Lethal Consequences (17 page)

Zane turned in the middle row and hooked his arm over the back of his seat, looking Landon straight in the eye. “What’s going on between you and the sister?”

Shock sent a burst of heat straight down Landon’s spine. His gaze snapped to Eve, who was sitting beside Zane, leaning forward in the second row to talk to Hedley and Olivia at the front of the vehicle. If she heard what Zane had asked, she didn’t show it. “Nothing.”

“Something.”

Landon frowned and looked back at his buddy. “Stay out of it.”

“I will, but she won’t.” He nodded toward Eve. “So you better figure out what the hell you’re gonna say because that one’s gunning for you.”

A whisper of relief rushed through Landon. Not because Eve wanted to kick his ass, but because he knew after he left, someone would be looking out for Olivia. He wanted it to be him, but her domineering older sister wasn’t a bad second.

“We’re just friends,” Landon said. “I didn’t know she was heading to Spain to see me. It was a total surprise. But trust me, after everything that happened, I’m pretty sure the younger Wolfe wants to have nothing to do with me. So Eve can stop stressing. I’ll be out of her sister’s life in a few hours.”

Zane narrowed his eyes. “You sure that’s what you want?”

No, that wasn’t what Landon wanted at all. But it was the only thing he could do. “Wanting shit only gets you in trouble. Pretty sure you know that as well as I do.”

A slow smile spread across Zane’s face. “Yeah. I do. But sometimes life surprises you, and it turns out not to be as bad as you thought.”

The moron was talking about his relationship with Eve. For over a year, Zane had thought she’d turned traitor and wanted nothing more than for her to be caught and punished. Then he’d learned the truth, and their relationship had gone from combative to sultry faster than Landon could blink.

He was happy for the pair—he truly was—but he wasn’t stupid enough to believe in fairy tales. Not for himself, anyway.

“And sometimes it is.” He sighed. “Look, the only thing I want right now is food, a shower, and a place to crash for a few hours before I have to leave. That’s it.”

Zane lifted his brows and shook his head. “Denial, dude. Total fucking denial. I’ve been where you are. It’s a dark and lonely place.”

Landon doubted Zane had ever been where he was. The man’s moral code was way too high. Not a problem Landon had ever experienced.

Hedley pulled the rig off the small two-lane road and stopped in front of a ten-foot wall. Tall trees ran the length of the fence on both sides, blocking the view inside the property and the sea beyond. Hedley shot a shit-eating grin at the security camera, then punched a code into the keypad. Metal groaned, and the giant iron gate slowly opened to reveal a tree-lined paved road that wound across an immaculate terraced lawn toward not just a Mediterranean villa, but a freakin’ mansion.

“Wow,” Olivia muttered from the front seat, sitting up straighter.

Hedley chuckled. “Ryder’s father was this superrich son of a bitch. This is only one of many properties he inherited after the old guy kicked the bucket.”

“It’s gorgeous,” she said.

It was gorgeous. And Landon had seen it a couple of times when he’d done jobs for Aegis overseas. But seeing it through Olivia’s eyes was better. Palm trees waved in the breeze, and numerous flowering vines he couldn’t name covered the grounds, giving the entire place a postcard-worthy quality.

“I’m surprised he doesn’t live here full time,” Olivia said.

“Ryder doesn’t live in any of them,” Hedley told her as he followed the winding drive toward the whitewashed monstrosity. He pulled through the circular drive and stopped in front of the enormous arched doorway flanked by two huge marble pillars.

“Not in any of them?” Olivia asked. “Why not?”

“Don’t know. He’s never said. Aegis has access to all of them, though.” Hedley shoved the vehicle into park. “We’re here, mates.”

The scents of sand and salt met Landon’s senses when he climbed out of the SUV after the others. A gust of warm air rushed across his cheeks, and he drew it in, his muscles tired, his head light. He hadn’t lied to Archer. He wanted nothing more than a shower, food, and sleep—in that order—but first he needed to make sure Olivia was okay.

He inched his way behind the group, but before he could get to her, one side of the giant front door opened and Marley Addison stepped into the sunlight.

Her glasses were pushed up into her golden-blonde hair, and a warm smile split her face when she saw them all. Wearing slim jeans and a fitted blue blouse, she moved quickly down the three steps of the veranda and captured Olivia in a tight hug. “I am really glad to see you.”

