Chapter 5
Malik
"This place is hell-a fancy," Fio said. She surveyed the log cabin that was set up like a high-end Fort Knox. "Oh snap, look at all these computers. This is primo stuff. Some of it I don't think is even out on the market yet." She ran over to the machines set up along one wall, her face lighting up like a kid on Christmas morning.
"Don't touch any of it, Fio. My brother is kind of a nut when it comes to his
fancy gadgets."
Fio whistled as she took it all in, "With equipment like this, I don't blame him."
Trudy took it all in quietly.
"There are three bedrooms. But I'm gonna be on the couch. It's the first place I can see any intruders, so feel free to take whichever ones you like. Just say out of Rafa's room, it's the one at the end of the hall."
"What's in his room," Fio asked, her eyes going wide.
"Kiddo, I'm not joking, my brother might seem like a nice guy, but he is really territorial. He doesn't like anyone touching his things. You can thank our fucked-up childhood for that one. Just stay the fuck away from him and his equipment."
Fio shrugged and marched off in search of a bedroom for herself.
Trudy turned to me. A smile formed on her pretty pink lips. "I'm guessing you don't socialize with women very much. You know telling a young girl to stay away from a guy is usually a sure-fire way of making sure that she doesn't."
"You’re the expert on kids. She can choose to listen or not, but when he loses his shit, I want neither one of you to come crawling to me."
I sure as fuck hoped she'd listen. Rafa was a bit of an ogre. The only people he was ever actually civil to were me and our older brother Maverick. There was no way in hell he'd be okay with some chick he barely knew in his room, touching his stuff. I didn't want to give my brother a beat down for not being able to share his toys.
Right then, the back door opened, and in walked Rafa. “What the fuck are you doing here?" I asked, giving him a wide-open hug.
"Gabe was busy with Sophie, and I figured I could catch up on some work, so I came home. Miss me? You fuckin' speed the whole way here or what? Anyone follow you?"
"You think I'm a fuckin' newb? Of course I made sure no one trailed us."
"You gonna introduce me to my unwanted house guests or what?"
"Rafa, this is Fio and Trudy."
"Just don't touch my shit, and we should all be fine," Rafa said, glaring at Fio.
She threw her hands in the air as she looked at him, dead in the eyes, almost challenging him, "No one touched your shit, man. Relax!"
I burst out laughing. I really liked Fio’s fearlessness. "She's a pit bull, and she has the chops to back it up," I told Rafa.
"Is she now?" Rafa said, tilting his head as a slow smile formed on his lips. A smile I recognized well. A smile that could only bring trouble. I turned toward Fio and saw something flash in her eyes before it went away. Fear, intrigue, recognition? I wasn't sure which.
All I knew is that if Rafa piqued her interest, she was already playing with all kinds of fire. Out of the three Connors brothers, he was probably the most lethal. He controlled his monster better, but it was still there lurking just under those still waters.
"Down, boy," I said, putting my hand on his shoulder. "Ladies, why don't you freshen up while I have a chat with my brother."
"We don't have any clothes, remember?" Fio said. I watched as Trudy put her hand gently on the girl's arm as a warning.
"I already picked up everything you'd need. It's in the spare bedrooms," Rafa said, his eyes boring into Fio's. Sizes are wrong, blame Malik’s bad eyes, not me."
"Come on, Fio, let's go," Trudy said, pulling her away and leaving me alone with my brother. Trudy was poised, she was gentle but insistent with Fio and her expertise showed in every interaction.
"Don't fuck with her, Rafa," I warned as soon as they were out of earshot.
"I don't fuck with any girls," Rafa said before walking to the fridge. "But tell me that’s not fucking Tatum O’Geary?” He took out two beers and handed me one.
"Sure as fuck is, but lay the hell off her," I warned as I opened the beer and took a swig.
"You forgot I don’t trust women as a whole. It’s nothing personal. That girl is a world-famous hacker and she’s sleeping in our spare bedroom. Holy shit," he said, shaking his head.
I groaned as I looked at him. I didn't understand how, out of the three of us, he was the most fucked up. Gabe and I had worked so hard to make sure he was shielded from it all. Gabe even tried to put Rafa in therapy at one point to work out his shit, but that didn't really end too well. So, when he decided to move to the middle of nowhere and live like a recluse, we figured it was a good move. "Just don't fuck with my shit, Rafa. I’m on a job."