"Not cool, guys," he told us with a scowl. "Where was my party invitation?"
I grinned and shrugged. "Pretty sure I left it in the shower. Wanna help me and Max find it in there?"
Kody's lips parted as his gaze heated to scorching, but he let out a long breath and shook his head. "So fucking tempting, you have no idea. But we just got a tip on some intel about Kruger."
I sat up in shock. "What? We did? What was it?"
Kody grinned. "I have no idea, so get dressed and we can find out. Food should be here in fifteen, too, so hurry the hell up."
I did as I was told, racing through my shower and grabbing fresh clothes out of the overnight bag Archer had stashed in the car for me yesterday.
When I emerged to the living room of our suite, the room service was just arriving. Apparently, the events of our wedding day hadn't eased anyone's paranoia, because I spotted no less than seven unconcealed weapons out while the tense maid pushed her cart in.
Kody signed the bill, and she hurried out of the room like her tail was on fire. Only after the door closed firmly did everyone relax somewhat.
"Okay, if we're all this on edge, how do we know our food hasn't been poisoned?" I planted my hands on my hips and frowned at the food cart.
Kody lifted all the lids from our plates and shrugged. "We don't, but I'm fucking starving." He grabbed one of my waffles and took a bite before I could yell a protest.
"Kody!" I darted over and slapped my breakfast out of his fingers.
He just swallowed his mouthful and grinned. "Tasty waffles. The rat poison seasoning gives them a real kick."
I rolled my eyes, grabbed my plate, and carried it over to the dining table. "Ha-ha, asshole. That'd be hilarious if we'd actually been poisoned. So, what's the news about Kruger?" I posed my question to Archer, guessing that he'd been the one to receive it.
With a one-shouldered shrug, he took the seat beside me and hooked one of my legs over his knee. "Don't know yet. Cass left me a rather cryptic message and said he'd call back again shortly.
I frowned and took a small nibble of my waffles. They tasted okay... I guessed. But now that the idea of poison was in my head, I was going to be imagining it in everything.
"That's annoying." I frowned thoughtfully. Why would Cass leave a vague-as-fuck message like that, then say he'd call back. Like it wasn't safe for us to call him.
"Right?" Kody agreed. "More annoying that Arch missed the call in the first place because he was busy waking you guys up." He wiggled his brows suggestively, knowing full well we'd had a quick fuck before breakfast.
"I've got Sampson and James looking around," Archer told us. His hand rested comfortably on my knee that he'd hooked over his. "One of them will get back to us soon, I'm sure."
Steele nodded his agreement as he ate his bacon and eggs. "It's a fucking shame Danny and Leon had another job to get to; they were useful as hell."
"Tell me about it," Kody agreed, then smirked. "You reckon those two are hitting it?"
Archer rolled his eyes and sighed. "Who cares? They're mercenaries, basically one step away from being actual demons, given how black their souls must be right now."
My brows shot up. "Uh, sorry, is that a judgment I hear? Hypocrisy, thy name is—"
"I wasn't judging, Kate," he growled, cutting me off, "just questioning whether any mercs have enough humanity left for relationships. Also pointing out that it doesn't matter if Danny and Leon fuck like bunnies, it'd never interfere with their job. Mercs aren't hired onto their company easily, and getting fired for underperforming is a hell of a lot more permanent than any other job."
I took that information on with curiosity, but before we could gossip any more, Archer's phone rang.
"James," he snapped on answering the call, "what did you find?"
He switched the call to speakerphone and placed his device down on the table for all of us to hear.
"Boss," James replied, "you were right. Kruger is in Shadow Grove, arrived two days ago via private jet under a fake name and ID. Brought a small army of guys with him, but by my guess he’s missing around a dozen of them after yesterday."
My lips parted in shock. That explained where some of the additional attackers had come from during the wedding. But what the hell did he hope to achieve by being here personally?
"Do you have a location on him?" Archer asked in tight, clipped tones.
His phone pinged with an incoming message as James replied, "Just sent you the address. He's staying in a private home up the coast a way. Based on satellite imaging, he's got around twenty-odd guards around the house. He's one paranoid motherfucker, that's for sure. I'd need to get a better look from the ground to get a clearer picture, though."
Archer seemed annoyed by that, scrubbing a hand over his long stubble.
"Sampson and his guys all there at the house with you?" Steele asked in the silence.
"Sure are," James replied, all business. "Except for Ryan and Adamson on your detail right now. Want us to meet you at Kruger’s location?"
The three guys exchanged a series of meaningful looks, too fast for me to follow.
"Yes," Kody answered. "We'll give you an ETA when we're on the road."
"Got it," James replied. "And Madison Kate?" There was an edge of hesitancy in his voice as he asked about me. Because he was worried? Or... something else?
"Safe," Archer replied. "We'll be in touch shortly." He ended the call without waiting for a reply, then dropped his hand back to my knee. His fingers bit into my skin, but I didn't protest. I knew he was working through his base instinct to be a dick about this change of events.
Just for something new, I thought I could make it easier on everyone. "I don't need to tag along," I told them. "You can leave me here with Ryan and Adamson."
All three of them looked at me like I'd just grown two heads.
"Babe," Kody said on a laugh, "are you feeling okay? That sounded way too reasonable for this time of the morning."
I flipped him off. "Funny, prick. I'm serious; this job sounds like it's way over my pay grade. If I stamp my feet and insist on coming with you, then, for one thing, you'll all be so preoccupied with my safety, you'll likely get shot... again."
Archer scowled at Steele, who just grinned.
"And for another thing," I continued, "this could well be a trap to get to me. Kruger doesn't strike me as the careless sort, considering how many other deaths he has arranged to get his hands on my family estate. He's not likely to bungle it now when I'm the only person who could take it away from him."
"So, what if the trap is to lure us away from you?" Kody countered, looking thoughtful. "Lay a false trail that he knows we will follow, then snatch you away from us here. I don't trust Ryan and Adamson enough to keep you safe, if that's the plan."
I shrugged. "Okay, so what other options do we have? Ignore the tip and live in fear of Kruger forever?"
"Or we can split up," Steele pondered aloud. "Two of us follow up on the tip, and one of us stays here to protect you along with the detail."