Page 27 of Old Money, Deadly Secrets

Conversation paused briefly as she entered, all eyes turning toward her with measured curiosity and unmistakable respect. Without a word, Dog stepped forward and pulled out a chair near the table, gesturing for her to take a seat.

Her eyes flicked toward the empty seat and the unexpected kindness in Dog’s steady gaze. She wasn’t used to being treated with such respect, never quite like this. The small moment unsettled her practiced calm, stirring a cautious hope buried beneath years of guarded doubt.

Taking a slow, steadying breath, she reminded herself that this kindness might be genuine: a small step toward something safer, something better. She eased into the chair, accepting the unspoken invitation.

“Good morning, gentlemen,” Margaret said, her voice smooth and lightly melodic, betraying none of the exhaustion she felt. She offered them a flawless, practiced smile. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”

“Not at all,” Dog said, his eyes scanning her face carefully, perhaps looking for the terrified woman from the night before. He stood and poured a steaming mug of black coffee, handing it to her. “Sleep okay?”

“Like a log, thank you,” she lied politely, taking the mug with a gracious nod. She wrapped her cold hands around the warm ceramic, taking a slow, quiet sip. Keeping her posture composed yet slightly withdrawn, she made herself as small and unassuming as possible, careful not to draw more attention than necessary.

“Alright, ladies, playtime is over,” Jake announced, pushing his empty plate away and standing up. He looked at Enzo and Thorn, a wicked gleam in his eye. “Sun’s barely up. Time for morning PT. We’ll take the outer perimeter trail. Five miles. Dropping for fifty push-ups and fifty sit-ups every mile, and we’ll finish with walking lunges up the driveway incline.”

Enzo groaned, rubbing his face, while Thorn just cracked his neck with a dull pop.

“You’re a sadist, Jake,” Enzo muttered, though he was already pushing his chair back.

From his spot by the stove, Warden let out a raspy, genuine laugh. “You boys do remember you’re in private security now, right? You’re not active duty anymore. Nobody is forcing you to freeze your asses off doing burpees in the Maine woods at zero-dark-thirty.”

“Got to stay sharp, old man,” Jake shot back with a grin, patted his prosthetic leg with a metallic thunk. “Besides, if Dog’s got a million-dollar bounty on his head, this old piece of carbon fiber can still outrun him when Charles’s guys show up.”

Dog just snorted into his coffee.

Jake, Enzo, and Thorn grabbed their jackets, heading for the heavy front door.

Dog set down his mug and shot Warden a challenging look. “How about you and I team up tomorrow and take these guys on? Show them a thing or two about teamwork and endurance.”

Warden’s eyes lit up with a competitive spark as he folded a napkin and stood. “You’re on. Let’s see if your pace can keep up with mine.”

Jake turned halfway back through the door, flashing a cocky grin. “Challenge accepted. Prepare to eat dust, boys.”

Enzo chuckled, slapping his jacket on. “Time to prove who really runs this place.”

Thorn cracked his knuckles, his smile sharp. “May the best team win.”

Dog leaned back, a sly smile curving his lips. “No mercy.”

“Ten hundred hours, video conference call with Hank, Bear, and whoever else has updates,” Dog called out, his voice cutting through their banter. “Don’t be late.”

Jake waved a dismissive hand over his shoulder. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

The front door swung shut behind them, the crisp morning air drawing the three men out into the woods with the promise of a fierce, friendly competition tomorrow.

Margaret remained completely still, her expression a mask of polite, mild interest. She took another slow sip of her coffee, watching the men disappear into the biting Maine morning for their punishing workout. They were loud, rough, and entirely intimidating, but as she watched the easy, brotherhood banter between them, her society armor began to feel a bit unnecessary. Still, she kept her posture perfectly straight and her smile pleasantly fixed.

After a few moments of awkward silence, punctuated only by the crackle of the wood stove, Warden straightened. “Well, someone needs to keep these fireplaces fed.” He grabbed a thick flannel jacket from a hook by the door. “Be back in a bit.” He gave Dog a brief nod and stepped out into the cold.

Dog turned his gaze to Margaret, a softer expression replacing the intensity from moments before. “Are you feeling up to some breakfast? We’ve got plenty of bacon and eggs left. Do you prefer pancakes with that, or just toast?”

Margaret blinked, and for the first time noticed the tightness in her shoulders. She eased them down. With only Dog present, the imposing energy of the cabin lessened, shrinking away from the hard edges of a barracks to something quieter, almost inviting. Her flawless smile softened, revealing a hint of genuine warmth, though her eyes still carried a shadow of guarded reserve. “Oh, no trouble at all. Bacon and eggs would be perfectly lovely, thank you. Please don’t go to any extra effort for pancakes or anything fancy. I assure you, I’m not picky.”

Dog nodded and carefully loaded a plate with a generous portion of scrambled eggs and several strips of bacon from the warm skillet. He set the plate gently before her with a slice of lightly toasted bread. “Help yourself to anything else,” he said, gesturing toward the coffee pot and a pitcher of water.

Margaret settled at the table, taking a careful, measured bite of bacon. She chewed deliberately, her eyes falling on Dog as he wiped down the last of the breakfast dishes. The silence settled comfortably between them now, warm and unspoken rather than tense.

“So,” she began, once her plate was nearly cleared, “what exactly are we doing today? Beyond the general ‘staying safe’ directive, that is.” Her tone was light, but her eyes held a deeper, more direct question.

Dog continued wiping down the counter, his movements efficient and quiet. “Well, for me, there’s the thousand-hours video conference call with the rest of the team for an intel update. After that,” he paused, turning to face her, a small, almost shy smile touching his lips, “Warden has a pretty extensive library in here, if you like to read. And maybe we could play some card games later, if that’s something you’d be interested in.”