“If the comments bother you, then stop sleeping with those rich, spoiled little heiresses with too much money and too little brains,” Natches snorted.
“Really?” Graham grunted at the comment. “Are we going to go there, Natches?”
The other man looked up and the calculated menace in his gaze had an answering expression that tightened Graham’s own expression.
“Enough,” Rowdy warned them both.
“Angel has been in the apartm
ent next to Lyrica’s since we accepted the contract,” Tracker informed them then. “She’s also been shadowing her wherever she goes when she leaves the apartment. And I should tell you all, she just left again.” He glanced at the watch he was wearing. “That woman doesn’t sleep a lot, does she?” He glanced at Graham as he made the comment.
Graham gave him a level stare in return until the other man gave another of those crooked, mocking little grins.
“Angel couldn’t have been shadowing her or I would have known about it,” Dawg stated, his voice hard as one finger tapped soundlessly against his open file. “I’ve had someone following her since she moved back to her apartment . . .”
Tracker stared back at him knowingly. “Jim Bailey. A hell of an investigator and bodyguard, but he has nothing on Angel. Hell, she even rode with him a few nights after convincing him he was the best thing since sliced bread. He’s not taking the job seriously and spends more time on his cell phone than he does watching for tails. His belief is that only a fool would go after a Mackay and risk their wrath.”
“Fucker!” Natches breathed out, fury lending a dark roughness to his tone that had his cousins flinching. “I’ll take care of him.”
“Leave him in place,” Tracker suggested. “Whoever the contract’s backer may have in place to follow Lyrica won’t be watching for anyone else, though Angel hasn’t detected anyone yet. When this is over, discuss your bill with him maybe. Until then, use him.”
That was what he would have done, Graham admitted.
“What information is coming to you from your backer?” Timothy asked.
“It’s in the back of the file,” Tracker informed him. “I convinced him I had to complete another job after my first attempt on Lyrica fell through. As far as he knows, I’m not due back for another week. I had hoped my time here would reveal the backer’s identity, but that hasn’t happened yet. That’s why I came to Timothy. I have two weeks after my supposed return to complete the job and give this man Lyrica’s lifeless body. If I don’t, he’ll find another team. If that happens, there won’t be a warning. She’ll just be dead.”
Like hell.
Graham could feel his fury burning chaotically. He wouldn’t allow all the vibrant, sensual energy that filled her to be silenced. She was too much a part of his life, too important to him to allow her to be threatened.
He closed the file slowly.
“Contact Angel,” he growled. “I want to know where the hell she’s headed.”
Tracker arched his brow at the demand. “She’ll contact me when Lyrica stops.”
“What role do you intend to play in this, Tracker?” Graham hoped like hell the man didn’t think he was just going to sit back and watch while the rest of them fought to protect her. He’d help, or he’d wish he had.
“Getting involved, Graham?” Tracker asked softly, the question causing Graham to tense. “I didn’t expect that, despite the appearance of interest. She doesn’t appear to be a ‘flavor’ to me.” His gaze flicked to Dawg.
The smile he gave the other man was hard and filled with warning. “And it’s not exactly any of your business,” Graham assured him softly.
Tracker grinned at that. “I don’t know, she’s pretty as a little speckled pup. I might want to take her home with me.”
The comment drew a reaction, despite Graham’s best intentions.
The conversation between him and Sam where Graham had identified Lyrica as a pup popped into his mind. The knowing look on Tracker’s face assured him that was the intent. There was no way in hell the other man had tapped his phone or bugged his house, and that left only one other person he could have compromised.
Sam Bryce.
“I’ll take care of that one, Tracker,” he promised the other man, knowing the mercenary would be well aware that Graham knew how he’d managed to come by the information.
“I’m sure you will,” Tracker answered softly. “But be certain you know the means by which it was acquired before you destroy a friendship, Graham. I’d hate to put you on the dark side of the acquaintance list. Know what I mean?”
“I don’t,” Dawg snapped, obviously tired of the oblique conversation. “Want to clue us the fuck in or shut the hell up?”
Tracker’s grin was one Graham had seen on the Mackays’ lips more than once. Equal amounts of mocking amusement and irritation.