“Told you I never liked that fucker. He’s dead. Fucking dead.”

Rhett stepped forward. “You’re gonna have to get in line.”

“Stop. Both of you.” I pushed myself between them. “We need a plan. A solid one. I don’t know what to do. I’ve gotten us all into a big old mess, and I’d like to get us out in one piece.”

Heath glanced at Carver. “You sure he’s solid?”

Rhett nodded. “Yeah, and he’s getting a bigger team together to keep Ari safe. Now we need to figure out the offensive strategy. How do we take Carlos out so he backs off? You have connections in Cali, obviously.”

Heath exhaled a long breath. “Yeah, I got a couple buddies with the Feds. No one knows who this guy is for real, otherwise there’d probably be a do not touch slapped over him, like so many of those other assholes we can’t take down without permission. But this guy, his ass is swinging. It might take me a couple days, but he’ll make a wrong move and I’ll have them bring him in. I don’t care if it’s a taillight out or a failure to yield. All they need is a legit reason to make contact, and then his ass is in for questioning.”

Even though I’d grown up in the world of cops and their strategies, it didn’t make sense to me. “Why can’t they just go to his door and arrest him for threatening me?”

Both men looked at me before Heath spoke.

“We don’t want your name coming up in the questioning. You’re staying as far out of this as possible.”

“But I’m already involved.”

“Not anymore,” they replied in unison.

“And you think this will work?”

Heath and Rhett had a silent conversation I couldn’t interpret before Heath turned back to me.

“Yeah. It’ll work. You lay low, and I’ll handle this my way. Rhett stays on you like white on rice. Don’t leave the compound. Get your extra security and make sure they’re solid. You stay safe inside the walls, and I’ll deal with what’s happening outside.”

“And Dad?”

Heath smiled. “I’ll take care of him. Don’t worry.”

“You sure you’re okay with this, Rhett?” It seemed so out of character for him to agree to let someone else take the lead, but he squeezed my hand.

“Keeping you safe is my number-one priority.” To Heath, he said, “We’ll be here. Keep us updated.”

We said our good-byes and watched from the front steps as Heath drove out the gate.

“So we’re on lockdown . . .”

Rhett winked. “I’ll make sure it doesn’t suck.”

I raised both eyebrows. “What if I want to?”

45

Rhett

“Do you think this is the right decision?” Ari asked when we walked back in the house, all joking aside.

I thought of how Heath had hugged her, shooting me a look while he did it.

The look said, Don’t let anything happen to my baby sister, motherfucker. It was because of my respect for Heath and my need to keep Ari safe at all costs that I didn’t demand to be out there running down leads.

I wasn’t used to letting someone else take charge. I was always the guy in the field, chasing the bad guys, finding the answers, and making shit happen. But with one decision, I found myself locked down. It should piss me off. Make me itchy. Make me want to get out of this house. Because not only did it limit my ability to help Ari, it pushed my own case to the back burner.

But none of that mattered in comparison to her safety.

I wouldn’t do it for anyone else, but it was becoming clear that I’d do anything for Ari. I thought about what I’d said to Mount in a moment of pissed-off frustration. I’d die for her.

It was the truth. No second-guessing. No take-backs.

Ari was good. She was smart and funny and sweet, and deserved the best life could offer her. She made me want to be a better man for her.

“Rhett?”

I pulled myself back into the conversation. “This isn’t how I normally work, but I can hang back and let you take point.”

Ari’s bottom lip went sideways, and I knew from watching her that she was biting the inside of it. “You’re only saying that because you know if you were out there, I would be too.”

I couldn’t lie to her. She was too smart, and it wouldn’t get me anywhere. Only barefaced honesty would.

“If staying locked in this house with an army of security around us keeps you safe, then we’re staying here and not leaving until this is over.”

Her lips settled into a flat line. “But what about your dad? Are you going to be able to figure out what happened to him without being out there and investigating in person?”

I rounded the table to pull her into my arms.

“We’ll attack it all from your domain and dig for the information no one wants us to find. One way or another, we’re gonna take these motherfuckers down.”

46

Ariel

The curtains were drawn and empty take-out containers littered the table. The scent of mint and cilantro hung in the air from the Thai food we’d just devoured. Part of me had expected Rhett to be the meat-and-potatoes guy I’d always thought he was, but he surprised me by suggesting Thai and then ordering like a pro.

The surprises were refreshing. For years, I thought I knew everything there was to know about Rhett Hennessy, but it turned out there were so many more layers than I ever realized. The pedestal I’d put him on for all those years was firmly crushed when we started talking football and I realized he didn’t root for the Saints.

“How can you be from New Orleans and not be a Saints fan?” My tone was aghast as Who Dat Nation ran in my blood.

Rhett shrugged. “I grew up watching the Cowboys with my dad. His dad raised him on them too.”

I shot up from the table. “I feel like I don’t even know you anymore.” I grabbed the take-out containers and whirled around to take them to the trash, playing up the moment.

He followed me into the kitchen and trapped me against the island. “You need me to reintroduce myself? Because I’d be happy to.”

“Is that right?”