2. Cage

2

CAGE

“ S top wiggling.”

“But you’re not doing it right!”

I can wire a bomb with meticulous accuracy, but for the life of me, I can’t do a Little girl’s hair. At least not in her opinion. I think it looks fine.

“They’re uneven,” Rowie whines as she tugs one of the pigtails.

Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed today—I’m not quite sure if it’s her or me. Some days, Rowena is an angel, and some days, she truly tests our patience. Today, I happen to be the lucky one she’s testing.

“Sweetheart, they’re even. They’re in the same spot on each side of your head.”

When she twists to look up at me from where she’s sitting on the floor, she scrunches her face. “Nuh-uh. They don’t feel even.”

I stare at her, my eye twitching slightly. Arguing with her will get me nowhere on days like today. The best I can hope for is that when she wakes up from her afternoon nap, she’ll be less cranky.

“If you don’t like them, you can pull them out, but I don’t have time to start all over again. I have a meeting to get to.”

She sighs, long and dramatic. “Theo always gets them right.”

“Well, Theo isn’t here, and if you don’t stop complaining, I’m going to take away one of your Good Girl Points.”

Rowie’s face drops into disbelief. “That’s so mean, Cage. I think I should take away one of your Good Boy Points for being so grumpy this morning.”

Jesus.

“I don’t have points because I’m in charge and you’re the Little girl. Now, go find Cassian and tell him you need breakfast.” And make his life a living hell for the next hour or so instead of me. I don’t say that, of course.

Even though my palm is tingling and I’m already drained from Rowie running circles around me, I still love her to pieces. I couldn’t imagine how mundane and lonely our lives would be without her in them.The innocence and peace she brings balance us out. She’s the bright light to our darkness, and she loves us despite who we are and what we do.

I hold out my hand to help her up. When she’s on her feet, I pull her in for a hug. “I love you, Little one. I’ll be home tonight. Be good, okay? You’re so close to having enough points to get the dolly you want.”

She wraps her thin arms around me and snuggles into my chest. It feels like yesterday, instead of twelve years ago, that she was too afraid of us to speak. It took a long time to gain her trust. Even then, it took years for her to come out of her terrified shell. Now, we can barely get her to be quiet. I wouldn’t have it any other way.She’s the sister none of us ever had.

“I love you, too. Be safe, please.” They’re the same words she says to us whenever we have to leave.

“Always.”

She nods and skips off toward the kitchen, her pigtails bouncing along with her. I don’t care what she says, they’re even. Brat.

Before I forget, I pull out my phone to send a quick text.

Cage: Rowie’s in a mood this morning. Proceed with caution.

Cassian: Noted. Sugary cereal it is.

Jasper: I don’t think she slept well. I saw her tossing and turning on the baby monitor a few times.

Theo: Don’t give her cereal. Jesus. The last thing she needs is to be hopped up on sugar if she’s already tired. Make her some toast and eggs, then turn on a movie for her and give her a stuffie. She’ll probably fall back asleep.

Cage: It’s all you, Cass. I’m headed out for a meeting.

Jasper: I’m leaving and probably won’t be home tonight. I have some loose ends to wrap up in Mexico.

Theo: I’m going to try to be home tonight, but this mission has been exciting so might not be until tomorrow.

Exciting is never good in our world. I guess it’s a good thing we are who we are and can handle anything.

Cassian: Fuck. She’s having a meltdown over her toast. It’s too well-done.

I snort. Yeah, it’s going to be a rough day at home.

F or the entire flight to DC, my phone has been blowing up with texts from Cassian, Ghost, and Rylan pleading to be saved from the wrath of Rowie.

It’s funny because, for a bunch of deadly bastards, we’re pathetic when it comes to her. In a life where we do everything possible to have no weaknesses, no soft spots, she is exactly that for all of us. Which is why we keep her so protected. No matter how many jobs we have going on, at least three of us stay at The Ranch at all times because of Rowie. Unfortunately for those three assholes, today is their day.

Cage: Good luck with the Little one, brothers. Glad it’s you and not me.

Ghost: Fuck off, bro.

Cassian: I hope your dick falls off, man.

Cage: That’s harsh. I like my dick.

Rylan: Probably a little too much.

I snort and put my phone away as the plane comes to a stop. Time to get to work and see why I had to fly all the way to fucking DC for a meeting with one of our CIA handlers. It’s never a good sign when they ask to see us in person because it’s an indication that the job is dangerous and extremely complicated.

“Thanks, Captain. I’ll be ready to fly back in a few hours,” I say, saluting one of the pilots we keep on payroll.

He lifts his chin but doesn’t say anything as I start down the airstair.

An armored SUV waits for me nearby. I spend a few minutes checking for bombs and bugs before I climb in and start the ignition. Can’t ever be too careful. Especially in our line of work. We never know who might decide to come after us.

By the time I make it up to the top floor of the modern, state-of-the-art government building where my meeting is, I’m irritated. And the handler is already waiting for me.

At least it’s Ruth. Though she’s already glaring at me as I walk in. She’s one of my favorites of the bunch. She also seems to favor me out of the rest of my brothers, so maybe this job won’t be so bad after all.

