Defiance (The Protectors #9)(40)

“Nash?” the other man said.

“Are you asking me or telling me?”

“It’s either Nash or Bridges.”

Vincent shook his head. “Where are you getting that from?”

“I remember thinking I miss that show when he introduced himself,” Everett explained. He looked at me and said, “It was a good show, huh?”

Since I’d never seen it, I merely nodded in agreement.

“Ev, focus,” Vincent said.

“Nash,” Everett murmured with a nod.

“First name or last?”

“Not a clue,” the older man said with a shrug.

I smiled to myself as I watched the byplay between the two. Whatever they were to one another, it was something they’d likely spent years building.

Vincent hit the button on the dial pad and said, “What’s your name, Agent?”

“Special Agent Jonathan Nash,” came the response, and then the man was holding up ID. “Open the gate, sir.”

The man’s tone left little doubt what he expected to happen, but seeing the way Vincent tensed up, I knew the fun had come to an end. “Agent Nash, I assume you’re armed.”

“That’s none of your concern, Mr…”

“If you were any kind of agent, you’d already know my name.”

“Fine, whether or not I’m armed is none of your concern, Mr. St. James. I’m here to collect President Shaw and if you don’t open this gate immediately, I will be forced to break it down and you will be arrested for interfering with a federal officer.”

Yep, the game was definitely over because Vincent straightened and then he was striding past the door.

“Bad move, Nash Bridges,” Everett said to himself, and then he was rushing past me. I hurried after both men and caught up to them just in time to see Vincent pull a rifle from the trunk of his car in the garage. He slammed his hand against the garage door opener on the wall between the doors.

“Vincent,” Everett called, but Vincent ignored him and strode out of the garage. “Fuck,” Everett muttered, and then he was striding after Vincent. By the time I caught up to them, Vincent had reached the gate.

“Get out of the fucking car!” Vincent snarled and then he pulled the lever back on the rifle.

“Put the weapon down!” the man in the car yelled. “Put it-”

Vincent shot out the front driver’s side tire before the man could even finish talking.

“Jesus, fuck, Vincent,” Everett yelled and then he was pushing between Vincent and the gate. I reached Vincent’s other side and grabbed his arm, not caring what he’d likely do to me, considering how he normally reacted anytime I touched him.

“Don’t,” I said softly.

He didn’t take his eyes off the man in the car who’d at least had the sense to put his hands up. But he also didn’t throw off my hand.

“Get the fuck out of the car, Nash,” Everett snapped and then he went to the side of the gate. I finally noticed he had a watch just like mine and Vincent’s. He waved his wrist against a small metal panel on the gate post and it slid open. The car door slowly opened and the man got out. His arms were no longer raised, but he was careful about where he put his hands since Vincent hadn’t lowered his gun.

The easygoing Everett I’d met just moments ago was gone, and in his place was the man I’d watched countless times on television as he’d talked to the American people. A man I’d hoped to be just like someday.

“Did or did Grady not explain to you who this man is?” Everett pointed to Vincent who had yet to take the gun off the man. Everett seemed completely unconcerned that the weapon was essentially now pointed at him.

“He did,” Agent Nash said, his voice steady and even as his eyes remained on Vincent.

“And is it your habit to disrespect a man who is more of a brother to me than my own fucking flesh and blood?”

“No, sir,” the man responded coolly.

“Yet you come onto this man’s property, knowing what you know,” – Everett’s voice ticked up as he spoke – “knowing I’m safer with him than I am with ten of the likes of you, and you don’t show him or me the courtesy of respecting his wishes. Do I have that correct, Agent?”

I was stunned when, instead of cowering, the man stepped forward, getting into Everett’s face. “With all due respect, I am not Grady, and contrary to what you and everyone else thinks, I’m here to do my job and that includes keeping you safe from any threat.” The man’s eyes shifted briefly to Vincent, but he seemed unfazed that the gun was still trained on him. “If you’d shown me even an ounce of the very respect you’re demanding, you would have allowed me to accompany you this evening instead of running off like an errant child, and I would have been given the opportunity to meet Mr. St. James under more appropriate circumstances. And only once I’d made sure you were safe in his care would I have respected his ridiculous rule about leaving all of my weapons in my trunk.”

Agent Nash shifted his focus to Vincent. “If you care about him so much, you would let me do my damn job and keep him safe. Just because he’s with you doesn’t mean I’m off the clock,” the man bit out. “I don’t know what your deal about federal officials coming onto your property armed is, and frankly, I don’t care. I’m here to do my job and I’ll damn well do it, no matter how many of my fucking tires you blow out.”