It was crystal clear that someone had shit kicked his heart around the town a couple times. It was clearly plastered on the man’s face when Claire was anywhere near him.
This was going to be interesting.
And by that, he doubted in a good way.
Julian just had to hope and pray that no one got their heart broken. As of that moment, their team kicked ass, and Julian wanted to keep it that way. The less babe drama they had, the better.
Heading into the main area where the team got their coffee, he made the announcement.
“Our meeting is commencing in a few minutes. Let’s get this day started.”
With that, he took his wife’s hand in his and headed into the room. They needed to discuss the new big job.
There were cases to close and people to find.
Littlemoon Investigations had a full plate once more.
And he was more than okay with that.
They’d all have money in the bank one more day.
Tori loved sitting beside her husband. Not only did he smell really good, but he always seemed to offer her so much peace with just a touch. At that moment, he was sitting at the table, his hand hidden just beneath on her leg. His wedding ring stood out against the tan tone of his flesh.
That called to her.
There was something so sexy about her husband wanting the world to know that he was taken. Since finding out that they were pregnant, he’d been even more attentive.
Julian was sweet before, but now he was downright doting. While Tori thought it would make her insane, it didn't. Secretly, she loved every second of it.
From growing up with no stability, this made her happy. Every morning, she woke up beside the same man, they followed the same routine, and she had peace.
Victoria Littlemoon was finally able to find the stability her life had always lacked, and it was all because of this man.
Julian tracked her for months, dogging her every step, and finally caught her in his trap. Thank God for his tenacity.
If he hadn’t been so stubborn, Tori would be lost.
Then she was skittish, but now she knew the truth. She’d been an idiot for trying to escape. Her biggest fear, the entire time she ran from him, was that Julian would get hurt. He had a rough childhood too, and deserved a partner who could love him.
It turned out that she was that woman.
Thankfully!
Now it was all about living life to its fullest and making the most of the time they had as a couple. Not a second went by that she didn't tell Julian how much she loved him.
He was her world.
Now, they were ruling a kingdom together.
They’d made something damn good, and she was proud of him. Julian was turning into a true business man, and she loved that about him.
Linking her fingers with his, she waited for him to begin their daily meeting.
“We have a few things to discuss,” stated Julian. “First thing on the agenda is that we have a new case. It’s going to take half our team out of town.”
They all began looking around, wondering who was going out. It wasn’t lost on them that Kane looked worried as hell.
To alleviate the big guy’s stress, Tori pointed at Beckett and Claire. Last night, Tori and Julian discussed this before bed. They were going to field test them to see if they could pull off the team thing, or if it was going to be a hot mess out in the field.
It was best to know while they would be there, in case it fell apart.
Claire smiled, thrilled to get some time out of the office. The last few weeks had been all about getting her PI license and learning the ropes. As a Littlemoon, she had big shoes to fill.
Not to mention that she wanted to spend more time with the man beside her. Beckett Rand was fascinating.
That said a lot.
Claire had just spent two tours on a Navy vessel with two hundred men. Yet, none seemed to catch her attention quite like the one beside her.
Maybe it was his green eyes. They were deep and mysterious. Then again, it might be the black raven colored hair that looked a little bluer in the sunlight. Claire didn't doubt that somewhere down his genetic line, there had been some Native blood mixed in. The man had cheekbones that she wanted to run her fingers all over.
Shit!
Who was she kidding?
She wanted to run her mouth all over his body too.
The flush kicked up, and Claire struggled to fight it. As she looked at her brother, she could tell that he knew what she was thinking.
Then again, Julian always did.
“Is that okay with you both?” Julian asked, despite having half the answer to that question.
Beckett shrugged. “Yeah, it’s fine.”
While he tried to sound indifferent, it wasn’t what he was feeling. Deep down, he was scared shitless. Not because of the case, but the woman beside him.
Claire Littlemoon had proved to be like a summer storm. She blew in one day and turned everything upside down. When she first walked in, he couldn’t speak. She was little, lithe, and sexy as sin. Today, she was wearing jeans, a tight fighting t-shirt, and boots. It took everything in him to not ogle.
In fact, he had to repeat to himself, over and over, that she wasn’t good for him.
No woman was. They tied you up in knots, like Claire was doing, and then they broke your heart.
Like his evil ex.
So, as long as he had to work with the woman beside him, Beckett had to keep his mind off her and on his other issues.
Like solving their upcoming case and protecting his heart. If that wasn’t going to be hard enough, there was one more important thing that couldn’t get out.
His secret…
“I don’t mind,” Claire said, trying not to sound like some horny teenager being offered a huge man-gift.
“What’s this one about?” Beckett asked, hoping to get them talking about the case. He didn't want to think about the sexy Native beside him. Her brown tresses smelled so damn good that it was making him want to touch them.
That was a very bad sign.
Holy shit!
His dormant libido was trying to come to life, and this was the most inopportune moment. Beckett had to fight it tooth and nail.
