ago. It felt like so much had happened since then. It had. I’d fallen in love.

  “The code you think was used for communication regarding the assassination of Andrei Sokolov? The one you think has to do with the Knight Fox.”

  “Right. The dude who’s going to wish he was never born if he really did kill Dad.”

  “Tell me you found him.”

  “Not yet, but, Gage… Dad had already started tracking him.”

  “Where? How?”

  “Dad used a program he’d created and hacked into Sokolov’s personal bodyguard’s computer.” He clicked on a new folder. “He copied encrypted emails, on and around the date of the assassination, that were signed KF…”

  “Emails from the Knight Fox?”

  “Right.”

  “So he tracked the Knight Fox’s IP address?”

  “No, that would have led him directly to Fox. Too easy, right? The Fox was using a web proxy to communicate, which hides the IP address. But Fox was using his cell phone to communicate and Dad was able to pin the tower the cell was pinging off of.” He turned to me, his face paling. “Gage…”

  A chill ran up my spine and for a moment, I didn’t want to know. I didn’t want to hear the words that were going to come out of my brother’s mouth.

  “The Knight Fox was here.”

  “Here? Where, exactly, Feen?” My pulse picked up, along with a shot of anxiety.

  “In freaking Berry Springs…”

  I braced myself because I knew he wasn’t done.

  “Gage. The Fox was here… the day Dad died.”

  My heart stopped beating, my thoughts froze, my mouth unable to form a sentence, hell, even a single word.

  A solid minute ticked by while my brother and I stared at each other.

  “You believe me now, right? Dad was murdered for what he was investigating. And the Knight Fox is the one who did it.”

  My head bobbed up and down involuntarily. I realized then that I always had believed him.

  Feen clapped his hands together in the first jolt of energy I’d seen in the last twenty-four hours. “I knew you would. Okay, so now we’ve got to somehow nail down this guy’s IP address.” He scrubbed his hands over his face and leaned forward, inches from the computer screen, and began typing.

  “Feen.”

  He didn’t look up. Didn’t respond. He was already back in the zone.

  “Feen,” I said louder.

  He looked up. Blinked.

  “This a lot. We need to process. Plan. You need a break. Feen, you need a break.”

  “Breaks are for pussies.”

  “Then you’re primed for one. You need sleep, Feen.”

  “Meh.” He grabbed his coffee, noticed it was cold and scowled down at it.

  “Let’s get you some food and… ummm, I don’t know… whatever that calming tea is… chamomile tea, or some shit.”

  “Who the fuck drinks chamomile tea?”

  “People who need to relax… according to that commercial that runs on damn repeat.”

  “Pussies drink tea.”

  “You’re going to drink tea. You’re going to get the hell away from this room for a bit.”

  Feen sniffed, contemplated. “Whiskey.”

  “Fine. Deal. Let’s go.”

  I hung back while Phoenix pulled himself out of Dad’s chair, unsteady. Off.

  I pretended to be looking at the scattered papers, then, as my brother moved away from the desk, I angled myself behind him in case the guy fell. In my thirty-three years of life, I’d never seen my brother so exhausted. So stressed. Weak, like he could fall over with a stiff gust of wind. Feen wasn’t the type to show stress. Hell, none of us were. We’d work it out in the gym, or down at the shooting range, and that would be the end of it.

  Not today.

  We walked into the kitchen where Ax, still wearing a leather jacket from an evening ride on the Harley, was pouring himself a drink. A tequila, reminding me we were all on edge. Not only because of Niki’s attack, but something else. Something was in the air.

  Something heavy.

  “Jesus, dude, you okay?” Ax frowned, zeroing in on Feen.

  “He’s fine. Just needs something to eat, and a bed.”

  “Start with this.” Ax forced his tequila into Feen’s hand and flickered me a glance—what the hell’s going on?

  I wanted to tell him. I didn’t. It wasn’t the time. Hell, I needed a second to process.

  Gunner sauntered in, chatting on his cell, and stopped in his tracks.

  “Uh. I gotta go.” He slid the phone into his pocket and stared at Feen, then looked back and forth between me and Ax.

  I held up a hand and shook my head. Not right now.

  We all got a drink, Ax and Gunner lingering at the countertop as I grabbed some leftover bacon and began making the Steele favorite—a BLT for my brother.

  Feen dropped into a chair by a window and stared into the dark night. I felt Gunner’s and Ax’s curious—concerned—eyes on me. I glanced at them and nodded—He’s okay. Not now. Give him a sec.

  They nodded in return, then switched topics.

  “How’s Cabin 1?” Gunner asked.

