Page 127 of The Mercenary's Guide to Mishaps and Romance

“Probably.”

“Then there was Sienna, who my mom had to fetch out of jail because she went to a party and was caught bashing some girl’s mailbox in.”

“Bet she didn’t cry.”

“Oh hell, no. She was proud of herself. She strutted around like a peacock, proudly wearing that ‘you’re grounded for a month’ badge.”

“You’re too fucking cute,” I realize as I grab him by the back of the head and pull him in for a kiss. “Go put Jolene—who isnotstealing you from me—away and we’ll head out.”

“I will,” he says, rousing the bird from where she’d fallen asleep. She starts in about The Fence as he carries her off to her cage.

The apartment complex is fairly easy to find, but it appears to have at least twenty or so units, if the mailbox near the entrance is anything to go by. There’s no saying how quickly we’ll figureout which one is his… if it even is Zachary’s apartment like Leland suspects. At the very least, someone might have seen him or even know where he is.

“Don’t wander from my sight,” I tell Ellis.

“I won’t,” he promises.

“Even if there’s a cute bird or cat or anything else.”

“Definitely won’t. There’s a cute man. That’s enough for me.”

I glance back at him as he grins.

He’s right on my ass as we head toward the building. So on my ass that I feel like it’d be suspicious if anyone chose to look out at this moment.

“Maybe not this close? You’re so close that I feel a bit sad having clothes between us,” I say as I toss another look back at him.

“Oh? I mean…” He glances down to my ass. “There doesn’t have to be. I’m… pretty sure that can be easily fixed.”

“Don’t tempt me. That’s the first rule to our mission. Temptations need to be left at home.”

He’s grinning now, which is just adding to my temptations.

“Fine, fine, I’ll give your ass some space. I didn’t know your ass was so picky,” he says as he comes up to my side instead.

Before we get too close to the building, an older man comes out and scurries right over to us, eyes fixated on us from the second he left the building.

“Can I help you?” The man had to have been peering out his window in anticipation of an opportunity like this.

“Sure! That would be amazing. I’m hoping to surprise my…” I hesitate as my eyes snap up a moment before I see the barrel of a gun. It would have been unnoticeable if the sunlight hadn’t hit the metal just right. The issue is… the gun isn’t pointed at me. While I know they won’t shoot Ellis, they’ll likely use it to threaten him.

Playing it off like I don’t notice, I give the man a smile. “My uncle. I’m here for a short visit from Scotland and my uncle has no idea I’m coming,” I say as I pull out a phone and flash him a picture of Ellis’s dad. “I just… he’s going to lose his mind when he sees me.”

The man hesitates a bit too long before smiling. “Haven’t seen him. You sure he lives here?”

“Well… I guess I could have gotten the address wrong. I don’t come to America much… I might have messed up the address?”

Clearly, he knows he’s here and is likely getting paid to pretend he’s not. But why would Zachary choose an apartment to hide in when it would lead to people seeing his face day after day? And why the hell are Arthur’s men here? Did they find this place days ago and were waiting to ambush Zachary, and instead, we’ve walked right into the trap they’d laid for him? But traps aren’t always bad if I can get the upper hand.

The first thing I need to do is to get Ellis safe, though.

“How about you call my uncle, then, and tell him that if he wants to ever see his son again, he’d best stop hiding and fucking do something about it. I’m assuming you have his number if you let him know about the others who came asking about him the other day,” I say, knowing that’s probably what led to Zachary not returning while they waited for him. “Do that and then when you’re done, I’ll see about getting the man with the gun off your property.”

“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says, looking nervous. “T-There’s someone with a gun?”

“Another gun?” Ellis asks, looking exasperated. “Why can’t they ever have like… kittens or puppies? Just one time… bring kittens or puppies.”

“Ellis, do you trust me?”

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