See No Evil Trilogy, page 59
I grinned. “I would have been properly pissed off if I wasn’t.”
“Well, good. Crisis averted. You are. And I promise not to be a Bridezilla.”
“Good, because I have no time for drama. You know, unless it’s the shoot-em-up variety.”
“Yeah, we’ll probably have to wait until people stop trying to kill my bestie to get hitched.”
“Yeah, sorry about that.”
She shrugged. “Well, one must do what one must do.” We followed the sound of voices into the massive living space. Bryna gave us a wide smile and waved from the kitchen as she shoveled chips and guacamole into her mouth. Jessa was on one of the stools and turned when she saw Bryna wave. “There you are.” She came over and gave hugs to both me and Telly. “Telly, it’s nice to see you again. And Liv, heck, we’re family now.”
“I guess we are. Trial by fire and all that?”
From one of the backroom areas came a voice. “Oh my God, I haven’t been to the bathroom alone in over a year. That was surprisingly, blissfully relaxing.”
The woman stopped short. She was darker than me, with a mane of tight curls flowing over her shoulder, wild and springy. She smiled. “Oh, you must be Liv. I’m Penny.” she said with a grin, then stuck out her hand.
I shook it. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m Olivia.”
I introduced Telly and the two of them shook hands. And then Telly did some weird curtsy thing. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what to do with royalty.”
Penny waved a hand. “Please… Before I was royalty, I was a Royal Guard, so no bowing and none of that curtsying shit. Besides, I get the impression that we’re about to become very good friends.”
From the direction of the garage came a groan, then the door opened and someone came in carrying what looked like several pieces of equipment. “Of course Roone would have ancient tech. How am I supposed to do anything before my full setup arrives tomorrow?”
Penny ran over to help. “Ariel, we have guests.”
Ariel’s head snapped around, and she assessed me in a moment. “Ah, you must be Liv.” Then her gaze landed on Telly, and her brows rose. “Telly Brinx.”
Telly gave a nervous laugh. “Um, my reputation precedes me?”
The redhead nodded, sending her mane of russet waves cascading down her back. “Oh, yeah, it definitely does. What you have been doing for security is groundbreaking.”
Telly smiled tentatively. “I’m sorry we aren’t acquainted, but I like you already.”
Ariel dumped one of the black cases on the countertop then dusted off her hands on her jeans. “Nice to meet you. I’m Ariel Winston.”
Telly’s eyes went wide. “Oh, you married a prince. The soccer player.”
Ariel laughed. “I see someone has been reading her Hello! magazine.”
Telly nodded. “Well, I needed to know who the players were. And you are also a badass hacker.”
Ariel shrugged. “Well, badass isn’t the word, but pretty damn close. The real badass is Neela.”
I heard footsteps upstairs, and then someone came running down the stairs. “Did I hear my name?”
The woman had a gently curved belly, straight dark hair, olive toned skin, and wide dark eyes. I immediately wanted to take care of her. “Hi, I’m Liv.”
She grinned. “I’m Neela, and in here… Well, my husband thinks it’s a Jax junior. Wait till he finds out Jax is a girl.”
I laughed and made the introductions with Telly.
I had assumed that it would be Penny who would take over the meeting, but she was content to hang back, chatting to Jessa, and instead it was Ariel who took over. “Sorry to jump right into it, but I figured we’d want to talk business stuff, and then we’ll get the wine and find out all about just how good Big Ben is in bed.”
My eyes went wide. “Oh my God.”
Ariel snorted a laugh. “Oh shit, your face. But it’s true though. Inquiring minds want to know. I’m pretty sure he has hit on every single woman in this room.”
Heat flushed my skin. “That does sound like him.”
Ariel grinned. “But if he has landed on you, then you know that’s for keeps.”
I flushed again. “Ah, um, maybe?”
Ariel shook her head. “He’s a flirt. And he’s used to getting his way, but he has definitely been searching for that kind of soul that’s core to him. You know, the kind of man that when he’s decided, he’s decided for good, and that’s it. So, are you ready for wedding bells?”
