Agent Turner chuckled. “Man, they told me Blackthorn was its own little world up here. Look, you’re protecting your place up here, and your people. I get that, and I can respect it. But you’re in over your head here.”
“Think we’re doing just fine,” Landon muttered.
Agent Turner swiveled his gaze to the both of us.
“Doing fine? You two in the business of getting your shop and your home shot to shit by multiple automatic weapons firing hollow points? That a typical Tuesday night for you gents?”
My jaw tensed.
“Harry Shaunessy isn’t some wannabe gangster trying to give you a scare,” Turner growled, his smiling tone suddenly gone as his eyes flashed. “But then, you two already know that. Why you’re not taking this more seriously is beyond me, considering I’ve been told there was a lady friend of yours in the apartment when—”
“Trust me,” I hissed, my anger flashing as stepped right up to Rowan. “We’re taking it pretty fucking seriously.” The words snarled from my lips, my hands closing to fists before I felt Landon’s hand on my shoulder.
Rowan smiled.
“Good. Good. Get mad. Like I said, we’re on the same team here.”
“You after this Harry asshole too, huh?” Ryker growled, crossing his arms over his chest.
Rowan shook his head. “No. Officially, I’m up here in the Blackthorn area for something else, actually. But when I got wind of the shooting last night and figured out who happened to be missing from Vegas and recently spotted around here, well, now I am. Unofficially.”
Axe growled lowly, shaking his head as he pushed his long hair out of his face. “So, what… you’re here to tell us that you and your Feds ‘have it handled’ and we should just stay out of your way? Just sit back and hope the bullets don’t come for our families next?”
The smugness faded from Rowan’s face, and slowly, he shook his head.
“Actually, I was going to ask you what your plans were and if you needed some extra gun hands.”
Axe frowned, turning to glance at Ryker and Stone.
Stone snorted. “The fuck is this, your version of entrapment?”
Rowan slowly shook his head before he turned back to us. “Back in Vegas, you two were involved in a robbery for Harry, right?”
My jaw clenched, and I could hear the blood roaring through my ears.
“It’s not a question, I know you were. Harry had you go into that teamster’s office and rip off the mob. Told you it was his money, right?”
I didn’t blink. Didn’t move. Didn’t say a damn word. All I could think about was Kennedy, and how fuckin’ mad I’d be if this was when our past finally caught up with us, just when we’d found her.
“There was a man with you on the job. Mario James.”
Rowan’s look hardened, his mouth going thin.
“Mario James was an undercover agent working deep cover. And he was my partner.”
I broke my freeze, turning and glancing at Landon.
“You both went above and beyond to help out his wife and kids, and for that, I’m both grateful and willing to forget everything I know about your involvement with certain shit down there in Nevada.”
He took a deep breath, taking his badge out again and flipping it in his hands as he turned to look at all of us.
“So, to answer your question, no. This isn’t entrapment. This isn’t an agency job at all.” He turned and tossed the badge through the open window of the squad car.
“I’m not here officially. And I’m not here to read anyone their rights or tell them they’ve got the right to remain silent.”
His jaw clenched.
“I’m here to help put a fuckin’ bullet in the asshole who got my partner killed. So, whatever you’re planning?” He nodded solemnly at each of us. “I want in.”
There was silence for a minute, like no one even know what the fuck to say to anything he’d just said. Slowly, Ryker turned to glance at Landon and I, arching his brow. I looked at my friend, and when he started to nod, so did I. And slowly, a thin, wry smile began to creep over my face as I turned back to Rowan.
“Alright. You want in? You’re in. But we don’t know shit about where Harry might be holed up or how many men he’s got with him. Or even what the fuck he’s planning. You still want in?”
The FBI agent nodded grimly.
“Hell yeah.”
Ryker chuckled, nodding his head. “Well, Agent Turner?” He grinned. “Welcome to Blackthorn Mountain.”
16
Landon
Kennedy snorted, wincing as she turned to look at us.
“It’s, uh… I mean…” She sighed. “It seemed bigger without all of us in here.”
I just grinned, my eyes moving past her and back to her bed. Her bed that I’m sure was fine when it was just her in there. And hell, if it was her and one of us, it’d be fine too. Cozy, but fine.