“Everything,” he replied. His grin faded and he said weirdly, “Tomorrow night.”

I stopped advancing to the door that led to the nerve center of my brother’s operations and turned to Vance. “What?”

“Tomorrow night. You’re ride along with me.”

My mouth dropped open, but the rest of my body jolted with pure, unadulterated glee.

“Got a security system I wanna show you how to bypass,” he went on.

That feeling stole through me, that one I liked, but I still didn’t move.

“You know how to pick a lock?” he asked.

I forced my mouth to move. “Um… not yet.”

“We’ll go through that tomorrow night, too.”

Holy shit!

“I—” I started, but Vance kept going.

“We document those hours, I sign off on them for the License Board.”

Holy shit!

“I… uh,” Pull it together, Ally! “Why?” I asked.

“Saw the tape,” Vance answered as I heard the door to the inner sanctum open.

But I didn’t look there.

I kept my eyes to Vance. “What tape?”

“You, cool as shit, dealin’ with those guys in Lincoln’s.”

“Impressive.” I heard muttered, and saw Hector standing with us, the strap of a workout bag over his shoulder. He was looking at Vance. “You offer ride along?”

“Yep,” Vance answered.

Hector looked at me. “You need help on a case and someone to sign off on your hours, call me.”

I stared.

Was this happening?

Hector did a chin lift to Vance and me and sauntered out.

I looked from the door that closed on Hector back to Vance. “What’s going on?”

“What’s goin’ on is the team saw the tape. Darius and Brody both talk you up. But we saw evidence of what they’ve been sayin’. You want this. You’re good at it. You should have it. So some of the guys are up for backin’ your play.”

Oh my God.

I didn’t know what to do.

I did know what to feel.

Ecstatically freaking happy.

I also knew what to ask.

“Is Lee okay with this?”

“None of us work here to have someone tell us what to do unless we need direction. So it doesn’t matter. He knows we do what we do. He also knows we won’t work here anymore if he gets up in our shit about what we do.”

This, I knew, was true.

However.

“But you’re offering me ride along on one of his cases,” I pointed out.

“Yeah. And after he trained me or if we’re not workin’ a team operation, he does not send me out, micromanaging how I deal with a case. And he’s f**kin’ smart. Definitely smart enough to know it would not go down good if he started doin’ that shit.”

Before I could reply, the inside door opened again and I watched Ike move out.

He gave a chin lift to Vance, a mini-smile to me and walked by us to the door.

But at the door, he stopped, turned and said to me, “You need backup with that Smithie gig, you got my number.”

I had no chance to say anything before he was gone.

“I’m outta here,” Vance murmured, and I looked back at him. “Text you tomorrow when to meet me. We’ll meet here and move out.”

“I… uh, okay,” I agreed.

“Don’t be late,” he returned, then he, too, was gone.

I stared at the door.

I did this for a good long while.

Then I smiled.

I was still smiling when I tested the door to command central and found it unlocked, which was unusual, but likely left open for me.

I made my way to Lee’s office and entered it, yep… still smiling.

In it were the expected. Dad, Hank and Lee with the not expected but not surprising addition of Tom Savage, Indy’s father, my second dad and my dad’s best friend.

What was surprising was that Monty, another of Lee’s guys was there.

Monty took one look at me then looked to Lee and declared, “Vance offered the ride along.”

I looked to Lee and saw he was studying his boots, jaw hard.

I decided not to confirm this. If Lee’s boys were offering help, I’d take it. What I wouldn’t do was cause friction between Lee and his men. If they made their decisions and carried them out, that was one thing and they had to deal with that and any ramifications. If I stuck my nose in, say to gloat (or the like), that was another.

So I kept my mouth shut.

“Ally,” Monty called, and I looked back at him. “The men in this room are here because we know your plans and we’re askin’ you, with respect, to think long and hard about carrying them through.”

I held his eyes.

I’d known Monty a long time. He was the oldest member of the team, an ex-Navy SEAL who didn’t work in the field often for Lee due to an injury he sustained during his time in the military.

I liked him. He was solid guy; nice, funny, a family man. I also respected him.

But this pissed me off.

My father, second father and brothers, I’d show them respect and listen to what they had to say.

But Monty?

What the hell?

It must be said, I failed at not getting pissed-off, but I succeeded in keeping my shit together and therefore pointed out (somewhat) calmly, “I’ve been thinking on this for two years.”

“We’d like you to think on it longer,” Monty replied.

I drew in a deep breath.

“Monty’s here because he gives a shit, Ally,” Lee put in.

“I get that,” I said to my brother, then looked at Monty, “And due respect to you, what I do with my life is none of your business.”

“I’ve been doin’ this awhile, longer than your brother, and I’ve seen women chewed up and spit out in this business,” Monty returned.

“Yeah? So every man you know who tried his hand did spectacularly?” I shot back.

“Honey,” he started, and I fought back being even more pissed-off; not at the endearment, but at his patronizing tone. “Your first case has you stripping.”

“Yes. I’m working for Smithie. And to get the job done, it requires me doing something that’s uncomfortable. But you do what you have to do to get the job done, and I shouldn’t need to tell you that. Marcus Sloan has you on retainer, and don’t try to bullshit me that the things he pulls you boys in to do are the like of acting as crossing guards at the local school.”

Monty shut his mouth and looked at Lee.