I blinked, suddenly too hot and flushed.
Telly clapped and jumped up and down excitedly. “Oh my God, we’re going to have a double wedding.”
Jessa tapped Bryna on the ass before finding her seat. “Oh, my God, a triple wedding. Add Bryna in there.”
The snacks were laid down on the coffee table as everyone took their seats. Ariel, Telly, and Neela had laptops open and were busy talking tech speak. Something about routers and servers and access and onsite encryptions. I didn’t understand a word.
Penny perked up, asking Bryna, “Oh good. Are things better with you guys then?”
Bryna nodded. “Yeah, he’s just being the stubborn Lucas. Not talking to me, thinking he could handle everything on his own. Like I don’t know him better than I know myself. He misses stealing. So I suggested maybe he steal things to benefit people.”
I laughed. “Um, how would that look?”
“Well, I don’t know. I’m sure there’s lots of people who have been wronged by folks who need things taken back or delivered. I don’t know. It was just an idea.”
Ariel lifted a brow. “I mean, it’s not a bad idea. There are so many lost artifacts from the Holocaust, and you know there are some unscrupulous assholes that are hoarding them. He could steal it back. Give it to the families.”
Bryna sat forward nodding. “Oh my God, that’s excellent Ariel.”
“Let’s just say I have a devious mind.”
I shook my head. “Are all of you like this?”
Ariel popped a chip in her mouth. “Yep, get used to it.”
I glanced around the room. These women were all risking their life and liberty to help me. “Seriously, you guys don’t even know me, but you’re all jumping in to help?”
Penny grinned and gobbled down water. “Oh, you haven’t even seen anything yet. This is team Winston Isles. When one of us is in trouble, all of us are in trouble.”
Several months earlier, I’d lost my mother, and Telly was all I had left. But surrounded by these women, and knowing I had Ben, I suddenly felt completely enveloped by love and family. Like these people were what I’d been missing all along.
Ariel nodded at Penny. “Yep, get used to it. We’re the kind of family that turns up even when you don’t want us to. Speaking of which… How long do you think it’s going to take Lucas to realize that Sebastian’s here?”
Jessa took out fifty quid and set it on the coffee table. “I’ll put fifty on it. I think one of us will get an irritated call in about an hour.
Neela laughed. “I say less.”
Bryna frowned. “I don’t know. I feel like Sebastian might make him sweat it out. I say probably tomorrow.”
I laughed. “You’re all crazy.”
“Yup, you better believe it.” Ariel’s expression turned serious. “Now, Miss Olivia Ashong, let’s find those assholes who took you and make them burn.”
Somehow, I knew I was going to like her very much.
9
Ben
“So, how mad is she?” East asked when I stepped through the entrance to Bridge’s. As always, I held back my gag at all the white marble. It was as if Mina thought all the white marble would give her a modicum of class.
Mad was an understatement. Olivia had been tight lipped. She’d taken the news a little too well. Been a little too understanding. I had left Livy under Jessa’s watch at her townhouse. I left her with a guard too. She had Erik and his team as well as Jessa’s Royal Guards. I knew she needed a moment away from me. She was in no mood to see me, and she was absolutely right.
I should have told her my suspicions about the photos the moment I’d seen them. I had spent too much time keeping secrets, hiding things, protecting people, trying to use secrecy as currency. And of all people, why had I been trying to protect my father? Not like he would have done the same for me, especially if it didn’t serve him. He’d never protected me.
So, I had jeopardized things with the woman I loved for a man like him. Fucking brilliant.
“Let’s just say she’s been happier with me.”
East winced. “She looked right pissed off when we left.”
“Yeah, that would be a mild way of describing how she felt.”
Lucas had made some calls trying to find floorplans for the Van Linsted mansion. There was a knock at the door, and Bridge frowned as he came out of his study, carrying a stack of papers. “This is what I have on the Van—“ He glanced toward the door. “Who the fuck is here?”