“Cage,” she greets warmly as she stands and holds out her hand.

I’ve known this woman for twenty-plus years, but she still shakes my hand every time we see each other. That’s where our formalities end, though. Especially when we’re alone like this.

Her sky-high heels click on the shiny tiled floor as she strides over to me and drops a file on the table. I don’t know how she walks in those fucking things.

“I have a job for you,” she explains bluntly. “I’ll be honest, though, it’s a bit different than the type of stuff you normally do.”

I shrug, unfazed. Just because it’s not my usual job doesn’t mean I’m not trained for it. Whatever she needs me to do, I’ll complete the mission successfully because that’s what The Elite Team does. That’s what I do. Failure is not an option in dark ops.

“A congressman has reached out to me and asked for someone I trust. His daughter’s life is being threatened.”

Leaning back in my chair, I nod. “So, track down who is threatening her and eliminate the threat. That’s no problem, Ruth. I don’t think I needed to fly out here for that information, though.”

The older woman stares at me and then rolls her eyes. “Cage, shut the fuck up and listen.”

I chuckle and hold my hand up for her to go on. Ruth is the perfect name for her because she can be absolutely ruthless when she needs to be.

“It’s a bit more complicated than that. And no, I don’t need you to find out who the threat is. We have that information already.”

“Then what the fuck am I doing here, Ruthie? This meeting could have been an email.”

Her lined face turns into a scowl. Amusement spreads through me as she glares at me.I don’t know why it’s so fun to ruffle her feathers, but it is. Maybe because, around everyone else, she’s nothing but professional.

“Do you want me to shoot you, Cage? Because I will if you call me Ruthie one more time. And this meeting couldn’t have been an email because it’s classified information, but you won’t shut up long enough for me to tell you everything.”

Okay, I guess the trip was worth it. Messing with her is always a blast.

“Yes, ma’am. Please proceed,” I reply with a smirk, only irritating her more.

She sighs and rubs her temples. “I don’t know why I like you as much as I do. You’re a true pain in my ass.”

“It’s the flowers I send for your birthday each year,” I answer confidently.

Her scowl softens. Ruth’s husband died nearly twenty years ago. Ever since I found out that he never missed getting her favorite flowers on her birthday every year, I’ve been sending her a bouquet. I’m not sure why I started doing it; it felt right at the time. The tearful phone call I got from her afterward cemented it as a new tradition for me.

“As I was saying.” She lowers herself into a seat across from me. “The daughter is in danger. Her father wants someone who has what it takes to protect her.”

That has me sitting straighter. “What exactly are you getting at, Ruth?”

“Your mission is to protect his daughter. Take her into hiding and keep her there until this situation is resolved.”

“I’m not sure when the last time you looked at my resume was, but I’m not a bodyguard.”

She shoots me a bored look. She’s used to my sarcastic comments. I’m pretty sure she loves them, too, based on the way her eye is twitching.

“I know you’re not a bodyguard, Cage, but I promised him the best. That’s you. He’s concerned because whoever is threatening her claims he’s taken something valuable of theirs.”

I raise an eyebrow and lean back, threading my fingers together in my lap. “And has he?”

Ruth shakes her head. “No. He’s a family man who lost his wife well over a decade ago and has been serving his country since then. He’s put forward a substantial sum of money for his daughter’s protection. You may not be a bodyguard, but for the amount he’s offering, it might be worth your time.”

Money means nothing to me. I have heaps of it. But if the man is prepared to pay such a large sum to keep his daughter safe, he must feel that she’s in true danger.

“How old is this kid?” I ask. “I’m not a babysitter.”

Rush shakes her head. “She’s old enough to take care of herself. All you have to do is keep her alive.”

“No limits on that?”

She smiles at me. “No limits. You have the freedom to protect her how you see fit and use your own facilities and safe locations. The less I know, the better. He would prefer she be far away from DC, though.”

I let ideas roll around my head for a moment. I could take her to one of the safe houses we have in Idaho, so I’d still be close enough to Bend if I needed to go home for some reason or call in some of my other brothers to assist.

“You’re still forgetting one thing, Ruthie. I’m not a fucking bodyguard. I run missions to stop terrorist attacks, to find serial killers, and to spy on other countries for delicate information. Not babysit some spoiled rich kid.”

“Well, that’s too bad for you because I already told him you’d do it.” Her cheeks are stretched with how hard she’s grinning.

Motherfucker.

Of course she did.

I pinch the bridge of my nose and count to ten. Killing a CIA handler would be bad. Very bad. Don’t do it, Cage.

The mantra I repeat in my mind helps, and when I look back at the woman, I smirk. “Whatever you need, Ruthie. I’m here for you, ma’am.”

My slight digs make the corners of her lips twitch, but she doesn’t say anything. Instead, she gets up and glides to the door of the conference room. “She’ll be at the airfield in an hour. Don’t let me down, Cage.”

I scoff and lift my head to ask her when I’ve ever let her down, but she’s already gone when I do.

Fuck.

The only information in the file is a name. I scan it several times.

Ember Elizabeth Adams.

Cute.

If she’s the daughter of a congressman, she’s not using his last name because I don’t know who her father is based on her surname. Fucking awesome. It’s already complicated.