“Probably.It’s one of the reasons Pop wants you for this job.He said you have the best temperament to handle Quinn.”
“And the other reasons?”
Ryker blew out a breath.“He didn’t share those with me.In fact, he didn’t share much at all.I get the feeling he’s hiding something.”
“And that’s supposed to help me guard the woman?”Kyllian huffed in frustration, but he knew their father.If Sutton Lazlo was withholding information, he had a good reason.
“I would say call him, but I doubt he’ll tell you any more than he did me.”
“Why would they ask us to a job without giving us the necessary details to do it properly?”Fuck.Kyllian wished he hadn’t agreed to the job.Then again, he would never tell his pop no.“Whatcanyou tell me?”
Ryker pulled a folded piece of paper from his back pocket.“This is the address.Trenton is expecting you.He’ll meet you in the morning and tell you what he can before he introduces you to Quinn.That’s both their home and office.When you pull up to the gate, roll down your window and look at the camera.I’ve already sent Trenton your photo.”
Kyllian took the paper.“You’re assuming I’ll drive instead of ride my bike.”
“Like I said before, I have no idea how long this will take.If you want to pack enough clothes for a month on the back of your bike, that’s up to you.”
“A month?Damnit, Ryot.I—”
“Have responsibilities.I get that.If Pop hadn’t requested you specifically, I would ask Ace or Judge to do it.”The front door opened, and Rhiannon stuck her head out.
“Everything okay?”she asked.
“Just work stuff, Angel.Go back to bed.I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
Rhiannon gave Kyllian a wave and Ryker a brilliant, sleepy smile before closing the door.Ryker’s face was soft, and Kyllian mentally shook his head.Seeing his oldest brother in love was both wonderful and strange.After the loss of his pregnant wife twenty years ago, Ryker became hard and unmovable.Finding out his baby girl had lived went a long way in softening Ryker’s heart, but it wasn’t until he rescued a little witch from a cult that his heart completely melted.
“Since you can’t give me any more information, I’ll let you get back to your female.”Kyllian pocketed the address and gave his brother a two-fingered salute.Ryker was already in the house with the living room lights off by the time Kyllian got in his car.Scrubbing a hand down his face, Kyllian stared at the house.Inside were not only Ryker and Rhi, but also Ryker’s daughter, Mac, and her boyfriend, Elijah.The three newcomers to the Lazlo family had all endured pain at the hands of The Ministry.Josiah Talbert, leader of one of the compounds, was in the wind, but it was only a matter of time before they tracked the bastard down.His parents would have to do so without his help because Kyllian had a handler to babysit.
Arriving home less than fifteen minutes later, Kyllian went inside and called Gunnar while he packed his duffel.Being a biker used to limited storage space in his bag, he could arrange clothes so quite a few garments fit easily.As a Gryphon, he didn’t have an arsenal to carry to Quinn’s.He did have the handgun Ryker insisted the Hounds carry on their merc jobs, but it fit in the holster he could hide beneath his leather jacket.Kyllian took a long shower, then slid beneath the cool sheets, cradling his head on a bent arm.Normally, after a night at Dominion, Kyllian was relaxed after a scene or two with his subs, but he and Hawk had monitored the floor while Spyder and his mate did a Shibari scene.Instead of being relaxed, Kyllian was restless.Both from not inflicting pain, but also from thinking about being away for who knew how long.
Quinn
Quinn scowled ather father.“You did what?”
“I called Sutton.”Trenton turned from staring out the window, his face lined with worry.Sutton Lazlo was one of Trenton’s oldest friends, father to five sons, six daughters, and former President of The Hounds of Zeus.The Hounds were more than a motorcycle club.Some of the members worked with Sutton and his wife, Rory, searching for The Ministry, a cult responsible for the near apocalypse some thirty years prior.Some had jobs as doctors, lawyers, and other “normal” positions in society.Then there were those who Quinn called on to take out the trash.
“Dad—”
“No, Quinn.This is serious, and you aren’t taking it that way.I know how capable you are, but we don’t know who we’re up against.And goddess knows I can’t help you.”
Quinn did know.Trenton was former military and could shoot the wings off a fly at a thousand yards in the right conditions with the right equipment, but this wasn’t a stationary target.This wasn’t a known enemy in a secluded area with his army buddies watching his six.
“And you think one of Sutton’s Hounds will be able to help?”
Trenton ran a hand over his gray hair.Her father was normally put together.Always clean-shaven.His clothes pressed and unwrinkled.His hair kept military short.He was none of that now.It was one thing for Quinn to lose sleep, but her father couldn’t afford to go many nights without rest.Not with his heart condition.Her situation wasn’t doing him any favors.
“Yes.We discussed the situation at length, and he’s sending Kyllian.”
Quinn mentally ran through what she knew of Sutton’s second-youngest son.Age thirty-two.Six-foot three.Dark hair and eyes.A shit-ton of ink.
“When you say at length?”
Trenton’s grey eyes bore into her blue ones.“Yes, I told him everything.I had to.”
“And he believed you?”Quinn was stunned.The truth was something they’d kept hidden for years.It was why they had moved from New Mexico to Upstate New York.It was why Trenton started the mercenary company in the first place.
“Let’s just say he’s seen things in his life that allow him to believe the unbelievable.”
What the hell did that mean?Seen what things?Before Quinn could ask, the motion detector from the gate beeped.Quinn studied the biker on the camera.It was March, which meant the temperature outside was a balmy twelve degrees, yet Kyllian Lazlo wore a leather jacket over a T-shirt.He had on fingerless riding gloves.How the hell was he not cold?
“I’ll go meet him,” Trenton said.Quinn was fine with that.It gave her a few minutes to slip into the half-bath and make sure she was presentable.Before her father reached the door, he looked back.“Sutton didn’t share what I told him with Kyllian.”Quinn nodded.She didn’t know if that was good or not.The man needed to know what he was up against.Whattheywere up against.
When Quinn returned from the small bathroom located next to her office, she checked the monitor.Her father and Kyllian were no longer at the gate.The sound of a large motorcycle rumbled up the long driveway.Quinn’s office had once been the parlor in the large house she and Trenton resided in.They didn’t need a formal office somewhere in the city.Not for what they did.The mercenary business was conducted online for the most part.Trenton met with any assassin they hired after Quinn vetted them through the internet.Then she contacted them through encrypted messages via secure phones she mailed to the assassins.
Ryker Lazlo was the only employee she’d ever met face-to-face, and that only happened since Trenton and Sutton went way back.She had sensed something “other” about the male, and when she mentioned it to her father, he wouldn’t tell her anything.Quinn walked through the foyer to greet Kyllian.If they were going to be in close contact for any length of time, maybe she would figure out what that “other” was.