Hold on to Me (15 page)

Ryan’s jealousy was the least of Mitch’s worries right now. “Trust me, it hasn’t been a cakewalk.”

“What do you mean?”

Mitch glanced through the glass doors toward Ryan’s office, where Simone and Shannon were sleeping. The room was still dark, and there was no movement, so he doubted they were awake, but he lowered his voice just in case. “Look, it was a trip senior year, even I’ll admit that. Money, parties, girls… They lavished it all on us. But once college was over, things got real.”

He turned to face Ryan and gripped the back of a chair in front of him. “The Cyphers are not nobodies. They’re exactly what that article states. The Power Elite. Three of the last twelve US presidents have been members of Cypher and Dagger. Company CEOs, research specialists, military leaders… If you can think of a job that’s important in this country and has the power to shape society, odds are fairly high a Cypher’s in one of those key positions.”

Ryan looked back at the symbol on the screen and drummed his fingers on the long table. “How do you figure into all of this?”

“I’ve not been an exemplary member. The Cyphers got me my job with PreCorp, but once they started pushing me up the ranks, I found reasons to turn down the promotions, which pissed them off. See, they want people in power positions so the Society can dictate policy, and an oil-and-gas conglomerate? Nothing shapes the direction of the world more than oil. But you know how much I hate being behind a desk. I like being out in the field, traveling, and being on site with my team when they’re in the identification stage of an oil reserve, even when they’re doing the initial excavation. I wasn’t built to be a suit. So by turning them down, I was putting myself in some hot water with the society.”

“What happened?” Ryan asked.

“What happened is…we lost Kate.” Mitch looked at his friend. “This is going to sound really shallow but when Kate’s plane crashed, that gave me a reason to stick close to home. You and Julia needed me, and I was able to convince my boss—who also happens to be a Cypher and is my contact within the company—that I needed to
stay
close to home.”

“Wait. Chris Murdoch’s a Cypher?”

Mitch nodded. Ryan had met Chris, the president of the US division of PreCorp, a dozen times. They’d even all gone to a few ball games together.

“Shit,” Ryan muttered.

Shit wasn’t even the half of it. Mitch resumed pacing. “I do the bare minimum. I go to one meeting a year, and I schmooze it up like I’m supposed to, but then I come home and pretend like it didn’t happen. And most of the time I convince myself they don’t care about where I am or what I’m doing. But that’s obviously not the case anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean,” Mitch said, turning to face his brother-in-law. “I don’t think Simone was the target tonight. I’m pretty sure it was me.”

“Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Hold on a minute.” Ryan tugged off his glasses and pushed out of his chair. “Simone’s late husband turned state’s evidence against these people. Even if they are linked to the Cyphers, which this article can’t even confirm, that doesn’t mean someone coming after her has anything to do with you.”

Mitch closed his eyes and pressed his fingers against his suddenly aching forehead. He’d give just about anything to go back to that drunken state of oblivion he’d been in earlier tonight, but he knew now that was no longer an option.

“You don’t get it.” He dropped his hand. “I remember this case, Ryan. I remember it because the society made sure every member learned a valuable lesson during it. All three of the managing partners of that firm were Cyphers, and they got caught doing something illegal. The Society didn’t care whether they broke the law or not. They only cared that the Society’s name was tarnished in the press because of it. They cut those three loose. And I don’t doubt they put out a hit on Simone’s husband if he was the one who turned over evidence against them. The Society comes before everything else—work, family, women—and those three went against the code. You don’t go against the code. Ever.”

Ryan leaned back against the table, fingering his glasses. “So you’re saying—”

“I’m saying, if the Cyphers were watching Simone, wondering if she knew something, or if Steve had given her something that could still implicate them in some way, then they’d know I was dating her. And I’m already a fuck-up in their eyes. I don’t think that hit was meant for her. If it was, they could have taken her out at any time at her own house. I think they came after me. Because I got in too deep with the enemy. I went against the code.”

“But you didn’t. Not knowingly, at least.”

Mitch sighed. “They won’t see it that way.”

Ryan pursed his lips and looked at the computer screen in stunned silence. After several moments, he lifted his head and pinned Mitch with a determined look. “We don’t know that for sure. You and Simone have been dating for over six months. This still could be about her.”

