Chapter Two

Danny

I didn't hang around to stare at Diesel's new project. I wasn't going to be a dick, but I really thought Diesel had lost his ever-loving mind. Talon and the team were one thing. A guy that had served seventeen years for nearly killing his dad when his dad had tried to stop him from being cruel to a pet dog was something else.

And a dog? An old family pet? I could gut him myself, and I wasn't in the least sorry Kane was afraid of Sadie. I wanted him nowhere near her.

At least I wouldn't have to work with the guy, since I didn't go on field missions, and seeing as how the new recruit hadn't so much as graduated high school, he probably didn't even know what a CPU, or a computer central processing unit, was so I doubted he wanted to muscle in on my job.

I shut the oven door with a little extra force. Animal cruelty aside, didn't they get the chance to study inside? Although from what I'd seen, the muscles he exercised weren't those between his ears. I put the casserole dish on the table and felt Sadie's nose nudge my leg a little, so I took a couple of deep breaths at the reminder. She could tell when I got a little worked up. I rolled my eyes at the understatement.

"Damn Danny," Diesel said. "If the team knew you'd made your mom's casserole they'd be beating down the door. Take a seat," he waved a hand at the new guy. The new guy nodded his acknowledgement but went to the sink first and washed his hands, then took a seat at the table. I went to the fridge. "Beer?" My question was for Diesel, and Diesel nodded. I glanced at the new—no, his name was Kane—at Kane, but he shook his head.

"I'll just have water if that's okay?"

I got the jug of filtered water from the fridge and grabbed a couple of glasses, a little surprised. You'd think after seventeen years, a beer would be one of the first things he wanted. I was having water myself simply because alcohol didn't mix well with my meds.

Diesel helped himself, then passed the spoon to Kane. Kane just pushed the dish nearer to me.

"You don't want any?" I asked, a little offended. He hadn't even tried it.

"No, I was just taught that the cook should get to serve themselves first." That was a lie. I didn't know how I knew, but I did. But I helped myself then passed the dish back. Just then Sadie decided—unwisely, I thought—that I was safe, and sighing, crawled under the table to lie between our feet. Kane froze, clutching the spoon so hard his knuckles whitened. I carried on eating as if it was no big deal but glanced at Diesel to see if he'd picked up on it. Diesel's eyes flicked to mine. Yep. Of course, there wasn't much Diesel missed. So, the big tattooed ex-con was scared of dogs? Good. Maybe one of them had bitten him after he had finished tormenting it.

Not that I knew what the hell to make of that. The whole thing was weird. After a few moments, Kane started eating, but he didn't eat much for a big guy. I studied his body. Kane didn't have an extra ounce of spare fat on him. He was built, sure, but his face had a gaunt look, and I would have thought the guy could absorb twenty pounds easily without anyone noticing. Irritated, and not sure why I should even care, I watched as Kane examined everything before he put it in his mouth.

This was fucking ridiculous. "Chicken, couscous, tomato, mushrooms, onion, mozzarella, peppers and spinach. Pizza casserole," I chanted off. "They didn't say you had allergies or were a vegetarian. And you can see we're eating it, so I didn't add rat poison."

Diesel shot me a reprimanding look, and I knew why. Yeah, I was being a dick, despite my good intentions. Admittedly, I didn't like anything that upset my carefully controlled existence, and a new team member was the very definition of that, and why did Diesel have to even bring him here? He had a dozen safehouses scattered all over the city. Ringo or Mac would have babysat him. And if he so much as looked sideways at Sadie, rat poison would be the least of his problems.

"Sorry, force of habit," Kane said, his voice barely above a whisper.

I sighed and felt Sadie nudge my toe, and even that felt like a reprimand. "No, I am. Bad day," I said vaguely. Because it looked like I was going to have to put up with him for a week.

"I'm sure you have questions?" Diesel said casually, changing the subject.

Kane took another mouthful, chewed and swallowed, then took a drink of water. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know he was stalling. Weighing up what to ask in his head. "Okay then, why me?"

I half expected Diesel to retort, "why not," but immediately knew Diesel wouldn't have taken that question so flippantly.

