Page 15 of Battle King (Princes of Devil's Creek 4)

When the box buzzed, the gate moved inward. All Founders had access codes to each other’s gates for emergencies. But I figured Drake’s security team would be on higher alert and didn’t want to get shot.

I flew up the long driveway and pulled up in front of the glass mansion overlooking the bay. The Battle Fortress always seemed out of place on this block. Like it belonged on the edge of a cliff in California, not Connecticut.

Two men in suits opened the tall glass doors for us to enter the foyer, where Olivia Maxwell paced back and forth. Head down, she bit her nails, stopping when she heard our shoes on the floor.

“Liv.” Cole swept her into his arms. “Are you okay?”

“No.” Olivia dabbed at the tears sliding down her cheeks. “I’m not okay. They took Tate and Drake.” She sniffed, struggling to catch her breath. “I can’t lose them, Cole. You have to find them.”

“We will,” I said, even though I wasn’t confident we would find them alive. “That’s why we’re here.”

Olivia stepped out from Cole’s embrace and inched toward me. She inspected my face as if searching for something. “You look so much like your brother.”

Most people said that about Luca and me. We didn’t look like twins, but you could see the similarities. When we were kids, people mixed up our names. They often thought I was Luca until they realized the vast differences in our personalities.

“Do you know where to find Drake and my brother?” Olivia asked me.

“We have a few leads.” I held out my palm. “But I need to see your work phone. It might help us narrow down their location.”

She gave me a perplexed look, placing the phone in my palm. “How will my phone help you?”

“Because you’re one of three people with a top-secret clearance level.” I flipped through the screens and found a few suspicious apps on her phone, a clear sign someone had installed malware. “The people who took Drake and your brother are professionals. And they know all of Drake’s weaknesses.”

“Tate,” she whispered, her hand partially covering her mouth. “That’s why they kidnapped him? To use my brother against Drake.”

I bobbed my head to confirm.

“Oh, my God.” Olivia whimpered, her body trembling. “He’s all I have left. You have to promise you’ll bring them home.”

I couldn’t make that promise.

Cole snaked his arm around her to keep her from shaking. “We’ll do our best. That’s all we can tell you for now.”

I finished going through the apps and stuffed the phone into my back pocket. Olivia didn’t need to know the leak came from her phone. The Lucaya Group knew she would be the most vulnerable. She wasn’t experienced with technology or security, making her the perfect target.

“You’re staying at my estate until we get back from New Mexico,” I told Olivia. “Pack a bag.”

She stared at me as if I’d spoken a foreign language. “But… Why can’t I stay here?”

“If The Lucaya Group could get to Drake, they can find you.”

“I’m a nobody,” she tossed back with a slight attitude. “No one cares about me.”

“You’re important to Drake. And if they can’t get what they want from your brother, they won’t hesitate to get it out of you.”

She scoffed, her hand flying out in anger. “I don’t know anything about Drake’s tech or his business. I’m his assistant.”

“Doesn’t matter,” I shot back. “We’re not dealing with the average criminal. These people are smart and strategic and learn everything about their targets.” I looked into her eyes as I said the last part. “You are a weakness for Drake, which means you need our protection. The Knights will keep you safe.”

“Knights?” Her eyebrows knitted in confusion. “Who are they?”

“Liv, please.” Cole put his hand on her back and steered her down the corridor. “Pack enough clothes for a few days.” He tipped his head toward the stairs. “Hurry.”

For the past six months, Olivia had been living with Drake as a condition of her employment. He offered to pay off her school loans if she worked as his assistant for one year. The position required her to be at his beck and call around the clock. Everything from morning wake-up calls to ensuring he ate between code sprints.

Drake still had feelings for Olivia. It was so evident in his interactions with her. Years ago, they had a short fling that her brother ended when he found out. Tate didn’t want their relationship to get in the way of their friendship. So he made them swear to put aside their feelings.

Olivia touched Cole’s shoulder. “Give me a minute.”

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