Willow takes a deep breath. “You’re right.”
I cup her face in my hands and kiss her sweetly. “I love you, Willow. I’m doing this for us.”
“I love you, too,” she murmurs, her eyelids already drifting close. My poor wife is in desperate need of sleep.
It’s a struggle to will myself away, but I eventually manage. I pause at the doorway, committing everything about her to memory. Willow is the fuel to my determination. I’ve already decided there can only be one outcome: victory. Death isn’t even an option. I will make it back, and I will put an end to Esteban and Arturo once and for all—for her, for our children.
I’d kill them a thousand times over if it means keeping my loved ones safe, but as confident as I am, I can’t do this alone. I’m going to need backup, a team I trust with my life.
And there are only two people in the entire world who come to mind.
Once I find myself downstairs in the quiet of the unused kitchen, I make a phone call. I add Knox to the line before dialing Heath’s number. Both my brothers answer in record time.
“Where the hell are you?” Knox snaps.
“Yo, nice tan, dude!” Heath says with a chuckle.
“I need you both to listen to me very carefully,” I reply, getting straight to business. “There’s too much to explain right now, but I need manpower. It’s a one-off contract hit. Are you in or out?”
I can’t see my youngest brother’s expression, but I’ve known him long enough to know he’s probably frowning like someone’s pissed on his shoes. “I think the fuck not,” is his short, clipped answer.
“How much is the pay?” Heath asks. Not that I can blame him for it since it’s a perfectly valid question.
“Five million,” I answer. “Each.”
The silence over the line is deafening.
“Are you having a stroke or something?” Knox asks, sounding genuinely flabbergasted. “We’re not mercenaries, Zane.”
“Who’s the target?” Heath asks. I knew going into this that he’d be the easiest to convince.
“Arturo Allegra and Esteban Becerra.”
“Ah, right. The dickhead with the boner for his swimming pool. I’m a huge fan,” Heath says dryly.
“This is crazy, Zane,” Knox argues.
“They’re already wanted by the FBI and Interpol,” I shoot back.
“Yes, but they’re probably wanted alive.”
“True, but think of it this way: there’d be two less predators in the world. I’m sure nobody’s going to decry us for defending ourselves.”
“Defending ourselves,” Knox scoffs. “Is that how we’re spinning it?”
“Look. There’s no need to over-complicate this. At the end of the day, you both get paid and never have to work another day in your life, the world is rid of two evil bastards, and Willow and the babies will be safe.”
“Babies?” Heath asks. “What babies?”
“Oh. I should have led with that. Willow’s pregnant. You’re going to be uncles again.”
Knox groans. “What was that about not making this over-complicated?”
“I need your support on this,” I say quickly. “I’ll do this myself if I have to, but it’ll go a lot quicker if I have my brothers beside me. You’re under no obligation to agree, just know that one way or another, I need those men dead.”
“You can count me in,” Heath says without hesitation. “It beats the stuffy office job Darlene wants me to take. She’s hated the idea of a security firm since we first brought it up.”
“Knox?” I prompt.