Tori pulled the dossier from the pile and opened it. “We’ve been asked to locate a missing person. We have his final known location listed as a home he’d just purchased. The family is going to meet us there on Monday, and we’re going to start the search. I have to warn you, it’s in a small town and has lots of swamps. When I pulled it up online, it looks like one giant bog.”
Julian laughed. That was kind of like the place he met his wife. It brought back so many memories.
“Is there something funny, Jules?” she asked, lifting an eyebrow. “You’re happy about a leech fest?”
He shook his head, and then ran his fingers down her cheek. “It reminds me of us.”
She knew what he meant.
Justin snorted. “Leeches and bog slime remind you of your wife? Are you trying to get killed?” he teased. “They don’t have a card that says that for a reason, Jules.”
Instead of saying anything, Tori simply leaned over and left a gentle kiss to his cheek.
Julian grinned triumphantly. He knew his wife like the back of his hand. There was no way she would miss why that one sentence mattered.
Tori was a romantic at heart.
She would get it.
“So, we’re going in to find him,” stated Claire. “I can’t wait.”
While Beckett relaxed marginally, he was still a little worried. If it was a missing person, at least his secret was safe. The ugly truth he bore wouldn’t have a chance to rear its ugly head.
If there was nothing to touch, he could remain in his safety zone. While he wasn’t ashamed of what he could do…wait, who was he kidding?
He was a freak.
Shame was his middle name.
Beckett was pretty sure that it was one of t
he reasons why his wife had left him. He’d shared his secret with her, and she made sure to break him. Not only did she sleep with his friend, but she’d called him a plethora of names, including crazy.
To that day, four years later, he still carried the scar on his heart.
Yeah, getting close to Claire would be a bad idea. He already knew how that would end. As much as he was attracted to her physically, it was best if he kept his distance. The Littlemoons seemed like a pretty straight forward group. They’d fire his ass for being a weirdo.
He couldn’t risk that.
Plus, sweet Claire beside him would only stare at him like he was an oddity. That was the last thing he wanted. As long as she didn't know the truth, his heart was safe.
He was sure of it.
“What do we know?” Claire asked, trying not to think about Beckett. He dwarfed her body, smelled really good, and she couldn’t help but wonder what sitting in his lap would feel like.
Again, she must have flushed, because Julian, and now Justin, were both giving her the look. It screamed one thing--BEHAVE!
Shit!
Having big brothers was a pain in the ass. Now they were trying to boss her around in her mind. Talk about having no boundaries. It wasn’t like she was twelve. She was a woman, and the man beside her was a very sexy man.
Yippee.
“He’s been missing around two weeks. The police have all but wrapped this one up as him ditching the place. They told the family that they’re out of their minds.”
“Has anyone searched?” Claire asked, knowing Julian was likely going to do just that. He was the king of trackers.
Back home, he was legend. The other Natives truly believed that he was blessed with a gift from the Great Spirit.
Julian shook his head. “It’s all bog, and it’s in a very small town, so they don’t have a lot of manpower to be in that kind of situation. It’s likely we’ll have to go in,” he warned. “So, bring things that will keep you safe from snakes, leeches…”
This time it was Tori who laughed. “It’s just about our anniversary. This seems so damn fitting.”
Claire shook her head. The couple in front of them was enjoying the idea of bog creatures a little too much. “You two were definitely made for each other.”
Neither doubted that for a single second.
“Police make mistakes,” Beckett said, trying to get them to talk about work. He was well aware that other than Lena, he was the only one who worked there that wasn’t madly in love. Well, there was Claire, but the way she pointed those deep brown eyes at him, it terrified the hell out of Beckett.
Maybe that was his imagination too.
“That could be,” stated Julian. “We’ll all start working the house and town, and if it looks like he wandered out into the muck and mire, we’ll head in.”
Justin looked over at his wife. “Viv, I am so glad we’re not going there.” He patted her on her belly. “Thank you for saving daddy’s ass.”
They all laughed.
“We’ll pick up where the cops left off,” Julian reassured. “Contrary to popular believe, people just don’t disappear. Our clients are paying a hefty sum for our experience. We’re going to make sure the client is happy. That’s how we roll here at Littlemoon Inc.”
Christina flipped her tablet around. “Here’s your background on the missing man. Social Media has him down as an ‘investor’. It doesn’t really specify exactly what he’s working on to make money.”
Kane agreed. “I pulled up the sale of the house online. Since it’s public information, I can tell you he paid a quarter of a million in cash.”
They all whistled.
“That’s a lot of dough to drop,” stated Beckett. “How does one just find that lying around?”
Tori glanced over at her husband. At one time, she’d sold her house and gave him a check for the same amount to buy into his business. That was how this whole ride got started. “It’s possible. He could have sold off some assets.”
“True,” the man agreed.
“The bigger question that everyone should be asking is why he paid that much money,” Christina stated. “If you look at the location, and the surrounding area, there’s nothing there. The comparables to the other homes nearby aren’t that high. He paid way too much.”
That was curious.
“When we arrive at the scene and meet with the family, we’ll get more details. They were sketchy with the information, but I’m sure they’ll fill us in,” stated Julian.
