Page 51 of Wilde and Deadly

Elliot squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose. “All right, let’s say we believe you. What’s the plan?”

Davey exchanged a glance with Rowan before answering. “We need to investigate quietly. If it is someone inside Wilde Security, we can’t risk tipping them off.”

“I’ve always wanted a reason to build a super-secret spy team,” Dominic said.

He was probably only half-joking, given his James Bond obsession as a kid.

“We need people we can trust implicitly,” Elliot said, the gears already turning in that sharp mind of his. “A small team. The fewer people who know, the better.”

“Sabin,” Davey said. If there was one person in WSW he trusted more than his brothers, it was Jean-Sabin Cavalier. “We might need someone who can get in and out of places undetected and access secure systems.”

“Oh, sure.” Dom rolled his eyes. “We already have a former assassin on the team, so why not invite the former thief?”

“Sabin’s a pain in the ass, but he’s a solid choice. He’d never betray Davey,” Elliot said. “And what about Sullivan O’Connell? He’s got contacts all over the place, and he’s loyal to a fault. He’d never betray us. I’ve saved his brother’s ass too many times.”

“Good call. He can be scary as fuck,” Dom said. “What about Weston?”

Davey shook his head. “No. West’s loyalties will always be with his brother first, and if Cade’s involved…” He didn’t finish the thought.

“Right,” Dom said on an exhale. “Well, should probably at least add Daphne to the list. She’s a tech whiz, and we know we can trust her.”

Davey considered it for a moment, then shook his head. “Not unless we need her. We keep this tight. No one else.”

“Liam,” Rowan said quietly. All eyes turned to her, and she shrugged. “He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty if needed.”

Elliot raised an eyebrow. “You seem awfully comfortable making assumptions about our family.”

“I’m not making assumptions. I’m stating facts based on intel I’ve gathered over the years. Liam Wilde is better with a weapon than anyone in this room, and he’s fiercely loyal to your company. Those aren’t assumptions. They’re tactical advantages we’d be foolish to ignore.”

Sharp. Confident. Unapologetic. She met Elliot’s glare head-on, her shoulders squared like she was daring him to challenge her again.

That’s my girl.

Davey smothered a smile. “She’s right about Liam. He’s in. Let’s get him on board.”

Dom let out a low whistle. “Well, shit. I guess we’re really doing this, huh? Assembling our own little Avengers team to take down whoever’s gunning for you.”

“This isn’t a game, Dom,” Elliot said, heavy on the exasperation.

“You think I don’t know that?” Dominic shot back, the usual spark of mischief in his eyes hardening into something steely. “Someone’s trying to kill our brother. Trust me, I’m taking this plenty seriously.”

Davey studied him for a beat. Gone was the easy grin, the lazy slouch. Dom stood rigid, his jaw clenched, fingers curling and uncurling at his sides like he was holding back the urge to hit something—or someone. His usual sharp retort didn’t follow. No deflection, no joke to lighten the mood. Just pure, unshakable resolve.

Davey felt something tighten in his chest. Dom might be the wildcard, the one who laughed in the face of danger—but when it mattered, he stood firm.

He reached out, clasping the back of Dom’s neck in a firm squeeze before letting go.

“I know you are, and I appreciate it,” he said quietly, then slipped into command mode. “Elliot, reach out to Sullivan. Dom, you contact Sabin. I’ll call Liam. We’ll meet tonight…” He glanced over at Rowan, who shook her head.

“Not here. We have to assume they know where you live. Do you have a safe house?”

“The apartment on West 82nd,” Elliot supplied.

“Wasn’t Brody O’Connell running security for a witness there?” Davey asked.

Elliot shook his head. “The witness testified today, and WITSEC swept them up right after they left the courthouse. The apartment’s open.” He frowned in thought. “If we’re bringing Sullivan into this, we should probably bring Brody in, too. You know how they are.”

Actually, Davey didn’t. He hadn’t spent enough time around the O’Connell twins—or any of his employees, for that matter—to know them all that well. It was something he needed to remedy.

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