“Thanks,” Olivia answered in a tired voice. “I’m glad to be seen.”

Marley eased back and looked from Olivia to Landon at her back, then over the rest of the group. “No problem from Naples?”

“None,” Hedley answered. “Unless you’re talking about that road. Someone needs to bulldoze the thing and put in a freeway.”

“You are such a man.” Eve linked her arm through Olivia’s and tugged her sister up the steps and into the massive house. “People come here to get away from the noise, smart guy, not attract it.”

“I’m just saying.” Hedley flicked Landon a look before climbing the steps behind the girls. “A little twenty-first-century technology in this place wouldn’t be a bad thing. I can barely get cell service out here.”

Archer chuckled and followed Hedley inside.

When they were alone, Marley’s gaze slid to Landon. “Hey, Bull.”

Few people called him that these days. It’d been his nickname when he’d been in the Marines. Mostly because of his size and the fact he’d never been what anyone would consider graceful. But coming from Marley now, with that sad look in her eyes, he knew she’d figured out more in two seconds than the rest of the group had in a couple of hours. “Hey, four-eyes.”

She chuckled and eased up on her toes to hug him. “I’m glad to see you too. Very glad. You had me worried, Miller, and I don’t like to worry.”

Landon didn’t want her worrying either, but a small part of him had to admit he liked the fact she cared. There were very few people in his life who ever had.

Olivia cares. You know she does. Even after all the shit you’ve done to her.

She shouldn’t. God, how could she?

Marley lowered to her heels, and her hand brushed his biceps as she moved. Pain shot up Landon’s arm, and he grimaced. Marley’s gaze snapped to the torn sleeve of his shirt, concern darkening her features. “What happened?”

“Nothing.” He gripped his elbow, squeezing until pain shot to his joint to distract him from the burn in his muscle. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine.” She reached for his shirtsleeve. “Let me see.”

He twisted his arm out of her grasp. Letting her see meant letting her take care of it. And while he could handle the pain he’d been dealing with the whole last day, he knew he didn’t want to subject himself to any kind of “treatment.”

“It’s just a scratch. I’ll be better after a shower and some sleep.”

Marley pinned him with a
you are so full of shit
look. “Landon.”

“Marley,” he tossed back, mocking her. But when she perched her hands on her hips and gave him one of her
I mean business
stares, the ones she usually reserved for Ryder, he sighed. “Look. It’s nothing. Seriously. I just scraped—”

“He’s not fine,” a familiar voice said from the direction of the house. “He got shot.”

Marley turned and glanced toward the veranda. Landon’s gaze snapped up. Olivia stood in the open doorway looking as tired and disheveled as he felt. Only the worry in her eyes was stronger than it had been before, and for the first time he wondered if it was because of everything they’d discussed on the flight, or if there was something else bothering her.

“Shot?” Marley’s wide-eyed gaze snapped back to Landon. “You got shot? And you’re acting like it’s nothing? You really are a bigger idiot than I thought.”

“Get him inside, Marley.” Jake Ryder’s voice rang out behind Olivia. Landon had been so focused on her he hadn’t even noticed the man step into the picture.

Marley ushered Landon up the steps, and, frowning, Landon mouthed “Thanks a lot” to Olivia. She didn’t respond. Only folded her arms over her chest and moved out of the way so he could pass, an unreadable expression on her face.

“Nice of you to finally show up,” Ryder said as Landon drew close. “Eve already gave me the short and dirty version when she called from the plane, but you and I need to chat.”

“Yeah, sure thing. Tell Dr. Frankenstein here I’m fine, and we’ll do it now.”

Marley huffed. “He thinks he’s a comedian now. Did you hear that? Must be the loss of blood. Trust me, you’re not funny, Miller. And you’re not getting out of this.”

Landon’s scowl deepened.

A circular marble entry opened to a sunken living room and tall, arching windows that looked out over a stone patio that dropped off to the sparkling blue sea. Like many of the houses built along the Amalfi Coast, Ryder’s mansion was set on a cliff, and Landon knew there were several tiers and levels below that led down to the water. Levels he’d like to hide in now.

“This way, Dennis Miller wannabe,” Marley said, leading him toward a hallway to the right. “We’ll get you nice and comfortable while I fire up my electrical probes.”

