“Could you repeat that please?”
He laughed. “You weren’t hearing things.”
“What would a criminal need to do business with Lachlan Industries for?”
“Zak isn’t a criminal. At least not in the way you’re thinking. And to answer your question, he was interested in the prosthetic prototype.”
Finn’s company designed and was in the human testing phase for a brain-controlled prosthetic limb. If it was successful, the prosthetic would make a big difference in the lives of amputees.
“Did he lose a limb in a shootout?”
“Stop being melodramatic. And it wasn’t for him. It was for his assistant. Although I’m almost certain he’s hoping for a different kind of relationship.”
“Oh boy.”
“I don’t have all the details, but from what Lanie told me, the woman, Prudence, was injured when she was taken hostage by another Russian family, who was trying to use her as leverage against Zak. Apparently, the FBI was investigating the same family. That’s how Lanie and Noah met him.”
“You can’t leave me hanging, Finn. There’s obviously more to the story. I need details.”
“I figured you might be intrigued. You can ask Zak when he gets here tomorrow.”
“Why would he be coming here tomorrow?”
I had the feeling I was not going to like his answer.
“Noah called in a marker.”
“Stop speaking gangster.”
“Listen, there were two reasons for my meeting. You know the first, the second was about a protective detail. Duncan didn’t want to take the chance that Niall could try to use one of us to gain the upper hand. They have no idea if he’s working alone or with someone else. So we, meaning you and the kids, Henley, Jade, Jett, and myself, will be here at your house, under the guard of Zak and a few of his men while the team is doing what they do best.”
My head was going to explode. “That’s––I don’t––I can’t.”
“Take a breath, Sloane.”
“You take a breath,” I snapped. “It’s the freaking mob. In my house! You’ve all lost your F-ing minds!”
Finn fought back a smile, the jerk. Didn’t he see? If Duncan was worried enough to have the Russian-freaking-Bratva protect his family, what kind of danger were the rest of them truly in?
“Relax. It’s a precaution.”
“I don’t need another precaution. I’m already wearing these weird patches.” I rolled up my sleeve to show him what I meant.
“What the hell is that?”
“It’s a tracking device, according to Nelson. Heck, I’m not sure it does anything more than itch like crazy.”
“And you’re wearing it because?”
“Duncan asked me to.”
“So if Duncan asked you to jump off a bridge…”
“Shut it, Finnian O’ Lachlan. Don’t you have work to do?”
12MAD SKILLS
Duncan