  “Niki,” I replied, a bit too quickly. This earning simultaneous cocked brows from my brothers.

  “Geez, Niki, sorry.”

  I grabbed a k
nife, started chopping a tomato. Since when did I turn into a feminist? Most of my conquests were discussed by the color of their hair and shape of their breasts. Love changes you, my dad had once told me. I know now that he was right. I popped some bread in the toaster and glanced at the clock. Twenty more minutes.

  “Her attacker is left-handed.” I said.

  “How the hell do you know that?”

  “From the location of the bruise on her face where the bastard clocked her. You guys heard from anyone tonight?”

  “Spoke with Haddix a few hours ago.” Ax grabbed a napkin and wrapped it around his sweating drink. “Mickey Greco lived two very different lives before he was busted for tax fraud. Dude was a model citizen, had a wife—who’s since divorced his ass and moved to Hawaii—no children, but they were foster parents for multiple kids. Went to church, was part of the community, donated to local organizations, the whole deal.”

  Gunner sipped. “But behind closed doors, Greco was an evil bastard who tortured anyone who owed him money, and cut off his partner’s head for uncovering his little side-business.”

  “Had someone else cut off her head,” I corrected.

  “Exactly. Haddix is still building a list of everyone associated with his business. The list is as long as my dick—”

  “So not very.”

  “I said mine, not yours.” Ax grinned, sipped. “Bottom line, according to every witness, Greco only had one trusted associate who knew the ins and outs of his drug business, and that guy got locked up with him.”

  “There’s got to be a connection here. It’s too big of a coincidence. Someone wants revenge for Greco being locked up.” My brows knit together in concentration as I slapped together the rest of the sandwich and slid it in front of Feen, then yanked a beer from the fridge. “Family?”

  “Just the wife in Hawaii. Colson confirmed her location.”

  I shook my head. “There’s got to be something.”

  “Or, Niki’s still lying, Gage.” This comment barely audible from across the room.

  I looked at the back of Feen’s head. “She’s not lying, Feen.”

  He didn’t move, just kept his gaze out the window. “I don’t know brother, I think this woman is good at manipulating people.”

  “What the hell’s that supposed to mean?” I popped the top from my beer and tossed the cap across the room.

  “Where have you been the last two hours?”

  My stomach dropped. Gunner’s and Ax’s gazes shifted to me.

  “What were you doing, Gage?” Feen’s head turned, his eyes shaded by shadows.

  I took a deep sip of beer… then lied. “Walking the grounds.”

  “Without your cell phone?”

  Shit.

  “Right after you made a complete ass of yourself in front of our visitor?”

  Ax sucked in a breath beside me.

  “Dude was her ex-boyfriend, Feen.”

  “Exactly. Someone who could have taken care of her. People who come to us have no one. The woman obviously doesn’t care to be here. BSPD is handling the case. If you would have been thinking with your head, you would have sent her home with him.”

  I started to simmer. “She’s being hunted, Feen.”

  “We protect people who want our protection, Gage.” He shifted, his face sliding into the light. “Not people we want to fuck.”

  Anger spurt through my veins like a hit of cocaine. I slammed down my beer. “You think that’s all this is?”

  “I’m not going to repeat my question again, Gage. Where were you the last two hours?”

  My eyes narrowed to slits, venom pooling in my mouth. “Not trying to convince my little brother that Dad was killed, that’s for damn sure.” The words spit from my mouth.

  Feen’s fist slammed onto the table, sending it on its side. He sprang to his feet and turned toward me. “Fuck you, Gage. I told you not to say anything. And where were you? You were fucking Niki Avery in her cabin.” His hands curled into fists as he slowly crossed the kitchen, like a panther on the hunt.

  I set down my bottle, feeling my brothers shift closer to me.

  Feen continued, a distant, crazed look in his eyes. “The only thing that would pull you away from your cell phone is a tight hole and willing mouth. You had sex with a client, in her cabin. In the place where the client is supposed to be protected. You crossed your final fucking line.”

  “You’re out of your fucking mind. Brother.” I shifted to the balls of my feet.

  “I might be out of my mind but at least I’ve still got my dignity. I said yesterday that you were just like Dad. I was wrong. Dad would be ashamed of you.”

  I lunged forward sending my drink shattering onto the floor. Everything flashed around me—Ax barreling into me, wrapping his arms around me from behind. Gunner took Feen, wrestling him to the ground.

  I twisted under my twin brother’s hold.

  “Stop,” Ax demanded calmly in my ear. “Relax. Take a breath, brother, cool it. He’s not right.”

