Mistletoe (K19 Security Solutions 3)

His mother patted his hand. “You know how much he likes to catch up over his morning tea.”

He wasn’t certain his father had heard a word he’d read, but as the doctor had told them, the important thing was that the family spent time with him and conversed whether the duke was able to respond or not.

“There’s more,” he heard her murmur.

“What’s that?”

“Something is on your mind, Thornton, and whatever it is, its weight is heavy.”

Even if he wanted to discuss it with his mother, he wouldn’t know where to begin.

“It’s a woman.”

Shiver leaned closer. “It’s nothing,” he said softly. “Let it be, Duchess.”

“For now,” she said, standing and kissing his forehead. “I’ll check on your father.”

Shiver nodded and stood, walking back over to the window.

It had been a over a month since United Russia lifted the ten million dollar bounty they had on Orina “Losha” Kuznetsov’s head, and yet Shiver had no idea where she was and why she insisted on staying so far underground that no one could find her.

He’d called in every favor—and there had been many—but so far he didn’t have a single lead as to where the bloody woman was hiding.

“You best be driving in the gate,” Shiv said when he answered his brother’s call.

Wilder laughed. “At least an hour out but before you blast me, I’ve spent the last half hour listening to Sir Ranald tell me how he intends to fire you.”

Shiver laughed. “My Christmas wish come true.”

“What in the bloody hell did you do?”

Shiver pounded his fist on the desk of the office he’d been holed up in, cursing the impotence he felt as much as the walls surrounding him.

Ten minutes ago, his boss had summoned him, but Shiver wasn’t any closer to giving him the answer he sought than he had been two weeks ago when Rivet asked for his decision.

Sir Ranald “Rivet” Caird was a career British intelligence officer for MI6 who, four years prior, had been named chief. At the time, he’d been candid about his refusal to serve beyond a five-year term.

The first in line to succeed him had been Merrigan Shaw, who was now Merrigan Shaw-Butler, happily married to Kade Butler, a founding partner of the private security and intelligence firm made up primarily of former CIA operatives. Merrigan had taken over as managing partner of the group and had made it perfectly clear that she wouldn’t return to MI6, regardless of any position offered.

As much as that had infuriated their boss, Rivet had seen her departure coming as much as Shiver had, and couldn’t begrudge her all the happiness she and Kade had in their lives.

With Merrigan out of the picture, Shiver had moved

to the top spot to succeed Sir Caird. His lack of enthusiasm along with his refusal to give the man an answer, incensed his boss.

“He’s pacing,” said Patsy, sticking her head in Shiver’s office. “Would you mind?”

“In a minute,” he snapped, immediately regretting his tone. Patsy was Rivet’s assistant and didn’t deserve his or anyone else’s wrath.

“I take it you haven’t heard anything.”

Patsy was well aware of Shiver’s search for Orina Kuznetsov, and had done everything she could to help. While her level of security clearance was as high or higher than Shiver’s, she couldn’t do too much digging without getting in trouble with Rivet herself.

“Sorry, Pats. Not your fault or your problem.”

“Go talk to him. Get it over with so we can all start enjoying the holiday.”

“I hadn’t thought of that,” he muttered, cursing himself again for his thoughtlessness.