“Not if they just now caught up with her. She was in the WITSEC program. Even though she left, she didn’t assume her old identity. It’d make sense it would take them time to track her down.”

“Maybe.” Ryan shook his head. “But it’s still just a guess. There’s no logical reason for them to want to get rid of you. You didn’t technically do anything against them.”

Ryan saw things in terms of profit and loss. He was a numbers guy, always had been. But Mitch knew how these people worked. To them, there was always an acceptable loss, no matter the cost. “I thought for myself. I’ve already gone against what they want dozens of times. They’d see my dating Simone as the final straw.”

Ryan frowned and tossed his glasses on a stack of papers on the table. “I don’t buy it. I still think there’s something else going on. I’m gonna give all this info to my PI and see what he can find. There has to be more to this than just you.”

Mitch wasn’t sure what Ryan thought he’d find, but the emotional toll of everything was starting to take effect. He pulled out a chair and dropped into it, resting his elbow on the arm and rubbing his head. “It’s a waste of time.”

Holy hell, he couldn’t believe he was thinking it, but disappearing into the witness protection program wasn’t looking like such a bad idea anymore.

“Time’s about all you’ve got left,” Ryan said. “Let me research this before you do something you can’t undo.”

Ryan obviously knew what he was thinking. Mitch leaned his head back and stared up at the ceiling. In one night, his life had been shot to hell, just like his house. Reluctantly, he nodded.

The door pulled open, and the scent of fresh-brewed coffee filled the room. Kate set a mug in front of Mitch. “I had to brew a second pot. Sorry it took me so long.”

Forcing a smile he didn’t feel, Mitch looked at his sister, then reached for the steaming cup. “It’s okay. Thanks.”

Kate handed the second mug to Ryan, then looked between the two, her brow wrinkling with every passing second. “What did I miss?”

Ryan glanced at Mitch. Lifting the cup to his lips, Mitch shook his head. He didn’t want Kate worrying more than she already was, and diving into the whole Cypher connection? Yeah, that would only stress her out more.

Ryan’s features softened when he looked back at his wife. Reaching for her hand, he squeezed her fingers then pulled her close. “Not much. I’m going to have my PI do some digging. In the meantime, until we figure out what’s going on, Mitch is going to take Simone someplace where no one can find them.”

Mitch’s head came up. He looked over the mug toward his brother-in-law. “I’m
what?
”

Ryan grinned, clearly in CEO mode. “Kendrick has that house in Tahoe he just finished building. He and I talked a lot about it because I was thinking of doing the same thing for Katie and the kids.”

Kate’s eyes widened. “You were?”

One arm wrapped around her waist, Ryan smiled down at her. “Surprise. I’ve been shopping for some property up there. Figured it’d be a good place for us to get away from the city.”

“It’s too expensive.”

“Babe.” A
you’re worth it
smile spread across his face. “There is no such thing where you and the kids are concerned.” He leaned down and kissed her.

Mitch glanced quickly away, refocusing on his coffee. Most days he was thrilled the two had found each other again and that they were so happy, but tonight all it did was remind him he was never gonna have that. At least not with the woman he was still pathetically in love with.

Ryan looked toward Mitch again. “Kendrick’s house isn’t listed under his name. He bought it through a shadow corporation so his crazy stalker fans couldn’t find him. There’s no way anyone would link you to Kendrick at the house. It’s the perfect place for you two to hole up until I can gather more info.”

Hiding out in a snowy cabin in Tahoe with Simone. A place deep inside Mitch leapt with excitement over that thought. Another place urged him to run now. He was still pissed at her for everything she’d done and omitted, but now that he knew what was really going on, he just couldn’t blame her. And when he thought about the fact she could have been killed tonight, all because of him, a knot of regret lodged in the middle of his chest and made it hard to breathe.

“Simone will argue against this,” he said quietly

“Probably.” Ryan slid his free hand into the pocket of his jeans. “But if she knows we’re working on a solution that could keep her in San Francisco so she doesn’t have to run, I think that’ll change her mind. Because I get the impression she doesn’t really want to leave.”