Roone winced as he spoke. “Lucas, don’t be mad.”
Lucas pushed to his feet. “You didn’t.”
“I didn’t, but the wanker tapped my phone. He wanted to know why I’ve been avoiding his calls.”
Lucas cursed under his breath, the string of fucks, while not particularly inventive, were certainly emphatic.
I glared at my cousin. “What’s he on about? What’s wrong?”
“An unexpected visitor,” Roone muttered.
Mina sauntered through the living room with a sour expression on her face. “Bridge, why didn’t you tell me we would have royalty visiting? I would have prepared the house or something.”
Bridge’s scowl deepened. “Mina, what are you talking about?”
She plastered a smile on her face, and then an armed guard in a black suit stepped forward. Behind him was someone who towered over him. Dark hair, hazel eyes, scruff on his chin. I would have laughed and, under other circumstances, been extremely happy to see King Sebastian, but now was not the time. And the way Lucas was cursing, I didn’t think the king was welcome as far as he was concerned.
East recovered first and stood. “Sebastian, mate. You certainly know how to make an entrance. You don’t call. You don’t write.”
Sebastian shook hands with him as they one-arm-man-hugged and slapped each other on the back. I went and shook his hand next. “Sebastian, if you’d told us you were coming, I could have picked you up with the helicopter from the airport or something.”
He chuckled low. “Still pompous I see.”
I lifted my lip in a smirk. “What? Don't you have a helipad at home?”
He rolled his eyes. “Penny put her foot down about the helicopter once we had Cash. As to why I didn’t call first, I wanted to make sure no one knew I was coming, because apparently, people are trying to keep me out of the loop too.”
Hellos and cheers were made all around, except by Lucas. The prince glowered at his brother. “What are you doing here?”
Sebastian gave him a mirthless chuckle. “Well, when my little brother, who insisted he was coming to London to make his mark and help out with crown affairs abroad, instead decides to go back to being a thief, what choice do I have?”
Lucas jabbed a finger toward him. “See? That right there… That’s why I didn’t tell you.”
Sebastian threw his hands up. “What, because you didn’t want me to worry?”
I felt like maybe I shouldn’t be watching this argument, but after the shit show that had been my conversation with Livy, it was nice to see someone else in the hot seat for once. Also, I loved good gossip.
“Lucas, what the fuck are you doing?” Sebastian asked his brother.
I felt responsible. After all, Lucas had come because I’d called. “Sebastian, it was not Lucas’s idea. I called and asked for a favor. It was pretty urgent, otherwise Lucas would certainly have said no.”
The prince did not take it well that someone else was speaking for him. “Shut up, dude. I don’t need you to protect me.”
I put my hands up. “Mate, I’m just trying to help.”
Lucas shook his head. “I don’t need your help.” He turned to his brother, meeting him eye to eye. Should there be a fight, they were so evenly matched I wasn’t sure who would win. Sebastian had been given the best military training in the world. But Lucas had grown up a street urchin, learning to fight and survive, so he was scrappy.
“This is important. Ben needed my help. None of them have the skills that I do. And it’s a good skillset.”
Sebastian watched him warily and then slid his gaze over at Roone. “And you too, Brutus?”
My cousin, ever the asshole, smirked. “It’s Roone, actually. Brutus is my middle name."
Sebastian scowled. “Is there a fucking reason you’re helping my brother be a thief again?”
“Actually, it’s not just your brother I’m helping. It’s your sister too.”
Sebastian’s brows dropped. “You have Jessa involved in this shit too?”
I could sense the tension between them, like this was a disagreement best had solo. But we were all privy to it, ensnared in their escalating argument.
“I didn’t do anything. Jessa’s in it to help these morons. By her own choice, mind you.”
“Hey, we resemble that remark.” East muttered, trying to break the tension.
Bridge, ever full of sarcasm, muttered, “I would have honestly said wankers. Wankers fits better than morons.”
I wanted to interject, add my two cents, but I didn’t think that was the best idea.
