“Yeah. I have something I need looking into. It’s not urgent, but it’s delicate. I can’t trust just anyone with it.”

He drums his fingertips on the desk. “You want Jessie to look into it?”

“Yeah.” His wife is the best computer hacker in the country, possibly the world. There’s no information this woman can’t dig up, and she does it faster and cleaner than anyone I’ve ever known. And given the business I’m in, I’ve known a lot of people who offer those kinds of services. There’s one guy in Los Angeles who comes close, but he lacks her finesse.

Shane’s lips twitch in a smirk. “You do understand that I have you on a retainer, Nathan, and not the other way around. Seems like I’m the one working for you these days.”

I hold his gaze, aware he’s only half joking. I’ve requested his wife’s services about half a dozen times in the past six months. And while Shane and I might be friends, he’s still the head of the Irish mob, and I don’t ever take his position in this city—or the things he’s capable of—for granted. “First, I’m not asking you to do it. It’s your wife whose services I require. And second, you’re keeping your nose so clean lately, it’s not my fault I have nothing to do for you.”

He rubs a hand over his stubble, and his lips curve as he sighs. “What can I say? The love of a good woman does something to a man.”

“Yeah. And I also know that your wife loves this sort of work, and that you and your brothers would do anything to make her happy, so it’s almost like I’m doing you a favor if you think about it.”

He chuckles. “You’re a cocky fucker, and I like that. But yeah, she does love it, and it sure as hell keeps her out of trouble. And if there is one thing my wife is good at finding, it’s fucking trouble.” He shakes his head.

“This is nothing dangerous. I just need information on a murder that happened seventeen years ago.”

His green eyes narrow. “And why is it delicate?”

“The victim was my wife’s father. I’d rather not let anyone know I’m looking into it.”

He gives a knowing nod. “I’ll give her your number and you can tell her what you need. No sense in me continuing as the go-between if she’s going to keep doing this kind of work for you.”

“I appreciate that, Shane.” I’m fully aware of the trust he’s placing in me. The Ryan brothers might share their wife with each other, but they’re notoriously possessive of her—bordering on rabid—when it concerns anyone else. “I wish she’d let me pay her for her time and effort.”

He shakes his head. “I already told you, she doesn’t give a fuck about money. Make a donation to charity instead.”

“Yeah, I will.” I know the perfect one, and she’ll definitely approve because she helped bring down the fuckers who hurt the woman that set it up.

“So, your wife?” Shane asks, and my hackles rise.

“What about her?”

“It was sudden. I never thought I’d see the day you settled down. I guess I’m curious.”

“She’s one of the most incredible people I’ve ever met,” I tell him honestly.

“I hope she brings you some of the peace you need, Nathan.”

I frown at him. “You think I need peace?”

He sucks on his top lip for a second, then gives one firm nod of his head. “I think all men like us need peace. Not that we’re ever willing to admit that until we find it.”

“And who exactly are men like us, Shane?”

“Men who don’t know we’re broken until someone comes along and fixes us.”

Chapter

Thirty

MELANIE

Ishovel a spoonful of cereal into my mouth as I scroll through the pictures Tyler sent me from his date at a miniature golf place last night. He’s such a cliché. A smile spreads across my face and milk drips down my chin.

Damn! I wipe it with the sleeve of my pajama shirt, and that’s when I see him leaning against the doorframe of the kitchen with his arms folded over his chest, looking sexier than any person has a right to look.

“How long have you been standing there?”

He grins. “Long enough to watch you inhale that bowl of Fruity Pebbles.”

My cheeks heat with embarrassment. “I didn’t get a chance to have lunch today because we were so busy. I thought you were working late or I would have cooked.”

He crosses the room and leans against the countertop beside me. “We got everything worked out early.”

“Have you eaten?”

He shakes his head. “But I see something delicious that I’d love to devour right now.” He dips his head and runs his tongue from my collarbone to my ear, making me shiver.

“You need actual food.”

He slips his hand into my pajama pants. “I’ll order us some takeout.”

I arch into the pleasure of his fingers between my thighs. “I can cook us something.”

He presses his lips against my ear. “I’d rather you spend the next half hour doing something else, corazón.”

“Well, if you insist, Mr. James, sir.”

He smiles against my skin. “That reminds me, we have an event to attend Saturday night.”

Heat coils in my core as he continues toying with me. We’ve spent most of the two months since we got married in our own little cocoon, outside of work at least. I’ve been grateful for that, but there’s no escaping who Nathan is and the circles he moves in forever. I knew this was going to be a part of our life at some point. “What event?”

“Some fancy dinner for my father’s company. It’s an investor thing, but he wants us there.”

He slides a finger inside me, and I moan. “O-okay.”

“Will you let me choose your dress?”

I narrow my eyes, trying my best to look indignant but probably failing miserably in my distracted state. “Why, you don’t trust me to choose something appropriately fancy?”

“I trust you.” He adds a second finger, and I have to wrap my arms around his neck to stop myself from falling off the stool with the rush of pleasure that engulfs me. “But I want to look at your ass all night in a dress I chose for you.” He slides his fingers out of me and sucks them clean. “So?”

I bite my lip. “Okay.”

“Good.” Lifting me by my hips, he wraps my legs around his waist and carries me to the bedroom. “I’m going to fuck that sass right out of you one of these days, corazón.”

“You need to order dinner first.” I flash him a wicked grin.