Page 197 of Back in the Saddle

So, clearly, tabs were kept on the Nightingale men.

Hmm.

I wondered if they knew.

I socked that away to mention to Eric and addressed Clarice.

“That’s because I think he’s an immortal god who actually doesn’t sleep. He’s like Apollo or Zeus or somebody, existing among us mere mortals as a way to alleviate the boredom of eternal life. We just haven’t advanced in our relationship far enough for him to confide that in me,” I returned.

“I’d always wondered how that one was in bed,” Clarice muttered. “Think I have my answer.”

I wasn’t going to verbally confirm, but…she did have her answer.

I caught my brother making a gaggy face.

I took no offense. I got it. I didn’t want to think about how any woman he saw would be in bed either.

Moving on.

I turned my full attention to Jeff. “Not that I don’t want to see you. But what are you doing here?”

“I didn’t want you to worry, so I’m here to let you know we gotta vanish for a while,” Jeff explained hesitantly, and the hesitance was probably concern I would lose my mind, which would be the precursor to me lapsing into a lecture about this Shadow Soldier business.

Since Eric suggested them laying way low was the way to go, I didn’t.

And seeing as Jeff didn’t want me up in his shit so much that he took a half a year break from me, that was another reason why I didn’t.

That said.

I looked to Javi. “I take it you didn’t get it into the grapevine that raid wasn’t on your order.”

He shook his head but said, “I did. They’re just assholes. They went after our last brother. We got him safe. Now we gotta ghost.”

This wasn’t the best news in the world considering my brother had been ghosting me for a while. But since I had him back and didn’t want some aggressive, illegal narcotics organization to take him away from me forever, I’d have to deal.

To do that, I drew in a breath and let it go before I looked to Clarice. “What’s your part in this?”

She tipped her head to Javi. “I’m Javi’s attorney.”

Of course he had an attorney.

And of course she was his.

“And I have access to a safe house in the mountains,” she finished.

Right.

Taking in the slick, winter-white business dress with matching blazer she was wearing, I wondered if her safe house had fur rugs, and Waterford crystal for all your beverage needs.

I didn’t ask.

I went back to my brother. “Can we talk for a minute?”

He nodded, so I took his hand and led him to my bedroom.

“Gross, Jess,” he muttered. “It even smells like sex in here.”

I sniffed.

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