Page 35 of Heartbreak Hero

“So that leaves us with money laundering and drug distribution.” King took a small bite of food. “When I noticed you looking into Sara Jones, I thought maybe you were doing your own recon.”

“No, it’s a huge coincidence. I’m only helping out a friend and needed to know where Sara had relocated to,” Levi said.

“Is the friend Max?” King asked, and Levi was reminded that he, King, and Max had worked a joint mission together back when they’d all been active military.

On that mission, Levi had gone by the handle of Crash, and Max had gone by Red Dog. And King? They called him King, and that was that.

“Lily, his girlfriend mainly, but yeah, Max too,” Levi answered.

“How are you liking the bodyguard business?” Rowan interrupted with a murmur, his fingers flying over the keyboard.

Levi was amazed Rowan could listen and take part in their conversation while working some database, but then again, Rowan’s intelligence was off the Richter scale.

“I love it. Why?” Levi gazed at Rowan and asked, “You thinking of retiring too?”

“Yeah,” Rowan admitted, but didn’t look up from the laptop.

“What?” West turned on Rowan, his mouth slightly open.

Rowan glanced up then.

“I don’t want to see your food.” Rowan put a finger beneath West’s chin and snapped the man’s mouth closed.

“Screw you. Are you leaving?” West asked. It was clear he was upset.

“I’m thinking about it, yes.”

“Well, I know for a fact we could use your expertise at Deckman Defense and Security,” Levi said. “If you’re serious.”

“I’m serious. It sounds…I don’t know. Peaceful.” Rowan turned back to tap a few more keys.

“It can be a bit peaceful, but we just took out a stalker who had a knife to my friend Lily’s throat. That wasn’t pretty,” Levi said.

“So, enough action to keep it interesting, but no sickos?” Rowan asked.

“I would say yes to the action, but no to the sickos. Who do you think we protect our clients from?” Levi said.

“Oh yeah.” Rowan glanced up with a grimace when the information sank in and then went back to the laptop.

“The only thing we don’t do is take down drug lords or sex trafficking mob bosses…unless they get in our way. We protect people when others want to do them harm.”

“Well, damn it,” West said, cutting in. “Now I’m sold.”

King gave a heavy sigh and squinted at Levi. “Nobody’s fuckin’ retiring.”

“Why not?” Levi challenged.

“You trying to break up our team?”

“Not intentionally, but there’re plenty more Aries than just us five.” Levi smirked around a bite of food. “Besides, you could always come with them and keep the team together.”

Levi could see the wheels turning in King’s head. He was also certain that Max wouldn’t have a problem with three more bodyguards and would love having King around.

“What about me?” Nash grumbled.

Make that four more guys.

“Of course you.”

---