Gabe (Blue-Collar Billionaires 3)

He shakes his head. "I saw you leave with Sasha. That's why I'm here. Let's walk."

I have no choice but to follow. Finn may walk with a cane but he's also an ex-Army badass who can probably take me out without ever once losing his grip on the damn thing. Once we pass his building, I realize he actually means business. More than likely he doesn't want anyone else to come out here and see him chewing my ass out.

"Let me guess, you saw us?"

He shrugs. "It's none of my business. You're both adults. But you know what is my business? When Emma is upset because her friend calls crying after a one-night stand gone wrong."

"What makes you think it would be a one-night stand?"

"Because it's you, Gabe. Sasha is a friend of mine too and she's been a friend to our mother as well. It's none of my business but I'm letting you know that I'll make it my business if I have to."

There it is. I have to admire his ability to make such commonplace words sound so threatening.

"I understand."

"Good, then I should get back." He turns and walks back to the building, leaving me standing in the middle of the sidewalk. I groan and then walk back to my car.

Luke's mother owns a bakery called Anita's Place. When Finn first found out about our tangled family tree, he started coming here for a slice of pie every other day. Once I tried it, I understood why Finn kept coming back. Luke's mom is a wizard in the kitchen.

As soon as I come through the d

oor, Luke motions to one of the waitresses.

"Hey Rory, can you bring him a beer?"

She nods and walks off. I slide into the booth across from Luke. The waitress returns with an opened bottle and places it in front of me. I nod my thanks before taking a long pull.

"You look like you needed that." Luke narrows his eyes. "Who pissed you off?"

I ignore the question in favor of getting right down to the reason I'm here. "What did you find out about those names?"

Luke glances around us then leans forward. "I couldn't find them. I ran every variation of those names I could think of and got nothing. This is big."

"You called me here to tell me you found nothing? How is that helpful?" I'm not in the mood to decipher Luke's strange type of logic.

"The fact that I couldn't find anything gives us a certain type of information. The only people who can hide from me are usually pretty well connected. Like CIA government connected."

The implications of what he's saying hit me all at once. "Like spies or something?"

Luke's eyes gleam as he nods.

"Shit. What the hell is Max into? Why would he need a list of spies?" If my father has a list of these names, they're either people he knows or people he's looking for. Neither of which sounds legal at all.

"Government operatives or people in witness protection. Not sure. That's what I'm going to find out."

"But I thought you said that you couldn't find them?"

Luke gives me a smug grin. "Just because I can't find them doesn't mean I can't find them. I asked my online buddy Cypher to look into it. No one can hide from him. In the meantime, watch your back."

As hard as it was to turn Sasha away, this situation is the perfect example of why I need to stay away from her. Something about her draws me, intrigues me and makes me lose sight of all the logical reasons why I avoid emotional entanglements. She makes me want to do all the things I normally run from, like asking her about her childhood and listening to her talk about her dreams.

There's something about her that makes me want to share those things with her. But getting close to someone carries risks, especially since I'm not sure what kind of blowback I'll get once we figure this thing out. Whatever Max has gotten himself into, it sounds like he's in with some pretty shady people. Being involved with someone would be as good as painting a target on her back.

It's bad enough that all of my brothers have to be on guard against whatever underhanded dealings my father has in the works. But Tank and Finn are ex-military so I know they can handle themselves. Zack is street smart just like I am and I definitely don't have to worry about Luke. He's managed to erase almost all evidence of his existence online. The kid probably has several alternate identities ready to go in case things go south.

"Where were you when I called?" Luke is watching me curiously now. I realize that I've just been sitting here in a daze, not talking but just staring off into space.

Suddenly he grins. "Your mouth is all swollen. I know that look. Damn man, sorry if I interrupted you while you were busy. Or getting busy."