Tempted & Taken (Men of Haven #4)(76)

From behind the thick steel door, Levi’s laughter rang out, followed by the abrupt zing of a power drill.

Knox dug out his keys, but before he could find the one he wanted, the door swung open.

Keeping one hand on the door knob, Danny stepped back enough to bring a good chunk of the loft’s main room into view. He motioned over his shoulder to Beckett and the gorgeous black man with dreads she’d met at the concert. Both were perched on ladders and hanging what had to be at least a fifty-inch flat screen on the wall where a beautiful landscape had been. Five other flat screens just like it were already in place. “You got here just in time. We’ve almost got the surveillance feeds hooked up. If you don’t want bank vault locks and retina scanners on the front door, you better jump in now, ’cause Beckett’s got a security threat boner.”

As if he’d just realized she was there, Danny shot her his huge and totally disarming smile, leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Welcome home, sweet cheeks.”

Four other men she didn’t recognize strode into view, all of them dressed in the same black cargo and T-shirt combo the men outside the gate had worn and hefting everything from tools to computer wire. “Who are they?”

“They’re on Beckett’s crew,” Danny said before Knox could. “Mine’s working the perimeter.”

Knox urged her into the bustling room. “How much longer ’til we’re ready to go online?”

“Already are,” Beckett said, proving that he was one hundred percent aware of everything going on around him despite having his hands full. He glanced over his shoulder and jerked his head toward the computers set up on the previously ignored dining room table. “Got all the feeds piped in first. Saw you pull in.” His gaze shifted to Darya and he winked. “Hey, sassy.”

Levi’s bright voice shot from the open kitchen. “You’re here!”

At his words, Trevor, Natalie, Zeke and Gabe all turned their attention on Darya. Unlike the rest of the people in the room, they’d made themselves at home around the giant island, Trevor and Zeke casually enjoying a beer while Nat and Gabe futzed over what looked like a snack tray.

She braced, expecting a frigid blast of frowns or glares.

One by one, her presence registered in their gazes, but it wasn’t anger that burned behind them. It was the same, friendly greeting they always offered.

Well, expect for Trevor. He actually did frown, but aimed it at Knox beside her. “Jesus, brother. What route did you take to get here? We drove all the way from Haven and still beat you.”

Not the least bit daunted by the wires strung all directions or the chaos around him, Levi hustled their direction, his boots loud on the concrete floors. “Isn’t this cool? Uncle Beckett said he’d teach me how to use all his cool gadgets after he gets everything set up.”

“Uncle Beckett’s smokin’ crack.” Knox ruffled Levi’s head and steered Darya toward the kitchen with a hand between her shoulder blades. “Anything with an electrical current is mine. He’s just in charge of muscle. You wanna know how stuff works, you come to me.”

Knox peeled her purse off her shoulder and tossed it on the kitchen counter like it was any other normal night instead of one where they were bracing for lockdown.

Natalie waved toward the snacks they’d laid out on the island and headed for the fridge. “Grab something to eat. You want anything to drink?”

“Beer for me.” Knox kissed her cheek and squeezed her shoulder. “I’m gonna check the feeds real quick. Have a seat and settle in. Grab something to eat.”

Have a seat.

Settle in.

Grab something to eat.

Completely relaxed. No different than the other occasions they’d gotten together as a family except that this time the security was escalating to Fort Knox. No matter how much she wanted her mind to do something useful and offer up an explanation, it wouldn’t budge. Nor would her feet, incredulous wonder keeping her locked in place.

“You okay?” Levi said.

She surfaced from her dumbfounded stupor to find Levi clutching her hand and Zeke beside her. Except the man on her right wasn’t the patient and kind brother she’d come to know over the last several weeks. This was the doctor, his narrowed and assessing gaze roving her face.

“You’re not mad?” She hadn’t meant to ask it. Hadn’t even really realized the fear she’d walked into the room with until her subconscious had set forth the question, but now that she had, she really wanted to know the answer.

Zeke’s mouth crooked in a goofy grin. “Are you kidding? If someone in our family hadn’t done something to perk things up soon, I’d have had to start doling out antidepressants.” He looped an arm around her neck and motioned Levi toward the food. “Load her up, Levi. Doctor’s orders.”

“Right,” Levi said with the single-minded focus she’d come to appreciate in the little boy. “Food fixes everything.”

Trevor snickered and lifted his beer off the counter. “Well, it will for another year or two, then you’ll find another delightful mood fixer.”

Natalie popped the top off Knox’s beer and scowled at Trevor. “Cut it out.”

“It’s okay, Mom. It’s just sex.”

Gabe and Zeke did their best not to let it out, but their chests both shook on a rich chuckle.