She nods right as my phone rings, exactly the same time as Tice knocks, his bulky frame filling the window beside the front door. “Will you let Tice in, sweetheart? That’s my sister’s ringtone.”
Popping up on her tiptoes, Eagle kisses my cheek. “On it, boss.”
Jesus. Boss?
I shove my cock down as she skips off to the door and I hit Accept on my phone screen.
“Kane,” my sister rushes out. “I’ve got a problem.”
A switch flips in my head, activating High Alert Mode.
Tice follows Eagle into my kitchen, instantly tuning into my concerned expression.
“What’s up, B?”
She makes a sound—a lot like a sniffle. “Someone broke into my house.”
Clenching the countertop hard enough to break it, I roar, “BROKE into your house?”
Tice takes the phone from my hand, hitting the speaker icon. “Hi, I’m Tice, a former SEAL like your brother. He’s occupied right now, looking like his blood vessels are going to pop, so why don’t you tell me if you’re safe right now and exactly what happened.”
“I’m safe, I’m in a coffee shop right now,” she sniffs again. “But I’m a mess. When I woke up this morning someone had been in my house.”
Holy fuck. Anger whips along my spine. My entire field of vision crackles, hazing over. “You were asleep when they got in?”
“Yeah, and now… I’m not sure what they took or if I can stay here by myself.”
Tice is already moving toward the front door, his voice deep, assertive. “Give me the address where you are, baby girl. I’m on the way. I’ll protect you.”
Eagle shoves me into motion with a small hand on my back. “Does he know her?”
“No. But I don’t like the way he called her baby girl.”
She smiles up at me as she tugs me out the front door. “I’m not smiling about what happened to your sister. That’s just scary. But I know you’ll keep her safe and get to the bottom of it. But… this thing with Tice should be interesting.”
EPILOGUE
Kane
Three Years Later
The ache behind the tattoo on my chest is permanent now. It has different flavors, but it’s always there. Today it’s pride.
Wrapping Eagle in my arms, I smudge her lip gloss with a deep kiss. “Proud of you, baby.”
She fans her face. “Kane Matthews, you can’t be kissing me like that when I have to speak in front of the public.”
I drag my thumb across her lower lip, stealing the rest of the shimmery gloss—I’m probably wearing it now too. “You’re going to do great. Just like you do at everything.”
She’s glowing. “You make my ego gigantic, honey.”
“That’s my job.”
She takes another kiss and pulls out of my arms. “Now don’t look at me like you’re undressing me while I’m up there in front of everyone.”
“Impossible.”
She ducks out of the way before I can whisper something filthy in her ear, laughing as she joins Bethany.
