Page 25 of Echoes of Danger

“We’re in deep now,” I say, my voice low. “And if they’re after him, that means they’ll come after us next. Maybe we should take this far away from Obsidians. We can head to Ohio and lay low for a while.”

“Not happening,” Ghost says. “We’ve made the mistake of not helping someone in the past, and she was hurt. We’ve changed our ways. We’ll handle this as a family. But next time youdecide to protect someone that could cause an international war, fucking warn me. Alright, it’s as simple as this, before we move this person to one of our safehouses, I want the entire family on lockdown. I want the women and children at King’s. Once they’re in the bunker, I want no traffic to or from it until I give the all-clear. Mitchell and Hayes need to be pulled and placed with the women. Taylor, you and Reynolds stay with your client. The rest of us will stay here and make noise. I want eyes on us and not at King’s. Steel, hire someone to search all of our clubs for those damn bugs. Knox will help from King’s if you find anything.”

Ghost looks from me to Taylor, his jaw clenched. “Get every brother on high alert, fortify the clubhouse, and lock down our perimeter. No one in or out without clearance.”

King steps forward, nodding. “I’ll handle the lockdown at my place. Reynolds, Ghost, Venom, get your women and kids there as soon as possible.”

My heart lurches knowing that my job has put them in danger, but I nod all the same.

“And I’ll get in touch with some of my contacts,” Knox adds. “See if anyone’s heard whispers about this hit.”

“There’s a hit? What’s the mean?”

I watch a slight grin appear at the corner of Ghost’s face as Elijah pipes up once again. That man has plans for my boy.

Taylor exhales slowly, rubbing the back of his neck. “There’s one more thing you all need to know.”

I turn to him, feeling a knot twist in my gut knowing what he’s about to reveal.

Taylor hesitates, then speaks. “The client… he’s not just some whistleblower. His real name is Mark Paston.”

Ghost freezes, the small smirk replaced with valid concern “Paston? You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

“No joke,” Taylor says. “Interpol has been after his father, one of the biggest organized crime bosses in Eastern Europe, for years. This guy’s not just blowing the whistle. He’s betraying his own blood. And that makes him an even bigger target.”

A low growl rumbles in Ghost’s chest. “So we’re protecting a damn Paston? Do you know what you’ve done, Taylor?”

Taylor’s expression hardens. “I know exactly what I’ve done. And I’m telling you all now, if we can pull this off, we’ll have the power to take down some of the worst criminals on the planet. However, if you want to back out and keep Obsidian out of this, we’ll make it happen. It’s not your job to do mine.”

The room falls silent again, the gravity of the situation sinking in. Protecting Paston wasn’t just about guarding one man’s life, it’s about surviving a storm we never saw coming.

Ghost speaks first, his voice firm. “Then we don’t half-ass this. We see it through.”

I glance at Taylor, my mind racing. The lines we’re about to cross might be ones we never come back from. But there is no other option. That was decided the moment we accepted the job.

“Let’s move,” Ghost says, standing. “We don’t have time to waste.”

Chapter Eight

Delphi Mae

“What does the job consist of?”

I take a good look at the young woman sitting across from me at Café Mocha and the only thing I want to do is punch her in the face. She’s young, skinny, beautiful, and studying for early childhood development. She’s perfect for the position, and I hate her deeply for it.

“Mainly taking care of the baby,” I say, forcing myself to smile. “Her father works late hours and can sometimes be gone for several days at a time. The other duties would be to keep the house tidy throughout the day. No need to clean or cook dinner.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad,” she says.

“This would be a live-in position,” I tell her. “You would have one personal day a week off as well as afternoons. When the father isn’t home for several days at a time, your pay will increase for those days. Do you have any responsibilities that would get in the way of this schedule?”

“Oh no. I’m taking online college courses and can do everything from the safety of my laptop. As long as there’s internet.”

I nod, trying my best to ignore the voice in my head screaming that I’m not doing the right thing.

“Alright, Ms. Wood. I’m going to go over your application with the father, and I will reach out in a few days.”

“Thank you so much for this opportunity,” she smiles. “If I get the job, I won’t let you down.”

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