Page 25 of Soldier, Tailor, Spy

“Well then,” Duncan said, looking at the piece of paper with Ezekiel’s name on it, “I think you’re well on your way to winning that award. This is perfect, bucko.” He pressed his lips to his son’s temple before putting him down. “I’m going to shower real quick, then I’ll get dinner started for us.”

Bella shook her head. “It’s already in the oven, Primo. We have about twenty minutes, so make it quick.” Her amber eyes sparkled while she practically glowed. He loved seeing his Bella pregnant. If he could, he’d knock her up as much as possible. As it was, they knew Valentina belonged to Enzo because of their little agreement. After she was born, if Bella wanted more children, Duncan and Enzo would continue to take turns. Just the thought of his baby growing inside of her got his dick in a bind.

“Twenty minutes,” he replied, adjusting himself as he started for the stairs. “I’ll be back.”

When he emerged from his bathroom after his shower, dick still semi-hard, he quickly got dressed in a pair of sweats and a tank top. Winter in Florida wasn’t cold at all and wearing layers to stay warm wasn’t called for. Duncan ambled down the stairs and the scent of spices wafting from the kitchen had his stomach grumbling with hunger. He came up behind Bella, who was placing the glass dish with their dinner in it on the kitchen island, and wrapped his arms around her, caressing her belly.

Her soft gasp shot straight to his groin, engorging his half-hard cock. “What are you doing, Primo?” Her words were softly spoken while Enzo and Ezekiel set the table in their dining room.

“I keep thinking about you and being pregnant, and I can’t stop the need to fuck you hard,” he murmured, brushing his lips across her neck. “I guess pregnant women, more specifically my pregnant woman, is a kink of mine. I want inside you so fucking bad, baby.”

She sighed. “Tonight.”

He groaned. “Tonight.” He kissed her neck again, then tensed as a knock came at their door. “Were either of you expecting anyone?” They didn’t talk to their neighbors and they sure as fuck didn’t give out their address. The only people who knew where they were, was the FBI, R.O.O.T., and Witness Protection.

“No one,” Bella said, turning in his arms. “But it could just be a neighbor or something.”

Yeah, he didn’t believe in happenstance. “I’ll get it. You and Enzo keep EZ away from the front room until I give the all-clear.”

Duncan eased into the front of the house. Because of Ezekiel, he kept his gun in a lockbox in his office. As he stepped closer to the door, the knock came again. Duncan opened the door, using the heavy wood as a shield as he peered outside. The man who stood before him surprised the fuck out of him. If the guy had been about thirty years older, he’d be the spitting image of his father. Short red hair framed Liam’s square jaw. Brilliant blue eyes, eyes he’d seen every morning, stared back at Duncan as a smug grin tugged at the corner of his full mouth. This Liam wasn’t the eight-year-old boy he left behind in Ireland. Nor the boy, he fretted after, knowing full well their father would end up training him to be Duncan’s replacement. He feared Liam had become the monster, his father cultivated stood in front of him.

“’Ello, brother,” Liam said, stepping forward, his hands behind his back, the menacing vibe emanating from him, chilled Duncan to the bone. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

Duncan stepped in front of him. “No, you don’t. You’re not coming into my house, blood or no blood.” His mind raced. As it was, he was several steps behind his brother. He’d used the assurances of the FBI and Witness Protection as a shield for his family, never fully forming a plan should they be found. Now, he regretted it. If they lived through the night, they’d have to run. Where? Well, there was only one place safe enough for them now, Asher and the base. Getting there was the hard part.

“You’ll let me in because you don’t want to be cleaning the blood of your family off the walls tonight.” Liam took another step forward. “You’ll treat me like your brother and if I am satisfied, you won’t see me again until the time is right.”

Duncan closed his eyes. “Don’t do this, Liam. Those are father’s words, not ours. He’s using you to get to me.” Even though Duncan had taken the fall for the car bomb.

“He said you’d say that.” Liam smirked. “He said you’d tell me all the lies in the world to save yourself. Now, be a good boy and let me in. Wouldn’t want to cause a scene with your highfalutin neighbors, would we?”

Fuck. Duncan held the handle on the door a little too hard as it creaked under his grasp. “No.” Reluctantly, he stepped aside, allowing his younger brother into the house he’d made with his partners.

Liam whistled. “Impressive home. Better than where we live.” He glanced around the open layout before his gaze landed on Duncan once more. “Seems to me you’ve been living the high life.”

If only. “You’d think so, wouldn’t you?” He snorted. “I’m sure father filled your head with many tales of what I’ve been doing while he’s been sacrificing for the cause.” Liam grunted and Duncan knew he’d made a direct hit. “Did he tell you how he’d call me weekly while I languished in a cell, asking me to spy for him?”

Liam didn’t answer. Instead, he started for the kitchen, where Duncan had left Bella and Enzo with their son, Ezekiel. This... Man was nothing like the little boy he remembered. Gone was the light in his eyes. Gone was the jovial way he laughed all the time. Gone was the angel, replaced by the devil.

“It’s our duty to be prepared,” Liam said with a shrug.

“Prepared for what, Liam?” Duncan snapped. “Invasion? For the Queen to take more of our rights away? What are we fighting for, Liam?”

“All of it.” His brother’s tone didn’t change. “We’re preparing for when the Queen dies. As soon as she does, we’ll go to war again and gain our independence.”

Duncan gaped at him. “So, you’ll what? Blow up buses? The tube? Kill and maim innocent women and children all to get your so-called independence?”

“If that’s what it takes,” he shrugged. “We have been at war since the beginning of time. We’ll continue to be at war until we are truly free.”

“Liam, listen to me,” Duncan started. “Father has fed you nothing but lies. There is no IRA. He signed the Good Friday Accord. There is no war.”

“He said you’d say that, too.” He stepped into the kitchen. “Dinner is ready, but your family is nowhere in sight. Find them and bring them to the table, Duncan.”

There was no way around it. If they wanted to survive to fight another day, they were going to have to play by his brother’s rules, no matter how much he hated it. “Fine.” He strode through the kitchen to the small annex room off to the right of the stairs. Knocking three times, he opened the door and stared at a frightened Bella first. “It’s okay. You’re all safe. But I need you to listen to me.”

Enzo let out a shaky breath. “Who is that man, Hermano?”

“My brother, Liam. I need you to do what he says for now. We’re safe for that long.” Duncan picked up Ezekiel. “You may say hello to Liam, but you don’t have to answer any questions unless I tell you otherwise, understand?”

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