Archer barked out a laugh on the arm of the sofa. “I was wrong, Miller. Here comes that lightning strike. Better watch your ass.”

“He needs to do more than that,” Eve mumbled from across the room.

Landon glanced toward Olivia, wanting her to come with him, needing to talk to her. But before he could say anything, Eve tugged Olivia toward the living room. “I bet you’re exhausted. How about a hot shower, clean clothes, and some food.”

“Yeah,” Olivia answered. “That would be good. But I really need—”

“I know exactly what you need, Liv,” Eve said, leading her in the opposite direction, away from Landon.

Olivia glanced back at him as she rounded a corner, a desperate look in her green eyes, one that made Landon’s worry jump another notch.

“Come on, big guy.” Marley motioned Landon her way.

With no other choice, Landon clenched his jaw and turned, telling himself the whole time that Olivia was fine. He’d talk to her as soon as he was done, set things right, then be out of here.

He followed Marley down a hall and into a large room with more arching windows. One glance around told him that this had once been a bedroom suite, but it was now a makeshift emergency room.

“Sit.” Marley pointed to a chair in the middle of the room that looked like something straight out of a dentist’s office. “And shirt off.”

Scowling, Landon did as she said, his legs suddenly feeling like Jell-O. “Love what you’ve done with the decorating.” He unbuttoned his shirt, the pain in his arm registering loudly now that they were away from danger and his body was on the downhill slide of an adrenaline surge. “You know, I’ll be totally fine with a new bandage, a nap, and a shower.”

“Nice try. Lie back.” She moved into the open bathroom. Water ran as she washed her hands. Ryder appeared in the doorway with a tray of instruments, bandages, and supplies.

“Oh goodie,” Landon mumbled, looking Ryder’s way. “It’s Florence Nightingale.”

Ryder set the tray on a table to his right. “Pussy.”

“Asshole.” Landon leaned back in the chair and stretched out his legs. “Where’s Olivia?” he asked, trying to take his mind off what was about to happen.

“Being mothered by Wolfe,” Ryder answered, shoving his hands into the pockets of his expensive slacks. “Trust me, you’re better off. I’d rather deal with a group of jihad terrorists than that woman when she’s in a mood.”

Landon huffed. Olivia hated it when he coddled her. He could only imagine how she was dealing with her overbearing older sister right this very second.

Marley came out of the adjoining bathroom, a serious expression on her face. She’d ditched the blue blouse and was now wearing just a ribbed white cotton tank. “Jake, hand me that alcohol.”

Ryder gave Marley a gauze pad and a bottle of rubbing alcohol. As she sat on a swivel stool and scooted close to Landon’s arm, Ryder held out a bottle of Bacardi 151. “Toss this back. It’ll help.”

Landon eyed the bottle as if it had three sets of eyes and shook his head. “You know I don’t touch the hard stuff.”

Marley lowered the glasses to her nose and leaned close to get a good look at his wound. When she rubbed a damp, alcohol-soaked pad over his arm to clear away the dried blood, Landon grimaced.

“In a minute you’re gonna want it to deaden your senses. Trust me, she’s no Florence Nightingale.”

Marley glared up at Ryder, then looked back at Landon’s arm and sighed. “Unfortunately, he’s right. The bullet is still in there. I’m not set up for this. We could take you to a hospital—”

“No hospitals.” Landon knew the minute he stepped into an Italian emergency room, the Red Brotherhood would find him. And he didn’t want to do anything to draw attention back to Olivia. “They’ll be watching for that.”

“He’s right,” Jake said.

Marley set the gauze and rubbing alcohol on the table at her side and reached for a small bottle of pills. “Then I’m going to need you to get Archer in here to help hold him down.”

Fuck.
They were doing this without anesthesia. This wasn’t going to be anything like Olivia’s gentle wrap job.

Landon popped the pills Marley handed him without even asking what they were and reached for the 151 from Ryder before the man could get a step away. “Gimme that shit.”

Ryder grinned. “Party on, Garth.”

“Fuck you, Wayne.”

Ryder chuckled as he disappeared out the door. In his wake, Landon drank deeply while Marley moved around the room gathering everything she’d need. A burn rushed through Landon’s esophagus and settled hard in his gut, but it did little to calm his nerves.

Marley sat back on the stool beside him and watched as he took another long guzzle. “We need to give the Xanax a few minutes to work.”