24
1764 Words
Sitting up in bed, Lukas gave his brother a dark look. Beside him, their father was holding in his laughter at Markus’ words as he told Lukas how the day went. Finding out his best friend had been attacked twice in one day pissed off the sixteen-year-old to no end.
He reached for his phone, but Markus grabbed it first. “He’s fine. I’m fine. You just rest up and let me take care of everything. Besides, the boss is involved now.”
Glaring at his brother, the younger huffed. Crossing his arms, he pouted. “I’m bored!”
Trace snickered, losing his ability to hold in his laughter as he watched the teen in bed. Shaking his head, he moved into the room to stop his youngest son from going after his brother. “Bored or not, orders are orders, and you are not to break them. Period. Now, Markus, how was your appointment?”
“It was good. I got a few things figured out, and I feel better today,” Markus replied.
Raising a brow at his oldest, he licked his lips slowly. Scowling, he asked, “What does that mean?”
“Do you know how hard it is to grow up in a household where my father and brother are basically socially awkward?” Markus retorted. Grinning, he ran a hand through his hair. “To tell the truth, I felt guilty about not being able to hold myself to the promise to protect Jaxon. At the therapist, I realized that I was holding myself to a standard that was clearly unattainable.”
Relaxing, Trace sighed. Suddenly, his phone blasted out the ringtone for Thomas. Putting the phone to his ear as soon as he answered, he said, “Yeah?”
“Meeting in the office A.S.A.P. s**t went sideways with Jaxon today, and Boss wants something done about it before Dave decides to go rogue,” Thomas told him. As usual, the other man got straight to the point.
“On it,” hanging up, Trace looked at his boys. “Mark, you’re nineteen in two weeks, so act your age. Luke, stop tripping over non-existent threats and stop goading your brother into fighting you. You have three assignments coming up, so occupy yourself with that. Markus, Memphis was by earlier looking for you, so go give your best friend a call.”
Leaving the apartment, he hurried to the Don’s office where the others were already waiting. Closing the door behind him, he greeted his friends as he sat in his usual chair between David and Declan at the round table. Catching the folder that was slid toward him, he opened it to the first page, his eyes going wide as he read over the information. Looking up at Callum, he calmly voiced his opinion.
David huffed, “My boy was lucky today. His man and one of his classmates interfered, saving him from being mutilated by that psycho.”
“Thomas?” Callum called, looking at the other man.
Slouching, Thomas shook his head. “We got to take this guy out, but I’m concerned about the family. His father is a professor, his mother is an enabler, and his half-sister is under the radar. So far under the radar, that I can’t find any information on her at all.”
“Erika’s in my good books,” someone said.
They turned to the door, their eyes locking onto the Korean teen leaning against the frame. Callum scowled, his eyes narrowing as he looked the boy over. “You’ve got nerve interrupting a meeting.”
“Do I? Sorry, I assumed it would be okay seeing as it’s got to do with me,” Jaxon countered. He didn’t even flinch as one of the guards pointed a firearm at him. Instead, he disarmed the man, removing the mag and the chamber bullet in a sequence of fluid movements. “Dad?”
“Damn it, Jax,” David hissed. “Cal, your call.”
Appreciating the smoothness of the teen's new abilities, the Don nodded, “Let him sit in on this. Who’s been teaching you to do stuff like that?”
“Russell’s been helping me get better, stronger, and faster. I’m not as scared as I used to be, and I don’t feel as anxious as I did before.” Dropping to the seat next to his father, the teen pulled the folder over to him.
The room was silent for a few minutes before Callum signalled to Jaxon. Taking his cue from the older man, the teen nodded once. Reading over the information, he smirked. “As I said, Erika is nice to me and Luke. We’re in most of the same classes, and she’s in our study group. Jonah’s inability to take no for an answer is what worries me.”
Watching the teen, the five men were amused at his staunch professionalism. Laughing, Declan shook his head. “How’s training going?”
“Sorry, Diablo, but I’d prefer to stay on track with this. We can talk about other stuff later,” Jaxon countered. Shoving his phone across the table toward Trace, he told him to check the pictures of Erika on his phone to add them to the dossier. Once that was done, he filled in the blanks under Jonah’s profile, then did the same with the professor’s.
