Page 50 of Wilde and Deadly

Jesus, her tone was frighteningly cold.

Davey couldn’t quite reconcile that with the woman he knew who ran so fucking hot when she was in his arms.

“Appreciate that,” he muttered. He also appreciated her restraint. If she felt so inclined, she could wipe the floor with his brothers, and he wasn’t in the mood to clean up more blood.

She gave him a saccharine smile and took his hand, squeezing his fingers. “You’re welcome.” Her attention shifted back to his brothers. “I don’t expect you to trust me, but I’m not here to harm him. I never was. I only took the job to buy some time and figure out who’s behind the contract.”

Both of his brothers stared down at their entwined fingers for an awkward beat.

Dom let out a disbelieving laugh, picked up his espresso, and threw it back like a shot of liquor.

Elliot just shook his head, something like disappointment in his eyes. “Damn, Davey. You’re the last guy I’d expect to think with his dick instead of his brain.”

Heat burned up the back of his neck. Embarrassment or anger? He couldn’t really tell at this point. “It’s not like that.”

“Oh, wait, so you’re not still fucking her?” Sarcasm dripped from Dom’s every word. “Wow, that’s a relief because I seem to remember…” He pulled his phone from his pocket, found what he was looking for, and held it out.

Davey’s gut clenched as he caught a glimpse of himself on the screen—naked, tangled in sheets, hands tied to the headboard of his bed with Christmas lights.

Dom wiggled the phone for emphasis. “Last time, she fucked you in more ways than one.”

Beside him, Rowan gave a very unladylike snort. Her shoulders shook, lips pressing together as she fought to keep the laugh in. She failed. Miserably.

He scowled over at her. “It’s not funny.”

“Yes, it is,” she said, completely unrepentant.

Dom pointed at her. “That we can agree on.”

He turned his glare on his youngest brother and tried to snatch the phone, but the little shit was too fast. “How much do you want to delete that photo?”

“Oh, big brother, there is not enough money on planet Earth. This is going to come out every time we argue until one of us kicks the bucket.”

“Which could be soon, from the sounds of it,” Elliot said, his glare still firmly locked on Rowan.

Davey’s patience snapped. “Enough!” His voice rang out with the authority that had once commanded troops in battle. “Dad and our uncles trusted me with this company, and I don’t intend to let them down. But I can’t do that if we’re too busy tearing each other apart to focus on the real threat. Someone inside Wilde Security wants me dead, and that’s where our attention needs to be. Not on bickering like damn children.”

The room fell silent.

Elliot’s anger seemed to deflate, and in its place came the worry. “You think it’s someone inside the company?”

“Yes,” Rowan said without a shred of doubt in her voice. “One of the stipulations on the contract was it had to be completed before Davey took control.”

“I mean…” After a moment’s thought, Dom nodded. “Makes sense. Cade has a damn good reason to want him dead.”

“Cade wouldn’t…” Elliot trailed off and didn’t finish the thought. Because the truth was, they all knew Cade was capable of it.

A chill scraped down Davey’s spine at the mention of their cousin. Cade had always been volatile, but murder? He couldn’t quite wrap his head around it. But neither could he discount it.

“We can’t rule anyone out at this point. Not even family.”

More silence filled the space between them until it was like a living, breathing thing sucking up all the oxygen in the room.

“Look,” Davey said finally. “You have to trust me. Rowan’s not the enemy here.”

Dom snorted. “Right. Because assassins make such great allies.”

“Ex-assassin,” Rowan corrected quietly. “And I understand your skepticism. But I’m here to help, whether you believe it or not. Someone wants Davey dead, and I intend to find out who and why.”

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