When He's Bad (Walker Security - Adrian's Trilogy 2)

I blink, surprised by this reply when I perhaps shouldn’t be. He is a man of secrets who dances with demons. And Waters is only one of them. The worst is the one of his own creation. The one he calls his own self-hatred. “Yes,” I agree. “I do believe you are.”

He studies me for several heavy seconds, and I hold my breath, waiting for a reply, for more. He doesn’t seem to ever give me more.

Blake shouts, “You two coming?!”

For a beat, Adrian ignores him, his attention locked on me, a deep burn in his eyes that fades and then disappears as if a shutter had been dropped. “On our way!” he calls out, turning away from me, and while his energy says he’s withdrawn, his hand settles on my back, urging me forward.

And that hand is still possessive.

That’s exactly why his touch both scorches me and confuses me, but that comment he just made does not. When he testifies, the defense will demonize him. He and everyone around him will have to live with all those dirty stories, all the dirty pieces of his life. And they will call him a bad man. That’s his box. The one where he lives as a bad man for the rest of his life, not the hero he deserves to be called. I decide right then that I’m going to get him out of that box. One way or the other, we will take down Waters without him destroying Adrian. For now, I focus on how we stay alive and that starts with gleaning all the information I can from this “talk” Blake wants to have.Chapter FourteenPRI

The house turns out to be as gorgeous and elaborate as the exterior and grounds suggest. One of those oh-so-chic Austin places with lots of windows, bountiful views of the hill country, big open spaces, and modern finished concrete floors. Adding to the modern look, glass-encased stairwells lead up and down to additional levels of the house. A giant balcony seems to wrap around the house and overlook a pool. This place is worth at least two million.

“This is quite the safe house,” I say, as Adrian and I walk through a living area with navy blue couches and a matching rug.

“It’s all about location and size,” he says. “On a hilltop, surrounded by neighbors with security footage that complements ours, and a view of whoever is coming from all directions. As a plus, it has plenty of room for all of us.”

A large team, I think. That’s how complicated and dangerous this case has become. We need a large team. We need a hill to see our enemy approach. Unbidden, I’m back in the cabin, trying to stop Pitt from bleeding out. He’s dead. There’s no question he’s dead and that guts me. It scares me, too, but I’m angrier than I am afraid. I have to win this war. I will win this war.

Blake and company are waiting for us in the open-concept kitchen, around a rectangular marble island, with the added headcount of Lucifer. He and Blake have claimed the endcaps and set-up their MacBooks for action.

Adrian and I step to this side of the island and Lucifer eyes me and Adrian and says, “Jumanji level one successfully played. Level two coming right up.”

Meanwhile Savage is at the stainless-steel fridge, holding up two beers. “Jackpot.”

I’m pretty sure it’s about eight in the morning, but I don’t comment. At this point, time feels rather irrelevant. I wave off his offer of a bottle of my own, but Adrian does not. He twists off his top and slugs back a drink, comfortable here, unwinding no doubt, while I am still fact-gathering. “Is there any news on Pitt?”

“None,” Blake says. “And there won’t be. No body, no crime, at least not one easily proven.”

“Right,” I say flatly. “It’s our word against Deleon’s, and he plans on us being dead.”

“He better pray I die before I get to him again,” Adrian murmurs, setting down his beer. “Do we know how Pitt found us?”

“I can help there,” Lucifer offers. “He got a text last night that looked like it was from you, Adrian. Looks like a burner phone. I’m in the process of tracking his activity for the past couple of months, to see where that leads us.”

Savage steps to the spot across from Adrian. “How did anyone know about that cabin?”

“One of my brothers,” Adrian says. “That’s the only way anyone could know and I find it hard to believe Raf would tell anyone about this place.”

“You have two brothers?” Lucifer asks. “I thought you just had one.”

“Alex is dead,” Adrian says. “But in life, he talked too much.” He offers nothing more. In fact, he moves on. “Is the DA secure?”

“Oh God, yes,” I say quickly. “Is Ed secure?” I glance at Savage. “I thought you were going to stay with him?”