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“If he knew about us, wouldn’t he be here by now?” West asked.
She licked her lips. “Maybe he sent someone to begin with, then drew them back . . . I don’t know. Perhaps he sends someone here every so often. Or perhaps he doesn’t know at all.”
“You researched us,” Alec said. “Do you know about our cousins? Who they are?”
“Regent Malone and his siblings,” she whispered. “Yes. I’ve heard of him. Stefan actually mentioned him a few times.”
“I’ve spoken to Regent about all of this. He’s looking into him and he’s sending us some of his men. I’ve spoken to Mateo Marceras as well.”
“I don’t know him,” she said.
“Our old man got in deep with Mateo’s father, then he bailed and left us to pick up the pieces. Mateo helped us extract ourselves from that situation,” Alec explained. “He’s got connections to the underworld as well. He doesn’t know your brother, but he’s making some discreet inquiries. He thinks he knows some people who know him.”
“They need to be careful,” she said.
“They will be. In the meantime, I’m pulling everyone in. We’re all doubling up. Raid and Hannah are moving in with Clem and Jaret. Butch and Lara will stay with Beau, Maddox, and Scarlett. I want the same promise I extracted from Ryleigh and Opal, that you will not leave the Ranch.”
“But my jobs?” she asked.
“Devon and Peggy understand the circumstances and are fine with it,” Alec told her.
She narrowed her gaze at him. “Did you call my bosses and quit my jobs.”
“I did.”
Wow. This guy.
“And you thought I was bossy and arrogant,” Tanner whispered. “Bet I’m looking like a good catch right now, aren’t I?”
“You might have competition for the title of Meanie Malone,” she agreed.
He laughed and she had to smile at the sound. Something inside her eased.
Alec sighed, proving he could hear them. “Well?”
It didn’t feel right not to work and contribute. She glanced up at Tanner, biting her lip. “Are you okay with that? I don’t have much in savings, but I can give it to you all for groceries and stuff.”
“Dear Lord, are you going to shut her up?” West grumbled.
She gasped in horror before Tanner kissed her. Hard and fast. Then he gave her a stern look. “Shut up. No one wants your money.”
“Rude.” But she didn’t take offense. She was finally coming to realize that these men were real men.
Protective. Possessive.
A bit gruff and arrogant, but with huge hearts.
They didn’t calculate every move and make a decision based on what they thought they would get out of something. They genuinely wanted to do what was best for the people they cared about.
“So, you’re just going to wait and see what your cousin can find out?” she asked. “What is he looking for?”
“He’s going to see what your brother is up to,” Alec told her. “See if he can get to someone close to him. Meanwhile, we’ve let some key people in Haven know what is going on. Don’t worry, they won’t tell anyone else. But we have allies, and we need to use them. There will be people patrolling the grounds at all times. We have excellent security. This isn’t the first time we’ve had to protect our own.”
She sucked in a breath, leaning against Tanner tiredly. “Stefan wouldn’t understand that.”
“What, baby?” Tanner asked.
“Loyalty earned without terror. All of his men are scared of him; they follow him out of fear. Any colleagues he has either want to overthrow him or fear him doing that to them. He has no friends. I sometimes think that’s why he’s obsessed with me. I’m his. No one else’s. He wants me but can’t have me. He’s never been denied anything. But me. I know it sounds disgusting and I’m not saying it’s sexual. It’s about . . .”
