Page 71 of Líadan's Code

“This is true,” she says. “I’m too young to fuck off to some beach and never work again though. I want to build something that I can be proud of. Sex clubs sound fun.”

“Done correctly, they’re very fun,” Jordan says with a dark chuckle. “Alright, who else has approached you, Brendan?”

“The Macdonald brothers hated your father, Lía. You should have a meeting with them to discuss the changes you want to make,” I tell her. “The last thing you want is to end up on some kill list because they think you’re just like him.”

“Add them to the list,” she murmurs. “Who else?”

Over the next three hours, we make plans and calls, scheduling meetings for the next few days after we’ve had sleep and food. The train gives us space from other people, the ability to communicate with others without having trouble with signal, and no one can track us.

By the time the train pulls into Chicago Union Station, we’re exhausted. Pulling our luggage behind us, Jordan calls a ride share from the app on his phone, and within minutes we’re on our way to our town home.

Before I left, I wired the house with a security system for sound and video, but it’s been quiet. No one’s broken in, and the house itself isn’t one that anyone would expect us to sleep in. It’s a middle class residential neighborhood. We should be fine.

“I just want my bed,” Lía groans as the car pulls up to the house.

“I feel that in my bones,” Jordan mutters as we pile out of the car. He takes Lía’s bag, and I can tell she’s tired because she doesn’t try to fight him on it.

Jordan finds little ways to spoil us, while I made sure Lía and he ate on the train. The food mostly consisted of snacks, but it’s enough until we get up for the day tomorrow. Hopefully we get to sleep a bit without interruption. Fuck, I should find some wood to knock on.

Climbing the steps to the townhouse feels as if it takes too much energy, and Lía sighs as she unlocks the front door.

“Remember to disarm the alarm, milseán,” I say as she pushes it open slowly. We rarely would arm it while we were out, so it’s not a habit to remember to do it.

“Shit, that’s right,” she mumbles. As exhausted as she is, Lía still is careful as she disarms the alarm and then clears the house of any dangers.

It’s ingrained in her to check, a byproduct of our lives. While she’s downstairs clearing each room, I run upstairs and check everything else.

“Clear here!” I call out, returning to our room and pulling off my clothes. I want a shower and my bed.

“Also clear,” Lía yells, and I hear as her and Jordan’s footsteps climb the stairs.

We have a ton of meetings planned for late afternoon tomorrow. That may be a bit opportunistic, but two days later we’ll be inundated by the family members we plan to execute.

They are too dangerous to allow to live, and will refuse to give up their large menageries.

Fuck, it’ll be interesting to release all of those people. What a mess. Ugh.

There’s a lot of work ahead of us, and probably a shit ton of therapy in those people’s futures.

“Is anyone hungry?” I ask, yawning. “I could order a pizza so we can eat in bed.”

“Eating in bed sounds good,” Jordan says as he walks into the room, eyes tired. “I’m exhausted, but I'm too wired to sleep yet. I want to check a few things first.”

His computer bag is in his hand as he drops it on the desk and props up the suitcases.

“Always working,” I tease him as I shuck off my pants, throwing them in the hamper. I’m going to need to do a few loads of laundry tomorrow. My weapons get placed on the table next to the hamper as usual, my hands moving on autopilot.

“Unfortunately, it may be like that for a bit as we get everything settled.”

“It doesn’t bother me,” Jordan says, yawning so wide his jaw cracks. “I like being busy, and it helps to know I’m helping.”

“You did a pretty great job with Bruin,” Lía says with a sleepy smile as she pulls off his sweater. “Clothes off. My sheets are clean, and you’re sleeping with us tonight and every night on.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he says with a chuckle, capturing her mouth with his lips as he tosses his sweater aside. Catching it, I shake my head as I toss it into the hamper. Between the two of us, Lía and I get Jordan and herself undressed.

“I’ll place our order for pizza while you turn on the shower,” I say, walking toward my pants where I left my phone. It was dumb of me not to remove it earlier. Fuck, I’m exhausted.

The only warning I have that something is wrong is the itching between my shoulder blades before the glass breaks from the window as something is thrown into the bedroom. The heat from it has me throwing myself on the ground, and I hear Jordan grunt before he’s down with Líadan. Fuck, talk about catching us with our pants down. Motherfuckers.

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