Claiming Felicity (Ace Security #4)(4)

Ryder pushed to his feet, and he glared at Blake, standing on the other side of the table.

“We had no idea why our mom killed Dad,” Nathan said quietly, without a hint of the emotion he was broadcasting clearly on his face. “We thought she finally just went too far one night. Blake, have you been through all of Dad’s papers yet? Maybe the letter is in there?”

Blake shrugged. “It hasn’t been a priority with all the other shit going on around here.”

Logan met Ryder’s eyes. “I’m glad you came. Unlike you, though, we didn’t know jack shit about you or your mom before last night. I’m not going to say I think we’ll all be best buds, but I appreciate how hard it must’ve been for you to come up here and meet us. I did some preliminary investigation into who you are last night, just as you did with us,” Logan said.

Ryder wasn’t offended in the least. “I figured you would. Satisfied with what you found?”

Logan eyed him for a beat before continuing. “Yes and no. You’ve got an impressive background, but there were a lot of holes, and things that don’t quite add up.”

Ryder couldn’t help but grin. That was certainly one way to put it. He kept his mouth shut and didn’t offer up any explanations for what Logan may or may not have deduced from his research into him.

Finally, Logan shook his head and said ruefully, “I should be more concerned about the lack of details in your background, but for some reason, I’m not.” He stood and held out his hand to Ryder. “It’s good to meet you.”

Ryder took hold of Logan’s hand and shook it. “Thanks. You too.”

“You gonna stick around for a while?”

Ryder shrugged. “Wasn’t really planning on it. Wasn’t sure what kind of reception I’d get. I’m taking leave from work, so I’ve got some time, but didn’t have any set plans.”

“You have a job you can take an unspecified amount of time off from?” It was Blake who asked, the suspicion easy to hear in his voice.

“As Logan probably already told you, I work with a group down in Colorado Springs. We’re hired out to work security.” It wasn’t exactly an accurate description of what he did, but it would do for now.

“That sounds . . . intriguing,” Logan said.

Ryder nodded. “Spent some time in the military. Decided to use the skills I learned and got out.”

Logan nodded. “I get that.”

Ryder knew he did. He’d read that Logan and Blake had both done stints in the Army. Seemed like even though they were only half brothers, they had a lot in common. “You having any other issues with the Inca Boyz? I might be able to help with that,” Ryder offered.

Logan shook his head. “After Nathan took care of the president, the gang pretty much broke up. Too much pressure from the cops, and no one wanted to step up and take up the reins.”

“Good. Oh, and Nathan, good job on getting rid of that motherfucker without actually shooting his ass.”

Nathan smiled. “Had lots of help from Bailey, her little brother, and Logan and Blake.”

Ryder nodded and looked at his half siblings. He was proud of them. From what he’d found out about them, they’d all had pretty harrowing experiences with the gang, but they seemed to be flourishing with the women in their lives. They’d also done a hell of a job making their business, Ace Security, prosper in the short time it’d been in operation.

“If you have the time, I wouldn’t mind you sticking around for a while. Get to know my wife and kids. They’re your nephews, after all,” Logan said, his eyes showing his sincerity.

Ryder went stock-still. Shit. He hadn’t really thought about having nephews. Damn, it felt good. “I think I—”

He was interrupted by a door slamming open. A pretty woman, whom Ryder knew to be Logan’s wife, burst into the room. She’d been there earlier, but had left, saying she had stuff to do.

“Cole just called. He said we all need to get over to the gym right now.”

Logan was moving toward his wife before she’d finished speaking. “Why? What’s going on?”

“I don’t know!” she exclaimed, out of breath. “He just said something was going on with Felicity, and he needed us over there pronto.”

“I’m sure it’s nothing. But come on. Ryder, you want to wait here?” Logan asked.

“I’m going with you,” he said firmly. He didn’t know why. It wasn’t like he knew who Cole or Felicity were. But for some reason he needed to tag along. Call it a sixth sense. Call it a premonition. But when the skin on the back of his neck itched, he’d learned to listen. He hadn’t survived his stint in the special forces and through some of the mercenary jobs he’d taken to start ignoring it now.

Shrugging as if it didn’t matter to him one way or another, Logan said, “Okay. I have a feeling our talk here isn’t over, but we can get back to it later. Blake, you good?”

The other man nodded once and headed for the doorway. Nathan followed.

Ryder brought up the rear and followed his brothers out of Ace Security’s offices and toward a gym he’d noticed on one of his trips up to Castle Rock. Rock Hard Gym. It was located in the same downtown square as his brothers’ business, along with a coffee shop, some law offices, and other random stores.