Page 6 of The Pretender

Harris considered Wren family, more so than the one he was born into. They’d survived rough upbringings and formed a bond. And one day fourteen months ago, Wren saved his life.

“For what it’s worth, I prefer Harris to dumbass.” He looked from Wren to the woman. Harris knew who she was without hearing her name. Emery Finn, the woman who changed everything. She walked into Wren’s life and turned it upside down. They were in love and living together, and if the whispers among their circle of friends were right, not far from a walk down the aisle. Once Wren got around to buying a ring and actually asking her.

“Harris is one of the Quint Five.” Wren exhaled. “The annoying one.”

Interesting. Wren wasn’t the type to cough up information. Harris knew that meant Wren had likely told her everything. She might even know abouthispast, which was the kind of thing guaranteed to keep Harris up at night.

“Blame yourself for the intrusion. I’m here because you called me and said we needed to talk.” Harris had specifically stayed far away from the DC metro area and Chesapeake Bay for more than a year. He had no interest in this part of the country and chose jobs carefully to only be in town when he had to, and even then only for a short period.

He’d come back this time at Wren’s request because Wren never asked anything of anyone.

“I didn’t actually invite you to break into my house,” Wren said.

Emery stepped away from Wren then and moved closer to the dining room table. “Wait, how did you get in here?”

“The window.” Harris pointed at the one opened behind him.

Wren focused on the glass. “Is that a hole? You actually cut a hole in my window?” He dropped his cell on the table. “You’re paying for that.”

Emery walked over to the windows and leaned out. Looked up and down the outside wall. “That’s amazing.”

“No,” Wren said. “Please don’t encourage him.”

She snorted. “You can be grumpy if you want, but it kind of is awesome. That’s a big drop.”

Harris watched her because it was hard not to. The long legs. The sexy sway of her hips. The charm. The way Wren stared at her with that ridiculous look on his face.

“I’m guessing you’re Emery, the woman who won over one of my oldest and most difficult friends.” At the mention of her name she faced Harris and smiled. He could see why Wren had fallen hard. There was something about her. In their closed-off, sometimes dark and insular worlds, she struck Harris as a clear beam of light.

Wren grabbed Harris’s full glass and drank it down. “You think I’m the difficult one?”

Emery reached over and snapped up the empty glass before either of the men could refill and try for a second round. It was a slick move. One sweep and all of the attention shifted back to her.

“Is there a reason you broke in? I mean, it’s pretty cool and all...” When Wren made a strangled noise, she shot him an oh-come-on glance. “It is. Get over it.”

“I like her.” Harris did. From all he’d heard from their friends who’d met her and the interaction he saw in front of him, complete with the blazing attraction arcing between the two of them, Harris liked Wren and Emery together. He knew her background wasn’t easy. Maybe that was why the two of them matched up so well because Wren’s personal history was the stuff of nightmares. Harris just cared that they fit. “And I like to make an entrance.”

Wren leaned against the wall. If he cared that he was almost undressed, he didn’t show it. “He’s also a thief.”

Harris held up a hand. “The correct term is former thief.”

Technically he was retired. He did the odd job now and then. He’d liberate an item to balance the scales, but the days of stealing to steal or to get money or to finish a job were behind him. His legitimate career provided a cover that let him sneak around and target houses without putting him in law enforcement’s crosshairs.

She nodded at the rope sitting on the edge of the table. “You seem to still have the equipment.”

“She’s got you there.”

Harris ignored the amusement in Wren’s voice and answered the question Emery sort-of asked. “I am paid by insurance companies and very wealthy patrons to find lost works of art and return them to their rightful owners.”

“It’s the way he says it.” She smiled as she looked at Wren. “Can you hear the dodging-the-truth thing when he does it?”

Wren made a humming sound. “He is an expert at evasion.”

“You two are adorable,” Harris said, hoping to turn the conversation to a new topic. “I’d heard you were living together, but for some reason my invitation to come over for a visit got lost in the mail.”

She pointed at Harris. “There it is again. The attempted change in direction.”

“Huh. I see what you mean.” Wren nodded. “It is annoying.”

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