“Me too,” Kate said. “This is home for her now. She’s having a hard time with the thought of leaving. I don’t know what happened between the two of you, Mitch, but it’s killing her. She doesn’t want to go, and a big part of that has to do with you.”

That knot twisted tighter. Mitch didn’t want her to go either. Regardless of whether or not she loved him, she obviously felt something for him. She wouldn’t have come to his house tonight if she didn’t.

“I don’t think Shannon should go with you,” Ryan said. “Until we know what’s really going on, I think it’s safer if she’s not even in the picture.”

Mitch agreed. “What are you thinking?”

Glancing down at his wife, Ryan said, “I’m think my parents should disappear with all the kids for a while. Kendrick gave me the name of an elite security firm he’s used. They’re supposed to be the best of the best. I want them where no one can find them.”

Ryan had obviously already realized the Cyphers would make the connection between Mitch and his brother-in-law. And having lost his family once before, he wasn’t about to let it happen again.

“Are you sure about this?” Kate whispered.

He leaned down and kissed his wife’s wrinkled brow. “Don’t worry, Katie. Nothing’s going to happen to the kids. And I’m pretty sure my folks will be thrilled to have them all under foot for a while. Even Shannon. They adore her.”

“Simone will never agree to letting Shannon out of her sight,” Mitch cautioned.

“Yes, she will,” Ryan said. “If we all convince her it’s the safest thing for her daughter.”

Kate wrapped both arms around Ryan’s waist. “I’m ready for things to just be normal, you know?”

“You and me both.” He hugged her back. “And they will be. Soon.”

She drew back, ran a hand over her curly hair, and sent Mitch a weary look. “I’m gonna go lie down. Something tells me I’m going to need my rest for tomorrow.”

Ryan reluctantly let go of her hand and watched her leave the conference room with a sappy,
I’m head over heels in love
look on his face.

When the door closed behind her, Mitch asked the question that had been foremost in his mind since Kate had stepped into the room. “What about her?”

“No one’s touching her,” Ryan said with dead calm. “She and I’ll get out of the city until we know more too. I’m not about to let anything happen to her either.”

Mitch glanced down at the half-empty cup in his hand. Ryan’s plan made sense, but there was one very major flaw.

“You have to tell her the truth,” Ryan said quietly.

Yep. That was the flaw. Mitch knew Ryan was talking about Mitch’s association with the Cyphers, but right now all he could think about was the look of utter betrayal on Simone’s face when she’d found that earring. “I will.”

“I’m serious, Mitch. If you’ve learned anything from me, it’s that secrets—big ones like this—can destroy everything. I nearly lost Katie because I thought I was protecting her by not telling her the truth. Don’t make the same mistake I did. Tell Simone everything. Up front. No holds barred. She’ll understand.”

Mitch wasn’t so sure. And he couldn’t take the risk. Not yet. The first thing he needed to do was get Simone to agree to leave with him so they all had time to figure out what was really going on. If he let loose about his association with the Cyphers too soon, she’d cut and run faster than Speedy Gonzalez.

“I will.”

“This is important, Mitch. You gotta tell her everything.”

He looked up. He and Ryan had been friends for years, since long before Ryan had started dating his younger sister, and in all those years, he’d never flat-out lied to Ryan. But tonight he did. Because telling Simone the truth wasn’t an option. At least not yet.

“I will,” he said again. “I’ll tell her everything. Don’t worry. I’m not as dumb as you.”

A sad smile spread across Ryan’s lips. “You are. You’re just too stupid to realize it. Now, let’s call Kendrick and wake his ass up so you can get into his house.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

S
imone wasn’t sure how she’d let herself be talked into this stupid idea.

She looked out the passenger window of the sleek black Audi SUV Ryan had arranged for her and Mitch and watched the forest rush by. Her skin felt prickly, her head too jumbled with what-ifs, and whenever she chanced a look at Mitch beside her in the driver’s seat, wearing those faded jeans, that loose gray Henley, and the black knit skullcap Ryan had gotten for him, she was reminded of only one fact: he was the last person she should be with.

Nothing had been resolved between them, he was still as pissed at her as before, and each time she closed her eyes, all she could see was that earring she’d found on his bed. Being alone with him was like waiting for a bomb to detonate.