Page 133 of Maddox

“Do you have the information, Maddox?”

I turned and looked at Kage, who had a smug smile on his face. “No, I do not. What she was given we provided months ago.”

Gray sighed, but I sensed he didn’t believe me. “Just be certain you know what you’re doing. I won’t be able to protect either one of you if the shit goes down the way it could.”

“Duly noted. I’ll let you know if I find anything. You’re just going to need to trust me, Gray. If what you said is true and you hired me to flush out an enemy, then that’s what I’m going to do. But I will do it my way.”

“Christ, Maddox. You’re not a one-man army. You could get yourself killed.”

“Like I said, you need to trust me.”

“As long as you know what you’re getting in the middle of.”

“Oh, I think I do.”

Gray sighed again. “Not only do I trust you, but I respect you. No matter what you thought all those years ago, I never lost faith. Thank you for your assistance, Lieutenant Grant. It is much appreciated.”

As soon as I ended the call, Kage sauntered closer. This was a precarious game that went way beyond dangerous, but one that had to be played.

“Are we going hunting?” he asked way too casually.

“I think you’re right in that it’s time we bring the savage playgrounds to us.”

He nodded several times. “You know what? I like the sound of that.”

“We protect Charmaine at all costs. No matter what happens? Is that clear?”

“Don’t worry, Maddox. I’ll have your back. Charmaine’s as well. Good to see how much you like her.”

Huffing, I glanced toward the house. “She managed to crawl under my skin.”

“The right woman has a way of doing that. Just don’t take it for granted. Even if she is hardheaded like you.”

At least I could laugh around him, something I never thought I’d do again. “It’s been a long time.”

His entire face crinkled as he looked up at the snow, purposely shivering. I doubted he felt the cold just like me. The thrill of the chase, the love of danger was in our blood.

“I’m sorry I was an asshole.” He rubbed his jaw as if to remind me the score was even.

“Hey, I always knew you were.”

He acted as if he was going to take a punch as we both laughed.

“I meant what I said. I’ve got your back. You always had mine.”

Kage’s words hit me harder than I would have thought after all these years. Perhaps they were exactly what I needed to hear.

The door to the van was swung wide open, Chuck peering at us from inside. “Hey, guys. I think you might want to see this.”

Kage and I looked at each other and he shrugged, still wearing the grin I remembered from so many years before. “Time to play hardball.”

CHAPTER 33

Charmaine

“What are you doing?” I demanded as soon as Maddox rolled me over onto my stomach.

“Giving you what you deserve.” His whisper was husky, soft since we still had houseguests, two burly men sleeping in the adjoining room. At least I’d had the opportunity to remind him why furnishing the guesthouses was an excellent idea.

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