He studied me.
“Tell me something,” he replied. “How do you feel when you think about her in danger?”
My fists curled of their own accord. “I want to rage and burn down the city to find whatever it is that is putting her in that situation. I can’t stand the thought of her upset or hurt. Of being alone and vulnerable. It makes me crazy.”
He sat back, a smile playing on his lips. He shared an amused glance with Matteo and Julian.
“Sound familiar, my friends?”
They all chuckled, and Julian shook his head. “Lightning,” was all he said.
Matteo, who had been fairly quiet the entire time, leaned back with a smile. “Should I draw up plans for another house on the island?”
Egan barked out a hoot of laughter, and I shot him a look. “No thanks, Matteo. I don’t think Raven is an island type girl.” I paused. “I mean, I have no idea what our future holds. That is, we haven’t talked…” I trailed off, realizing I had nothing.
They all laughed, finding my bumbling answers amusing.
“Let me know,” he said. “You can always use the guesthouse and come for a break. She’d certainly be safe here.”
Marcus glanced at Egan. “How’s Sofia?” he asked with a wide smile.
Egan’s face fell. “With all due respect, Marcus, fuck off.”
“Still resisting your charms, is she?”
Egan scowled, then sat back, nonchalantly rolling up his sleeves. “Victory will be all that much sweeter.”
Everyone, including me, laughed.
“You could put in a good word for me,” Egan said to Marcus. “She trusts your opinion. You chat me up.”
I smacked his leg. “Wrong expression. You want to chat her up. You want Marcus to talk you up.”
He rolled his eyes and flicked his hand. “Your language kills me. Even after all these years. Talk—chat. What is difference?”
Marcus smirked. “The difference is how riled up you get, which makes you sound as if you just got off the boat.”
Egan huffed and Marcus chuckled. “I’ll put in a word next time we talk.”
Then he focused on me. “You take care of your lady. We’ll make some calls, and you keep digging. We’ll find him. Eliminate the threat, and you can move on to the good stuff.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
I signed off and sighed, grateful for friends in high places. I would call in any favor I needed to in order to help Raven.
In the meantime, I’d been gone a while, and I needed to get back to her.