Tori wasn’t taking any chances. “Lena ran the background checks for me. After the last case, where Ms. Montgomery nearly killed me, I’m not risking anyone else on the team.”
Yeah, since they had been conned by their own client, the team wasn’t taking any chances.
“What did the team find?” Justin asked.
“Nothing to write home about. The man’s clean, the sister is just as shiny, and the other brother didn't pop either. She’s a mother, the brother who isn't missing is fairly well off, and they look like a normal family. The parents are dead, and the missing brother is the youngest, so it looks like they’re trying to take care of him.”
Julian and Justin glanced over at Claire.
“Yeah, the baby always gets in trouble.”
She pointed at him. “Excuse me? I managed to fend off two hundred horny men on a ship. I think I can work my way through a normal day without my big brothers playing babysitter.”
Beckett glanced over, not really happy to hear that other men had wanted her. While he knew he couldn’t be part of her life, he still had that overwhelming need to touch Claire.
If he was normal, he might have had a chance.
Beckett forced himself to focus on his bosses.
“Yeah, well if anything happens to you, Clarissa is going to kick all our asses.”
Tori interjected, “Not mine. I’m giving her a grandchild.”
Vivian chimed in too, “Yeah, same here. You boys are the ones in trouble. We’re the geese who laid the golden Littlemoon eggs.”
“Army!” Claire objected. “Help a girl out,” she stated.
That made Tori laugh. Normally, her ex-Navy sister-in-law was more than willing to tell her that the Army was subpar. Now she wanted backup.
“Beckett, you need to be all over her and make sure she stays safe.”
The man looked horrified.
Tori knew that she had just thrown her sister-in-law a huge bone. When the men weren’t looking, she winked at her.
Claire could kiss her.
In fact, she just might. Her hormones were going wild, and the idea of spending time with Beckett made her as happy as a clam.
Julian shook his head, knowing what his wife was doing. If this blew up, it was going to be all on her. He wanted no part of this. His sister was headstrong, tough, and a pain in his ass. Beckett Rand was pretty much going to get run over.
It was like a hazing, but if he knew his sister, it would involve sex. Just going there made him feel sick.
No one wanted to think of their baby sister in a relationship. Julian needed to get this under control, and fast.
“Kane and Christina, you work the cases. Take the easy ones and pound out as many as you can while we’re gone.”
“Yes, boss,” stated Kane, dropping his arm around his fiancée’s shoulder.
“Vivian, give us a heads up if you have any dreams.”
“Sure thing, Jules,” she stated.
“God help me, but I’m leaving the fate of this office in Justin’s hands.”
“Toga party!” he blurted, teasing his brother.
Vivian kicked him under the desk. “I’ll be taking care of the office. Don’t worry, Julian. My husband’s toga days are over.”
That offered Julian a little relief.
Beckett was a little confused. “Dreams?”
They all glanced over at him. This had to be Vivian’s choice, since it was her life. For the last few weeks, they’d kept the
cat in the bag for Vivian. She didn't like telling everyone her secret.
No one could blame her.
“I’m precognitive, and sometimes I have dreams that help us out.”
It said it all.
“Really?” He didn't know what to say.
“Yes, my wife has an amazing gift,” Justin stated, ready to defend her if need be. He didn't like the way people judged her when they found out.
“That has to be handy,” he stated.
Julian watched the man. “Yes, it is.” He was well aware that Beckett had his own little gifts. No one else knew, not even his wife. Julian wanted the man to feel secure enough to share with them of his own volition.
There wouldn’t be any strong arming when it came to his office. Beckett would have to share, or carry it alone.
It was his choice.
“Beckett and Claire, wrap up any paperwork you’re doing now, and be ready to fly out Monday morning. We’re going to hop the redeye out and land before dawn. I want to scope the town out before we start trying to find Jeffery Lamont.”
“Are we going in with a cover?” Beckett asked. “Or are we playing PI?”
This was the tricky part.
Julian wasn’t sure.
“It’s going to depend. I haven’t thought of a cover story yet,” he stated.
Christina raised her hand after finding them more background information. “The family has the house up for public auction in a month. You might be able to squeak by as potential buyers.”
“All four of us?” Claire asked. “What the hell are we planning on doing in that house?”
Tori snorted.
Christina shrugged. “Hey, I’m not here to solve it. I’m here to throw out suggestions,” she stated.
Her help was appreciated. Tori thought about it. “We’ll go in and see what’s going on. If the whole town knows he’s missing, or they’ve seen us on TV, we don’t really have a choice. We may have to forgo the cover on this one.”
Julian hated that idea. No cover meant media circus. Plus, the anonymity gave them a degree of protection. While his wife was pregnant, Julian wanted to keep her as safe as possible.
“No worries, Jules,” Tori reassured. She could see the worry lines between his eyebrows. With gentle fingers, she tucked a few strands of hair behind his ears. Staring into his gold flecked eyes, she shared the love she was feeling.
Unthinkable Games (LIttlemoon Investigations Book 3) Page 3