Page 13 of No Mercy
“Is that it?” He asks again, sounding disappointed.
“Look Carter, the less you know the better. I got this, trust me.” I say calmly removing my cup from the machine.
“I trust you,” Carter says and I see his shoulders relax.
Ant stares at me as he stands behind Carter. He may not speak but his eyes say a thousand words. He knows I’m keeping something. If only he knew what it was.
From the moment I laid eyes on Eva, I knew she was different from any other woman I’ve met. The need to protect her and make her mine overwhelms me.
My eyes follow Carter as he jumps over the back of the sofa to steal the controller out of Flynn’s hand.
“Round two motherfuckers” he says as Flynn tackles him to the floor shortly followed by Gunnar.
“Fucking kids, the lot of them” I mutter before focusing my attention to Ant who’s still standing next to me, sipping on his coffee.
I lean closer to him, making sure no one else can hear us.
“You know that tracking device you gave me when I asked for Eva’s address?” I ask. ??Ant slowly nods his head, no doubt remembering our conversation. ??“Well… turns out I used it after all.”
While everyone else is distracted, I nod and gesture for him to follow me to my bedroom, trying to ignore the regret in my stomach. We pass the others fighting over who gets the controller next, and I can’t help but feel a pang of envy for their carefree attitudes. They have no idea about me placing the tracking device on Eva’s car, and I don’t want them to doubt me as their leader if they ever do find out.
I walk over to my computer and power it on as I place my coffee on the desk with a shaky hand. The screen’s glow felt harsher than usual, as if it can see right through me, exposing every doubt, every conflicting thought swirling in my head. “I managed to place the tracking device under her car before I left,” I tell Ant, my voice steady, though my thoughts are anything but.
“By now, I’m hoping she’s found the photograph.” I tell him while opening the software needed. As the tracking screenslowly loads, I feel my chest tightening as I picture Eva’s reaction to seeing the white envelope outside her door.
“We need to find out who she’s working for,” I continue, my tone sharpening with urgency, “and I want to make it absolutely clear—no harm comes to her. Do you understand?”
I look at Ant with a seriousness that leaves no room for misunderstanding, my gaze unwavering despite the unease spiralling inside me. He nods his head understanding my words. If there is anyone in this world, that I can trust to keep her safe. It’s him.
Morning comes around quicker than I expected. I spent the rest of the evening trying to take my mind off Eva by spending time with my brothers, but no matter what we did, she was always at the back of my mind. I’ve never felt this way towards a woman, especially one I’ve only met once, my new obsession.
Walking into the living area, I spot Carter, Flynn, and Gunnar sprawled out between the sofa and the floor. They’re all tangled in a heap of limbs, snoring loudly, as if none of them know what a bed is for. The snoring fills the room, leaving no space for silence, and I can’t help but shake my head with a small, amused grin.
First things first, I need a coffee.
When I reach the coffee machine, I hear the front door creak open and spot Ant slipping in through the gap, a bag clutched tightly in his hand. The unmistakable smell of fresh bagels fills the air before I even have a chance to ask what he’s got. I clasp my hands together in front of me and tilt my head back slightly, closing my eyes in a silent prayer of gratitude.
All at once the other brothers awaken from their slumber sniffing the air like a pack of wolves. Without hesitation Ant grabs three from the bag, throwing one to each brother before tilting his head towards my bedroom, motioning for a moment of privacy.
I pick up my fresh cup of coffee and walk past him leading the way.
Closing the door Ant heads straight to the computer firing it up before loading the tracking app. He looks at me and smiles eagerly as I walk over.
“We got you now buttercup” I say out loud as a hand lands on my shoulder grasping it tight. I look at Ant matching his smile as we both look at where she is.
‘CRB Detective Agency’.
Me and my brothers spent the last few hours going over ideas and plans on what to do next. We took Gunnar to football practice so he wouldn’t be aware of what was going on and we could all talk about everything freely.
The easiest way to get in and see what is happening is to get Eva back out on a job where we knew where she was at all times.
“So who are we going to request she follows? It can’t be any of us, that will be too obvious.” Flynn says as he looks over the pictures and blueprints of the CRB office spread across the table.
“We need someone who doesn’t link to our family” I mutter trying to think of everyone we know.
Carter clicks his fingers in front of his face. I turn my head slightly to see a beaming smile across his face. “RACHEL!” He shouts as he starts bouncing up and down in the chair next to me. “You’re like a puppy that just got a pup cup for the first time,you know that right?” Flynn says as he stares at him in disbelief. I let out a laugh causing Carter to flick me in the head.
“Alright children, calm down, we gotta figure this out.” I say holding my hands up as a sign of truce.
