Page 40 of Duality

“You could have stayed home,” I shot back. In fact, I had wanted the four of them to stay at the house, but they’d all insisted on accompanying me to HQ.

“Uh-uh.” Sebastian waggled his finger at me. “You’re not in this alone anymore.”

I rolled my eyes while Izzy and Danny ducked their heads to hide their grins. “I’m not alone.” I gestured to my lieutenants, who wisely stayed quiet.

Liam’s monitors beeped.

“They’re here.”

I watched on the monitors as a black SUV pulled into the alleyway and four men got out. I recognized Carter and his second, Samson, but the other two men were unfamiliar. It seemed Carter had been recruiting.

Liam pressed a few keys, and the doors buzzed open for the Ghosts. Carter strode into the room confidently. His eyes softened when he saw me, although his lips were pressed into a tight line. The guys stiffened around me as Carter strode closer. I arched an eyebrow at his strong approach, and when he was a few feet from me, he smiled and held out his arms.

“Ever the dramatic entrance.” I laughed as I hugged him.

“You have some new faces,” Carter murmured in my ear before he released me.

“So do you,” I murmured back, tilting my head toward the two new men he had with him.

“Finch?” Adrian pushed off the wall, his eyes on one of Carter’s new men.

He was definitely ex-military. He stood at roughly 5’10” and was built like a brick house with muscles upon muscles. His brown eyes held a slightly dead expression I had seen on a lot of mercenaries. They widened with surprise when he saw Adrian and Marcus.

“A? Stone?” Okay, it was clear the three men knew each other as they did that weird bro-hug all men did when they greeted each other.

Carter stood next to me, his shoulder brushing mine. “Some things are beginning to make sense now.”

I smiled and nodded in acknowledgement. Sebastian glared at Carter, and I met his eyes and frowned. Why was he having such a strong reaction to Carter? He had been all for the planthis morning. Carter chuckled and moved away slightly, and Sebastian’s face lightened.

“Ah, yes, things are beginning to make sense, Little Archer.”

I rolled my eyes at him and clapped my hands together once to gather everyone’s attention. “Carter, this is Alexander, Marcus, and Sebastian Stone and Adrian Cross of Stone Dynamic Security.”

Carter nodded at the guys. “Good to meet you. I’m Carter. and this is my second, Samson, and two of our newest members, Rico and Finch, who you seem to already know.”

“We served together briefly,” Finch explained, gesturing at Marcus and Adrian.

Carter nodded and turned to me. “So what’s up, Little Archer? This is clearly not a social call, although Lily sends her greetings.”

I smiled. Lily was a feisty redhead who had been dying to join the Archers, but Carter had put his foot down. Or was trying to until she finished college. “How is she doing?”

Carter’s face softened as he talked about his little sister. “She’s doing good. Pestering me each day as to when she can join.”

I smiled. “We’ll always have a place for her.”

Carter grumbled. “I would appreciate it if you didn’t tell her that. I’m trying to get her to finish college if it’s the last thing I do.”

I smirked. “Good luck.”

“Now what do you need, Little Archer?”

I didn’t miss the way the guys stiffened at his nickname, but it wasn’t like that with Carter and me. I think he thought of me like another little sister. The Ghosts didn’t do relationships.

“I need to ask you about a contract that Citadel asked you to complete,” I said seriously, looking into Carter’s hazel eyes.

“The contract for information gathering for SDS,” Carter confirmed, and I nodded.

“We haven’t accepted it yet,” Carter clarified, and I relaxed slightly. “We were still doing some background when you called. But Citadel is paying a lot of money,” he warned. “Someone will pick it up sooner or later.” He paused and looked at the guys before looking back at me. “They also have a hit out on them, which I assume is why they’re here with you.”