  I stopped fighting and focused on his words, the low timbre of his voice.

  “Cool it, Gage. He’s not right.” Ax repeated.

  I forced my eyes closed and inhaled deeply through my nose. A deep breath, then another.

  Ax released me.

  On the floor next to us, Gunner was muttering something to Feen and I assumed it was along the same lines as Ax had said to me. Then, he lifted off him. Phoenix scrambled up and turned to me, his chest heaving.

  We stared at each other as Gunner and Ax began picking up the shards of glass on the floor.

  What. The fuck. Just happened.

  I tore my eyes away and shook my head. “Screw this,” I muttered, then walked out of the kitchen, leaving the crazy-ass chaos behind. Emotions swirled as I pushed through the front door and stepped into the cool, dark night.

  Dad would be disappointed.

  It was true, but my relationship with Niki wasn’t the only reason the man would have been let down. It had been many, many years since I’d seen that look in my older brother’s eyes. What if Gunner and Ax hadn’t been there? Dad was probably rolling over in his grave. He’d have our hides if he knew his sons were fighting. Really fighting, not bullshit sibling arguments.

  God, I missed him.

  I looked up at the stars twinkling around a full moon.

  Dad. Murdered?

  The thought made me sick to my stomach.

  I closed my eyes and took a deep breath… then another…

  My eyes popped open and darted around the landscape. I inhaled again, smelling fumes from a vehicle.

  I yanked my phone and called Wolf.

  “Hey, what’re—”

  “Go check the security system.”

  “Why?” I heard shuffling through the phone.

  “Someone just drove by. Either up the driveway or on the road below.”

  A second passed as Wolf logged into the system. “You’re right. A black and white passed by and…” a few more clicks. “Took a left toward the cabins. About five minutes ago.”

  “A cop car?”

  “Yeah. Silhouette looks like Haddix behind the wheel.”

  My brow furrowed as I stared down the driveway. What the hell was Haddix doing visiting the compound at nine at night?

  More importantly, where was he going?

  20

  Niki

  I ran my fingers over my lips and a small smile crossed my face. I could still taste him, still feel his lips on mine. My body was a mixture of bubbling excitement and languid relaxation. I glanced at the clock for the hundredth time since Gage had left the cabin.

  Ten more minutes.

  Another smile, and it took everything I had not to reach below the covers and explore myself. Never, in my entire life, had I been turned on like that. Never had I felt that kind of connection, a kind of kindred spirit so intense it melted my thoughts, worries, concerns, and left me with nothing but my soul lying right there on the bed, ready, willing, he
ll, screaming for him to take it.

  Gage Steele had picked me up, flipped me over, and turned me on my head.

  It felt one-hundred percent right.

  I sat up in bed, too giddy to sleep. Maybe a quick jump in the shower to refresh… maybe a quick drink before he came back. Stumbling out of bed, I grabbed my Steele Security T-shirt. It felt like silk falling over my skin, my bare breasts. It was like I was on some psychedelic drug, my body lustfully responding to any kind of stimulus. I placed my hand on my stomach and smiled, noting the soreness below.

  I touched my lips, thinking of his on mine.

  I wanted him again.

  And again, and again.

  Ten minutes.

  Resigning to the cold hard fact that I was alone, I slipped on a pair of shorts, then padded to the kitchen.

  A pair of headlights twinkling through the trees grabbed my attention. I frowned and glanced at the back door, where Gage usually parked his ATV.

  Not Gage.

  My hand drifted to my security necklace, fingering the red button as I walked to the front door and peered out the window, knowing that whoever was coming up the drive could see my silhouette against the lighted background.

  The black and white colors registered as the car rolled to a stop. The police. I exhaled a breath of relief, and watched Officer Haddix, dressed in plain clothes, unfold himself from the driver’s side, carrying a large bag and gruff look on his face. He stepped into the light pooling from the porch, pale skin marked by deep circles under his eyes. I could only hope it was because he’d spent the last twenty-four hours working like a dog on my case.

  Our eyes met through the window and I unlocked the door.

  “Evening, officer.”

  “Miss Avery,” he nodded and stopped at the threshold. “Sorry to stop by so late.”

  “No problem at all.” I stepped back and offered him inside. “Is there something new with the case?”

  “Not that I can discuss.” He stepped inside.

  “So, that’s a no.”

  Avoiding the question, he glanced at the empty beer bottles next to my laptop. “I see you’re settling in.”

  “It’s a nice place. To escape, anyway.”

  His gaze lifted to the cracked windows from the gunshots the night before. “Bullet proof windows help.”