"There are two answers to that question," Diesel said, taking a swallow of beer, then scooping another forkful of food. "Firstly, because I've seen how successful a mixed team of enhanced and regular humans can be. I described the basics of the team in Tampa, and while it was a very brief overview which we will go into more detail over the coming week, I'm a businessman and I know full well someone with enhanced abilities can give me an edge over my competitors." Diesel ate while waiting for Kane's reply.

Kane shook his head. "I told you I wasn't some superman."

I chuckled. I couldn't help it. "No, Finn has that honor."

"The guy on his honeymoon?" Kane frowned. "But didn't you say he's a regular?"

Diesel grinned as well. "It's a long story, but yeah, Finn isn't enhanced even though Talon thinks he probably is." It was clear Kane thought we were crazy, but I didn't care. We weren't here to explain ourselves.

"Secondly," Diesel continued. He put his fork down and blew out a breath. "I believe in second chances."

Kane met his gaze. "Either that or you think a guy in my position doesn't have many first ones."

Diesel bent his head in acknowledgement, scooped up some more food, chewed, and swallowed. "Do you remember Archie Newhold?"

Kane

I nodded slowly. Of course, I did. Archie Newhold was a lifer. He'd already done twenty-one years the day I was dumped in there, nothing more than a terrified sixteen-year-old kid. I never knew what Archie saw in me, but Archie immediately took me under his wing. Archie didn't run with any of the gangs, and for some reason they all left him alone, and by association, me as well.

Archie was in for multiple counts of murder, except in and amongst his revenge killing spree, he'd gone into a local convenience store for some milk and saved the life of a fourteen-year-old girl from a hopped-up junkie wanting money and had decided to spray bullets around the store when he didn't get it fast enough. The only reason he'd lived through the store robbery was because he'd caught the bullet meant for the girl by diving in front of her and the gunman had thought he was dead.

Archie's life was all kinds of screwed up. Archie's entire family, including his wife and nine-year-old son, had been gunned down in a gang-style revenge shooting because Archie's younger brother had defected from one of the most notorious gangs in Atlanta, DFE or Dead For Ever. Up to that point, Archie had worked in a bank of all places and hadn't seen his brother in over seven years.

He nearly was Dead For Ever, and it had taken three months for Archie to recover in secret. They'd even had a funeral for him. The US Marshalls had known he would be a target and arranged to relocate him on the day he was discharged from the hospital. But Archie slipped his guards and disappeared to plan his revenge.

Over the next twenty-three months, one by one, every member of the gang had been killed. The day the last gang member had died, Archie had walked into the local station and given himself up.

There wasn't a judge—not one that wanted to be re-elected anyway—that could possibly have handed down the death penalty after that.

"I can see you do," Diesel said. "But do you know a lady by the name of Constance Picket?"

I shook my head, giving up on the food as anxiety filled my belly, and pushed the plate aside.

"Constance was the fourteen-year-old neighbor he saved, and they wrote to each other right up to his death from lung cancer three years ago." I knew that, just not her name. I knew the girl had begged Archie to let her visit, but Archie had refused, worried it would paint a target on her.

Diesel swallowed his mouthful. "The special agent in charge of the enhanced unit is named Anthony Gregory. Apparently he gets quite a few letters regarding his team, but the one he got from Constance Picket he passed on to me. Archie told her numerous times that you didn't deserve what had gone down and she wanted the team to be ready when you came out. Now, Gregory—good as he is—can't do a lot with someone with your history and witnesses, so he gave your name to me around four months ago."

I stared at him in shock. For some reason I was surprised that Danny's face reflected the same emotion. Diesel obviously hadn't shared those details with his team.

"But like I said, I'm assuming you never got any of my letters?"

I shook my head. I might have once, but not after O'Connell got transferred there just before Archie died.

"I can't fly and I can't carry a gun," I reiterated. Not that I wanted to do either. Well, travel maybe. Diesel inclined his head in agreement. "Then who can I guard?"

Danny made a noise of disgust but stood and took their plates. He made it obvious as he noisily scraped the food I hadn't eaten into the trash. Guilt gnawed at me more than my half-empty belly. But I didn't know what the guy's problem was. It was clear he didn't like me. Either the scar or my record, I assumed.