Sebastian slid his gaze back to me. “Since you’re in charge, obviously, do you want to tell me what the fuck is going on?”
Both Bridge and East muttered, “In charge, my arse.”
And then East muttered, “Oh, beauty before brains, is it?”
I grinned. “Isn’t that always the way?” Then I exhaled. “Look, while your brother may not want my help, I certainly needed his. We’re on a time crunch for something big and time sensitive. Something we cannot buy. Otherwise, we would have just done that.”
Sebastian’s brows drew down. “And why is this urgent?”
“We have a limited time to pull this off to set a debt right. I’m sorry to involve your brother and your sister, but Jessa works for me. And when she heard Lucas was involved, she wanted to help.”
Sebastian stared at his brother for a long moment. Then he said, “Lucas, when are you going to realize that when you try to do shit on your own, it reminds us of when you fucking walked out of our lives? If you need help, just fucking say so.”
Lucas crossed his arms. “I don’t need help.”
Sebastian cocked his head. “Oh yeah, is that why you called in Xander and Alexi?”
Sebastian had him there. He had called them for our first heist. We needed the extra bodies.
“I don’t need your judgment.”
“I’m not judging you, you idiot. I want to help.”
My brows lifted. The King of the Winston Isles wanted to help us… with a heist. “I’m sorry, Sebastian, but you’re a king. You’re very visible, and you are not a thief.”
“No, not a practiced thief, but I am a body. I have good hands. And I’m good at hand-to-hand combat, thanks to that idiot.” He inclined his head toward Roone.
Roone shrugged. “I mean, you could be better. You could focus more. Your wife is a better fighter.”
Sebastian grinned then. “She’s pretty badarse. And we both know I’m as good as you are, so you can feel free to suck my cock.”
Roone just shrugged off the jibe. “No thanks. Partial to pussy. In particular your sister’s.”
That made Sebastian’s brow creep down, and Bridge stepped between them. “Okay, easy boys. Tempers are high. We get it. Sebastian, you’re ticked off you were left out.”
“Yeah, I’m pissed off I was left out by my fucking brother, and my best mate, and my sister, all here having fun in London without me.”
Roone watched him warily, and then a harsh laugh tore out of him. “Oh my God, you’re not pissed off. You’re here because Penny and Ariel found out that they were being left out and harangued you to come.”
Sebastian crossed his arms then. “What’s your fucking point?’
Lucas grinned then. “So, you’re not ticked off?”
Sebastian’s brows stayed low. “No, I am. You should have told me.”
“Well, all those ‘don’t steal things’ lectures pretty much made me think I shouldn’t tell you about this.”
“Yeah, but don’t steal things for fun is really the lesson I was trying to impart there. If we have family that needs help, we give it.”
“So let me guess… You’re on the team now?”
“You already have half my team with you. Hell yeah, I’ve been conscripted. And don’t listen to Roone. I’m as good as he is, if not better.”
Roone leaned back and finished off his scotch, clinking the ice in his glass. “Right, ladies, if we’re done swinging dicks to see who has the bigger one, can we start figuring out how the hell we’re going to get into the Van Linsted estate? I don’t fancy dying any time soon. Jessa and I are trying to make a rugrat, and all the practice is making me real happy but exhausted.“
Sebastian and Lucas made gagging sounds, but joined us as we all crowded around Bridge’s living room table and the blueprint he’d taken from the Van Linsted estate. “Mate, looks like we can make room for one more in this crazy plan. Hopefully, we won’t get the king killed.”
Lucas laughed. “Oh, but I’m expendable?”
“Right now, I’d settle for none of us going to jail,” I mumbled.
Lucas nodded. “That’s a good point. I’m too pretty for jail.”
I rolled my eyes. “Please, you and I both know I’m better looking than you. So let’s make sure prison isn’t a thing, okay?”
“You’ve got a deal.”
Sebastian just laughed. “If you two are done posturing over who’s prettier, show me how it is that my sister, my brother, and my wife are not going to die in this cockeyed plan.”
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