No less nervous than moments before, I walk further into the living room and sit down on a chair, letting the bag holding Gio’s items settle by my feet. My mother’s voice plays in my mind. One reckless note can change everything. Is this my reckless note?
I pop to my feet and step to the window, with a stunning view of the Hudson River before me. The entire apartment floats on water, delivering the kind of view any normal person savors, and yet this morning I’ve managed to remain oblivious.
Male voices sound, growing rapidly closer and I whirl around to find myself the single female in a room of combustible testosterone. All three men stand on the opposite side of the couch, lined up for my personal inspection. Kace is, of course, gorgeously male, while Savage is physically imposing. Blake Walker is no slouch either, though. He’s tall, dark, and rather deadly looking, but good looking for sure, his dark hair tied at his nape. “Aria,” he greets. “I’m Blake Walker. I’d like to talk to you alone.”
He’s managed to set my wheels spinning on an axle in about thirty seconds. My gaze jerks to Kace’s in question. “You need to know if you trust him, baby,” he says, “because you trust him, not because I do.”
He’s right. I give a quick nod. Kace closes the space between me and him, his back to the other two men, his hand on my hip, voice low. “I’ll be in the kitchen. If you need me—”
“I know.” It’s a statement of trust. Our near break-up might have rattled us and our personal baggage created our own version of cages, but it also left me solidly planted in his life, perhaps more so than in my own.
“Good,” he says softly, a small smile on his face as he backs away.
He rejoins Savage and Blake on the other side of the couch. “If he pisses you off,” Savage says, “just kick him in the balls. It’s his weak spot.”
“Last I looked, you were my weak spot, Savage,” Blake snipes back.
“Love is a weakness, man, but it’s also a strength,” Savage replies. “It’s okay that you love me. Don’t fear the love.”
He and Kace fade back into the room and Blake shakes his head. “He’s a piece of work but he’s a damn good piece of work. Believe me, you want him on your team.”
“He’s grown on me,” I admit. “I like how stupid and intimidating he is.”
“You definitely got a taste of Savage,” he says, rounding the couch to sit down in the center.
I know he sits to give me the power, but I don’t care about power. I care about trust. I take his cue and claim the chair to his left. “Why are we talking alone?” I ask. “You clearly have a reason. What is it?”
“I won’t talk in circles,” Blake says frankly. “You’re right. I have a reason but before I share that reason, I need you to understand my level of skill that has nothing to do with ego. It has everything to do with what I have to say to you.”
“I’d rather just get to the reason, but I’m listening.”
“I’m a highly sought-after hacker. Governments, private clients, and leaders across the world hire me for those skills. I can find things out easily that others cannot, but I always remind people that if I can find out, there is someone else who can, too.”
My throat goes dry. “You know who I am.”
“Yes. I know who you are.” He leans forward, elbows on his knees, body angled toward mine. “Aria Stradivari.”
I launch myself to my feet, my fingers curling in my palms. He stands as well, but without my urgency. “How?’
“Skill. I am not a danger to you, Aria. I could care two flips about the creation of the Stradivarius instruments. I do, however, care about people. You need help. I want to help.”
“How do I know that I can trust you?”
“For starters, logic. I already know who you are. I’m telling you that upfront. To do otherwise felt like manipulation and dishonesty despite the fact that I knew it would set you on edge before you got to know me.”
“Even if you don’t want my family secrets, who says someone close to you won’t?”
“That’s a fair and valid question. I trust my men, but I still keep a tight team in situations of this caliber and I have had situations of this caliber. The reason I asked to speak to you alone is that I didn’t know if Kace knows.”
“He knows.”
“That certainly makes things less complicated. Do you want me to bring him back in here now to join us?”
I think of the danger to Kace. I think of the ways he’ll protect me, without giving me the chance to protect him. “No,” I say. “No, not yet. Do you know where my brother is?”