"So tell me what you can do, then," Diesel challenged. "I know last year, despite getting beaten to hell, you made no attempt to fight back."

I narrowed my eyes. How the fuck had he known that?

"I also know that certain guards turned their backs while it was done, so my second question would be, what did you do to piss them off?"

I felt Danny still and turn from where he was tidying the kitchen counter, clearly waiting for my answer. "I don't know why O'Connell had it in for me."

"O'Connell? That was his name?"

"And I knew better than to do anything that would get me more time inside."

"It would have been self-defense," Rawlings argued.

It was my turn to scoff. "Like that makes any difference."

"Is that what happened with your dad?" he asked.

"You ask a lot of questions." My heart picked up. This was bullshit, and I was sick of being interrogated.

"You're asking us to trust you," Danny taunted.

"No, I'm fucking not," I spat out and rose. "I didn't ask for shit from any of you. You turned up when I was released. I don't know either of you." I glared at Rawlings. "I'm leaving."

Rawlings raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "You're absolutely right. Now is not the time or the place to ask anything. I'll show you to your bedroom and—"

"You said I was getting an apartment." The fucker never said I had to share.

Diesel huffed. "I'm having the other two remodeled, but you get your own bedroom and bathroom here. The fourth we use as storage. This unit has three bedrooms, plus an office area for Danny."

"Yeah and we both know he's as enthusiastic about me being here as I am." I was sick of this shit.

Danny took a step toward me and I whirled, putting my back to the wall and scanning for exits. The dog immediately rose to her feet and put herself between Danny and me. She didn't growl, but it was enough to make my stomach want to expel the little it had consumed.

"Don't leave," Danny said and looked apologetic. "Look, I'm sorry. I've treated you like shit because I don't react well to surprises." He swallowed. "I have issues with anything out of the norm. I don't do well with change, and"—he gestured to me— "you're a big change. None of that gives me the right to make assumptions or be an ass. Sadie is my support dog and I've never seen her bite anything other than the biscuits the team gives her."

He paused in front of me. "Sadie, stay," Danny commanded, and the dog immediately sat. She didn't take her eyes off me, though. "Let me show you to your room," he added and walked from the kitchen. Should I follow? I supposed it was either that or spend the night on a park bench, assuming I could even find a park seeing as I'd never been to Marrietta in my life. Scooping my bag up, I followed Danny.

Danny headed across the living room area and toward a small corridor that had three doors. "The one at the end is my room. Sadie sleeps with me. If you hear the main door open, it's just me taking her out before we turn in. I have a secure area I can take her."

Secure? That was a little odd. Who needed a secure area to take a dog to pee? That question distracted me enough that we were in the room to the right before I noticed. And fuck, it was nice. Gray and cream walls. Dark gray carpet and matching furniture, and I immediately toed my ratty sneakers off, feeling guilty I hadn't done so when I arrived. I stared at what looked like the comfiest looking bed I'd ever slept on in my entire life.

Even before prison, no, especially before prison.

Danny carried on and opened another door. "Your bathroom. Supplies under the sink. I don't know what you prefer shaving wise, but there's just generic-type stuff in here which we can change later if you stay." He paused. "Sadie won't come out once we go to bed, so if you need to go into the kitchen at all, for water or food, which you can help yourself to, she won't be there." He paused. "Unless I get up for anything, but then I'll be there as well."

I felt my face flame as I realized he knew the dog scared me. It was embarrassing as shit and something I should really be over now. Even though there had been plenty of guard dogs, sniffer dogs, etcetera in prison, I'd managed to hide it there. The guards always assumed everyone would be scared of something that could rip your throat out. They never knew it was personal. And no one else would either.

I pushed the memory away of the time I'd seen that almost happen, and managed not to gag as the remembered smell of blood invaded my nostrils. I blinked, and while Danny was still talking, I hoped he hadn't seen my reaction.

Because I knew as far as Danny was concerned, I was weird enough.

And somehow in my screwed-up life, I really didn't want to be, or not to him, anyway.

And I wasn't sure why.