He frowned. “A case? I thought you were out.”
Egan still worked with Hidden Justice but only took on the role as needed. He owned a gym that was highly successful. He also had a studio since his talent extended into paintings as well. I owned two of them, the detailed canvases eye-catching and stunning. He lived on the second floor, as did Sofia, my cousin, and two other former agents. I now lived in Marcus’s old place. Our headquarters had been divided into apartments, the space unrecognizable. None of us wanted any reminders of what had happened the day Marcus and Missy had rid the world of a sick bastard who was after her. Marcus shut down the office, and once he left, we remodeled.
He narrowed his eyes. “The Watcher has a special interest?”
I smirked at his nickname. Because of my computer work and the security firm, I had earned the name the Watcher. All the guys used it, and I didn’t mind it. It suited me as I was ever watchful of the programs and my clients.
“This is personal.”
I told him about Raven and meeting her last night. He shook his head, fury etched on his face.
“Scum. I hate the ones that prey on women.”
“I can’t find him. I think he’s using a fake name. Andrew Smith—thousands of them in the world. I thought if I had a picture, I could use one of my contacts to run it through some databases.”
“Good idea.” He leaned forward, grabbing the pad and choosing a pencil. He opened the pad, balancing it on his knee. “Describe him.”
For the next while, I spoke, recalling everything I could about Andy. Egan would show me the sketch, and I would have him change a shape, add a mark, darken a shadow. Finally, he handed it to me. “Yah?”
I nodded, looking it over. “That’s him.”
Andy’s face stared back at me. Decent-looking guy, slim, shaggy hair, regular features. But it was his eyes. Egan had somehow captured the slightly crazed, unstable gaze of undisguised hatred in his eyes. The pinch between his eyebrows that suggested barely concealed rage. I felt the same unease looking at the sketch as I had when we were face-to-face.
“I worry what he’d do if he got his hands on her. Or any other woman he becomes obsessed with. I don’t think he’s stable.”
“You hack into their system?”
I scrubbed my face. “Yeah. Got nothing. Fucking frustrating. I need to dig deeper. I want to search his email addresses and his provider. Find out his real name—where he lives. I haven’t been able to break the payment part to get his credit card info. Then, I could find him easily, but that is a third-party provider, and their firewalls were far more encrypted.”
“I can help.”
“Not on assignment?”
He shook his head. “No. Nothing to blow up. New bosses have other ideas.” He shook his head sadly. “Marcus was far more fun.”
I laughed. “I’m sure your other skills come in handy.”
He pursed his lips and shrugged. “At times.”
I studied him for a moment. “How’s Sofia?” I asked with a small grin. Egan was crazy about her. She never seemed to notice, or if she did, she ignored it.
“Infuriating,” he replied, confirming that he’d gotten nowhere with her.
“You know she likes to maintain a professional distance due to Hidden Justice.”
He shook his head, rolling his eyes. “I’m a consultant now. So deep undercover, no one even knows. Not even that scum we took out knew about me or my skills. I run a gym. I pay taxes. I’m perfectly legal,” he said, his accent suddenly thick.
I chuckled. “Have you tried just asking her to dinner?”
“I have tried everything. I am stuck in the friend zone. Permanently.”
“She is stubborn.”
“Stubborn?” He snorted. “She is încăpăţânat.”
I laughed at his obvious ire.
“You are her cousin. You talk to her. Tell her what a great guy I am. I would treat her like a queen. My queen.”
“I’ll drop a word. We’re having dinner next week.”
“Good. All I want is a chance.”
He stood, heading to the front office and returning with the sketch he made. “I took a copy. See if I can find anything. Between us, he can’t hide.”
“Thanks, I appreciate that.”
“You like this girl?” he asked.
I huffed out a long breath. “Yeah, I do. There is something about her.”
“Like Marcus?” he asked. “Julian?”
“Maybe.”
“Then I will make it a priority.”
I stood and shook his hand.
“Send me anything you have on this asshole,” he instructed. “I’ll cast my net.”
“Thanks, Egan.”
“You’ll talk to Sofia, right?”
“I will.” I met his eyes. “And I won’t be lying when I tell her you’re a good guy. But she’s skittish. She saw what happened with all the bosses. Matteo, Marcus, Julian. How their wives became targets. That frightens her.”
“She would be safe. I would make it so. I would give it all up and just be Egan. Stay home and look after bebelusii.”
At my shocked expression, he smiled. “Sofia is a doctor. Very important. She loves what she does. I stay home with the children, and she can keep her career. I want only what is best for her.”
“You might want to back it up a little, Romeo. Get her to have dinner with you before you inform her you have day care planned.”
He laughed. “Good advice.” He was still laughing as he walked out the door.
I shook my head. I had a feeling my cousin didn’t stand a chance.
RAVEN
I checked my ponytail in the mirror in the teacher’s lounge, my nerves fluttering. They had been all day since Damien texted me. While it was true I hadn’t slept much, it wasn’t for the reason he thought. He’d chased Andy away—I knew I was safe in my apartment. Even if Andy returned and got into the building, he couldn’t get into my place. And I had called my principal and she picked me up this morning, so I hadn’t worried about running into him then either. Andy was, in fact, the last thing on my mind.
What, or who, was on my mind was Damien. His reluctance to leave me. The way he took charge of the situation. He didn’t know, but I had watched him confront Andy across the street. I saw the way Damien stealthily approached the building, then dragged him from the doorway. I couldn’t hear them, but the difference in their postures said it all. Damien—tall, commanding, determined. Andy—hunched, hidden, no doubt belligerent. When Damien stepped closer and Andy hurried away, I felt only relief. When Damien had sat in my apartment, for the first time since moving to the city, I didn’t feel as alone as I had. He was calm and collected, yet I felt his wrath at Andy’s behavior.
The way he used my computer, I had no doubt the man had downplayed his skills. His fingers flew over the keyboard, and his concentration was intense. The questions he asked and his subtle way of taking control were sexy and comforting at the same time. The attraction I felt toward him was undeniable, and from the way he had kissed me before leaving, he felt it as well.
And we were having dinner, not because he felt the need to protect me, but because he wanted to. Since I’d gotten his texts, he’d been on my mind all day. I could hardly wait to see him.