“Breaking in.” He leaned against the wall and studied me. His brown eyes looked fathomless in the dark. “You don’t mind, do you?”
I shook my head. “But it’s on the second floor.”
He shrugged.
“Okay…”
We’d been standing there for less than ten minutes when I heard the sound of the lock disengaging from inside my apartment. A second later, the door swung open.
“Easy peasy,” Nolan said, opening the door wider.
“Did you break my window?” I asked, crossing my tiny living room to investigate the old single-paned window.
“Not necessary,” Rafe said. “Your windows suck.”
“Gee, thanks.”
I walked to the end table next to the sofa and turned on the lamp. Warm light washed over the room and I exhaled my relief when I realized everything looked the same as when I’d left for my shift at the Dive the night before.
“Anything look out of place?” Jude asked.
I walked around the room, then continued into the kitchen. “I don’t think so. I’ll check the bedroom.”
“Not yet you won’t,” Rafe said. “Let’s clear this place.”
Nolan reached under his jacket and removed a gun.
“Whoa whoa whoa… you have agun?” I looked from him to Rafe and Jude and saw that they all had guns. “Youallhave guns?”
“I mean, it’s not like we can’t take care of business without them.” Nolan grinned. “And they sure make taking care of business easier.”
"And more fun,” Jude said. “Don’t forget that part.”
“Stack up,” Rafe said. “We’re wasting time.”
They moved down the hall toward the bedroom in a single-file line, Rafe at the front, Jude and Nolan behind him. They moved silently and quickly, their movements practiced, like dancers who’d performed this particular routine countless times.
I stood in the living room with my arms folded over my chest like I was cold even though Nolan had given me a big down parka to wear home. Twenty-four hours ago I’d been behind the bar at the Dive, counting the hours until my shift was over so I could go home and grab a few hours of sleep before my morning shift at Mountaintop. Now I was standing in my living room after barely surviving a chase through the woods while three Navy SEALs searched the place for intruders, one of which could very possibly be Vic, my boss at said bar.
The whole thing gave me a case of psychological vertigo.
The Bastards returned a few minutes later, looking menacing as they stalked back into the living room. Nolan and Jude stuffed their weapons into holsters I hadn’t noticed under their jackets but Rafe was still carrying his, which wasn’t entirely surprising. They all had big-dick energy, but Rafe was definitely the biggest dick.
My face heated with the thought and I found myself absurdly tempted to look at the bulge between his thighs. I had to force myself to look at his face when he spoke, like I was some kind of hormonal teenager.
“Apartment’s clear,” Rafe said. “You sure nothing’s out of place?”
I knew what he was thinking: it was weird no one had been here yet. I’d left my bag in the back office at the Dive. It would have been easy for Vic to get into my place.
“The storm might have kept them in last night,” Jude said.
Nolan looked around the apartment, his face creased with concern. I cringed under the weight of his assessment — my place was a total hovel compared to their house in the mountains — but when he returned his gaze to my face I thought I saw genuine worry in his eyes.
“I’m thinking you should stay with us for a while.”
“What?” I said at the same time Rafe said, “No.”
I couldn’t have been more surprised if Nolan had suggested I fuck them all right there.