Page 17 of All In

I nod, wondering why that’s such a funny prospect. “I’ll take it.”

“There’s probably a little more we should fill you in on before you agree,” Cas says ominously.

Annika laughs. “I will guarantee Cas continues to keep you on the payroll indefinitely if you do me a favor.”

A slow smile crosses my face.

I don’t even need to hear the terms.

“Deal.”

“This is going to be fun,” Annika says, standing outside the door to her brother’s room. “I just need you to be yourself. That’s all.”

I scratch my beard, trying to figure out if she’s setting me up right now. “I’ll do my best.”

She slams the key card in her hand into the door lock and pops the door open. A man with shaggy, curly brown hair stands next to the small table.

He’s got a huge map in his hands, and his head swivels up as he spots us. “May I help you?”

“We gained a buddy from Canton Forbes.” Annika smiles. “Tanner, this is Ranger. Ranger, meet Tanner.”

“No,” he says simply. “Close the door on your way out. I’m strategizing.”

Annika snorts, yanking the door shut. “That went well.”

I quirk an eyebrow because I can’t decide if she’s fucking with me right now.

“You can sleep on the floor in our room tonight.” She shrugs. “It’s going to take a little time to get him to warm up to you. We’ll do a couple more short introductions until I’m sure he won’t stab you on sight, and then we’ll be good to go.”

I scoff.

I’m pretty sure that guy just acts like a dick because everyone allows him to get away with it, but I’m charming and persistent.

I’ll win him over in no time.

Chapter Four

Ranger

Tanner tosses open the door to my hotel room, stomping in with several duffel bags. “Listen, I slept on the floor last night in Annika’s room, but I can’t spend another night listening to the five of them fuck.” He refers to my sister by her new name of Annika, but I’m afraid she’ll always be Sparrow to me.

A shiver of disgust slides down my spine. “Do you want to die?”

He chuckles. “Not really, but at this point, it might be preferable to spending another night in that tiny-ass hotel room. Come on, let me stay with you.”

“No,” I say without looking up from the schematics I’m studying. “Rent your own room if the others are full.”

“Come on, man.” Tanner drops his bags on the bed next to the door. “I don’t snore. You’ll barely even know I’m here.”

Sparrow knows how much I enjoy solitude. I believe she may be punishing me for something. She grew braver during the years we were apart, especially about testing my patience.

I spent three years searching for her, and I am happy that she’s alive. She was also completely safe the entire time, making me annoyed I wasted so many resources on trying to retrieve her.

I’ve been told most people would be relieved to know their sister was safe.

I might, if I could experience that particular emotion. Mostly, I’m perturbed that she returned with pure chaos at her side. If her pack of alphas wasn’t enough to test my patience, one of her men came with Tanner.

The youthful alpha may have worked security for mob boss Canton Forbes, but having Canton’s trust does not equate to having earned mine.

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