“That’s certainly good news. After all, you’re here on a mission, not to attend one of the royal balls.” He stepped around the desk, his eyes looking from one of us to the other. “Introductions are in order. You already know my name,” he said, placing his large hand on his chest. “King Finn Tamm the second. But please, ‘Finn’ is fine. I’m not going to dock points for lack of formality when there’s such an important mission at hand.” He followed up his words by gesturing to the sitting area. “Please.”
Now, this was unlike just about any member of royalty that I’d ever dealt with. Most of them flaunted their titles, throwing little fits if you didn’t address them in the precise, special way that they wanted you to.
“Alright, Finn,” Pyke said, stepping over to one of the couches and plopping onto it. “Let’s get into it.” The rest of us followed suit.
King Finn scooped a silver MacBook off his desk and came over to where we were seated, taking a chair across from the four of us.
“First, introductions,” he said, placing his palms on the top of the computer and leaning forward. “I saw your profiles and am well acquainted with your service records. You wouldn’t be here now if I didn’t find them extremely impressive. All the same, I prefer face-to-face meetings when possible.”
“I’ll introduce the boys,” Ajax said, taking command in the way he often liked to do. He placed his hand on his chest. “I’m Alexander Brown. The tall guy’s Ivan Horvat; the man with the tatted-up arms is Kallen Prince. And big red here’s Hudson Gregoire.”
“Pleased to meet you, Finn,” I said, a small smile on my mouth. “But, ah, you’ll have to forgive Ajax here for sticking tooursorts of formalities.”
“What do you mean?” Finn asked, sitting back, and draping his arm over the back of the chair.
“In this business, we tend to go by nicknames,” Kid explained.
Finn let out anahof understanding. “Then I suppose I should learn those, too.”
I took the plate for this one. “Ivan here goes by Kid. Alexander’s Ajax, Kellan’s Pyke, and I go by Hud.”
“Understood,” Finn said. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you all. I can only hope that your skills will be put to good use on this mission I have in mind for you.”
“Looking forward to hearing about it,” Pyke said. “The briefing was a little skimpy on details.”
“Yes, that was by design. I’ve never done anything like this before, going to, ah, outside sources for aid. Typically, all security matters are handled by my royal guards.”
“Why not this time?” I asked. “What’s different?”
Finn sighed, shaking his head, and leaning forward.
“I think the man behind the threat to my family is someone with means—money to hire the best of the best. While my guards are good, the fact of the matter is that Candara is a peaceful place.”
“Peaceful is good,” Pyke said. “Unless you’re a soldier looking to build combat experience.”
“Precisely. The man I suspect behind this will not hesitate to go to any length to get to my family. So, I told my people to search high and low for the best mercenary team that money can buy. That search led us to the four of you.”
“I like the way you think,” I said. “Hire the best before your enemy has a chance to.”
4
KID
Istood as she entered, giving a quick glance to the rest of the guys to make sure they did the same. Sometimes it seemed like I was the only one of the four of us who knew how to act with any damn manners.
The second I laid eyes on the princess, however, giving the other guys shit for not knowing how to behave was the last thing on my mind.
“My daughter,” Finn said, sweeping his hand toward her. “Princess Victoria Amourand Tamm.”
Victoria stepped into the room like something out of a dream. She was tall—surprisingly so—with curves that took all the restraint I had not to stare at like an idiot. Blonde tresses draped over her slender shoulders, her breasts seemed on the verge of bursting through the peach-colored blouse she wore.
Her eyes were ice blue, narrowed in total skepticism at the four roughnecks in her father’s office. Her lips were full, pursed together in tight anger situated just below her pert nose. Her skin was fair and dusted with a few freckles.
She was, without a damn doubt, the sexiest woman I’d ever seen in my life.
She was alsopissed.
Victoria stepped into the room, crossing her arms in a way that had the accidental effect of pushing out her tits.