Clearing his throat, Callum smirked. The blond waves of his hair shimmered under the lights of the office as he shook them out. “I’m impressed. Trace, you did well with their training. Jaxon, I want you in on this mission. Are you up for it?”
Before David was able to deny the request, Jaxon nodded. Patting his father’s arm, the boy smiled. “I got this, Dad. I can at least help lure him into breaking his character, but I can guarantee that he’s going to come after me.”
“We have fail-safes for that s**t, Jax. Trace, sit on your boys so that Mark doesn’t go off the deep end. Thomas, how’s my favorite walking disaster?” Callum asked, addressing the rest of the team.
Thomas scowled, “Leave my daughter alone, man. She’s got my house, son, and grandson under wraps, and I don’t have to worry about a f*****g thing anymore. Money-wise, she’s set for life and shared her wealth with me to get my ass out of the red. While she was in the hospital, Memphis dipped into the money and fixed up the clubhouse.”
Trace laughed, “Walking disaster my foot. She’s always on top of the team. A’ite, I’m heading up to sit on my boys.”
Glancing at the remaining two men, the Don pursed his lips. Scowling, he grabbed his phone. As he typed the number, he said, “David, you and Declan go get a team put together and make sure Jaxon knows what to expect.”
Watching Declan leave with Jaxon, David scowled at Callum. Humoured, Callum said, “I’m going to overlook this little… disturbance. He gave valuable insider intelligence, and seemed willing and able to hold his own. I’ll watch out for him, David. Just like you always watched out for my family.”
“It worries me that he’s losing his trepidation. I wanted him broken and rebuilt, but Russell went above and beyond to make it happen. He needs to be reminded of his place, however,” David groused.
“Agreed, but let’s wait a while. He’s still a child, so I want to see how he is once he’s legal age,” Callum replied.
“I don’t suppose you’d let me back out quietly, would you?” David asked with a knowing smirk.
Snorting a laugh, Callum shook his head, “Not a chance, man. I’m too used to having your loyalty at my back for me to just let you go. Besides, the tables have turned. I’m guarding your family as you guarded mine for over twenty years.”
Throwing his hands up as he turned to face the Queen of their mob, David let out a frustrated growl. “Your father would have had no problem letting me go, you know.”
“I’m not my father, Dave. I want the next generation ready at a moment's notice, and you are one of the few people I know that can make it happen without crossing invisible boundaries. Am, what’s wrong?” Callum stated, turning his brown orbs to his wife of twelve years.
Crossing her arms, she asked, “Is NBS an option?”
“That, unfortunately, remains to be seen. At this point, the mission is No Blood Shed, but that could very easily change with the drop of a hat. I just hope that Jaxon’s trust in this girl, Erika, isn’t misplaced,” he told her.
David huffed out another breath when he saw his pissed-off son-in-law standing in the doorway of the office. His dark brown hair looked like it had been clawed through, and he appeared to be antsy about something. Raising a brow, he asked, “Sky?”
“On lockdown,” Russell replied. “She heard what happened to her brother, and she. Is. Pissed. So much so that she’s called Kenni about it, so I figured I would give you guys a heads-up that she’s heading over. Jax told me he’s going on a mission with you to invade the Cranston homestead and advised me not to tell his sister. Not that it would matter. She’ll find out soon enough.”
Callum scowled. “When did you start teaching Jax about disarming an enemy?”
“A week ago. He’s only done it twice. Didn’t get it right either time, though,” Russell stated.
Nodding, David eyed his long-time friend and boss. “He didn’t think earlier. His mind was on getting to us to lay out his thoughts on the issue, so he didn’t think. He only reacted. Russell, that’s how you can sharpen his skills a bit more. Put him in situations where he’s got no choice but to react first and think later.”
Eyes wide, Russell stared at his father-in-law. “I’m asking in front of my sister and her man, but are you absolutely certain that’s what you want me to do?”
“And in front of them, I’m telling you to f*****g do it or else. I said I wanted him broken and rebuilt, didn’t I? You’ve done great so far, so keep it coming,” David snapped.
- Writer
