Page 29 of Dangerous Devotion

Hawk entered, and behind him, a never-ending string of people, both mine and some I’d never seen before. Hawk’s?

I immediately tensed up.

Hawk sensed my unease because he raised his hand, and his people froze. “Vince Salvini, meet my team; team, meet Vince Salvini,” he said.

I stood and faced the men and women. “This is Max; he was a PJ, so he will do a much better job stitching you up,” Hawk said, and the guy raised his hand, then crossed the room and put down his backpack on the side table.

“Max’s better half, Milli, is an ace in all things computer,” Hawk said and introduced the young woman next. “And this is Birdie.” He hesitated, then shut his mouth.

The second woman had darker hair and was taller than Milli. But the starkest difference was in the way she carried herself.

I’d seen my fair share of contract killers, hitmen, and undercover operatives. But something told me she was the queen of them all. Cold, stealthy, deadly.

“Phantom and Rey are our newest additions after they recently hung their heads on their lives as sailors.”

Sailors? My ass. Phantom and Rey both were bulky, and I would bet they knew the exact position of everyone in this room, what they were holding in their hands, and if they had hidden weapons, and had already assessed who posed thebiggest threat. Not something your typical sailor would know or be able to do.

So, if Hawk had recruited them from the Navy, they’d probably been SEALS, not sailors.

I nodded in their direction, then zeroed in on the next person who stepped through the door.

What the fuck?

Ivan Zotov strode through the door as if he owned the damn place.

My muscles tightened, and I shot up from my seat, ready to kill him with my own two hands.

What the hell was this Russian bastard doing in my home? “What are you doing here, Zotov?” I growled, my hand instinctively moving towards my nonexistent weapon—which for some stupid reason I hadn’t carried all weekend.

Damn.

To my shock, Craig Donnelly stepped forward. “He’s with me, Salvini. Don’t get your panties in a twist.”

I narrowed my eyes, my gaze darting between Zotov and Donnelly. This unexpected alliance set off alarm bells in my head.

First my father, now Donnelly? What game was Zotov playing?

Zotov raised his hands, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. “Easy, Salvini. I come bearing gifts…in the form of information.”

“The only gift I want from you is your absence,” I spat, not relaxing my stance one bit.

Zotov’s smirk widened. “Always so hostile. Is that any way to treat a guest?”

“You’re no guest of mine. I make it a habit not to befriend or invite assholes.”

“Such colorful language.” Zotov tsked. “I thought Italians were known for their hospitality.”

I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to wipe that smug look off his face. “And I thought Russians knew better than to stick their noses where they don’t belong.”

As we traded insults, my mind raced. If Zotov was the one trying to kill me, he would’ve done so by now. He’d had ample chances. And now, he claimed to have crucial information? But could I trust anything that came out of this dog’s mouth? On the other hand, if he was working with Donnelly, there might be something to his claims.

I weighed my options. Killing Zotov would be satisfying, as would kicking him out, but it might mean missing out on vital intel. Letting him stay and speak his piece was risky, but it could potentially give us a leg up. And didn’t I plan to have a chat with him anyway?

I needed to get to know him, needed to find out whatever game he was playing.

I glared at him, my jaw clenched so tight I could feel a headache coming on. The urge to throw him out on his ass was almost overwhelming, but I forced myself to stay put. Information was power in our world, and I couldn’t afford to let my temper get the best of me.

Suddenly, Hawk stepped between us, his presence commanding attention. “Alright, gentlemen, let’s dial it back a notch,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “We’re all here for areason, and I think it’s time we focus on that instead of measuring who has the bigger di— mansion.”

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