Their Masquerade (The American Soldier Collection 6)

He slammed his fist down on the hood of the truck until he felt the hand on his shoulder. Instinctually he swung around and found Deacon there who ducked in the nick of time before the right hook almost hit him square in the face.

“Calm down, Quentin. It’s me.”

“Shit. I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting anyone to come up behind me.”

“I know. I’ll drive. You tell me about today, and what happened with Mariah.”

“I’d rather not.”

“I think you need to. Some changes need to be made, and you’re not the only one who needs to make them.”

Chapter 6

“Okay, so let us get this straight. Someone told you to back off with your inquiries?” L.T. asked Jax and Jameson as they sat in study in their house. Axel, Quentin, and Deacon were there, too.

Jax looked pissed off.

“Yes. Both Jameson and I were told that there is some kind of investigation going on, and that our enquiries could jeopardize it,” Jax added.

“Shit,” Axel replied with his hands on his hips, appearing frustrated.

“No, maybe this is a good thing. You guys said that another undercover agent went missing. Maybe whoever is conducting the investigation is onto something,” Deacon added.

“Yeah, was that recent missing cop in the same department or task force as Michael?” Quentin asked.

Jameson nodded his head. “I guess we should just lay low for a while and see where this leads.”

“I just wish we could get a look at this guy. I want to know what the fucker looks like,” L.T. stated. They all made comments about wanting the same thing.

Quentin glanced at his watch.

“So, how did the dinner thing go last night? Make any progress with Mariah?” Jax asked.

L.T. looked at Quentin, and the others looked down too.

“She sure is beautiful. Mariana met her for breakfast this morning,” Jameson told them and they all looked at him.

“Yeah, Mariana said that they were going to drive into Houston and do some shopping but that Mariah had a lunch date with some guy,” Jax told them.

“What guy?” Axel asked, before the others could.

Jameson looked at Jax and then Jax picked up his cell phone. He scanned the text messages from Mariana.

“A cop, I think. A friend of Michael’s, Mariana said.”

“Probably that fucking guy, Randy,” Axel stated as he stood up and looked angry. L.T. felt his own gut clench, and a bit of jealousy hit him. Why was it becoming so difficult to ignore the attraction to her? Just this morning Axel and Quentin went at it over something stupid. L.T. knew it stemmed from last night and the fact that Quentin had kissed her twice.

“I guess this guy isn’t afraid of insulting his dead friend,” Jameson stated.

“What?” L.T. asked.

“Like you guys. You won’t make a move on that woman because you think Michael would be pissed. I bet he would be thrilled. If a guy’s friend is going to go after his sister, then he’d want it to be friends he trusted,” Jameson said.

“Friends he could trust his life with. You guys need to make a move. She made quite the impression at Casper’s,” Jax stated.

“It isn’t that easy. She’s been like a little sister,” L.T. told them.

“Little sister, my ass. Even when Michael died, Mariah was in her twenties and in college. She adores the four of you,” Jameson told them.