Free Sins and Scarlet Lace by Liliana Hart Page A

others understood was that he was going underground with Sophia and staying there until she was safe. Brant would take control of the D.C. branch of MacKenzie Security, and his brother, Cade, was already in charge of the Dallas branch. He trusted his family to keep things going and get the jobs they’d already been hired for done.
    “Cal Colter and Archer Ryan are both off on assignment, so you need to get in contact and update both of them,” he said to Brant.
    Cal and Archer were two of his top agents and he wanted everyone to take extra precautions. Whoever was behind this was sharp enough with computers that it was possible Declan and the security firm he’d created could be compromised. No computer or security system was infallible. Not even his, though it was close.
    “Close down the offices while you’re on vacation. There’s nothing else that’s pressing at the moment. Make sure you pass the word to keep an eye out for breaches in the system.”
    “We can postpone the vacation if you need us to, Dec,” Darcy said, coming up to him and putting her arms around his waist in a tight hug. She was a pain in the ass sometimes, but when it came down to it no one was more loyal to family than she was. “You don’t have to do everything on your own. We’d help if you’d let us.”
    “I know you would, but I’d feel better if we shut down for a week or two. I want to see the kind of reach the person behind this has, and if he’s as good at manipulating the systems and hiding his tracks as I think he is, I don’t want to inadvertently put anyone in this office in danger.”
    “I’ll let Cal and Archer know what’s going on, but they’ll probably both be another couple of weeks at least on their assignments,” Brant said. “What are you going to do about the Dallas office?”
    “The whole office is already in Colorado working on freeing those cult members. Things are tricky there, and last I heard from Cade they’re trying to prevent another Jonestown. Max and Jade are working undercover inside. I’ll fill Cade in when I can. I don’t want to add to his worries.”
    “You’re going to need help,” Brant said. “You can’t do this on your own.”
    “I know, which is why I’m taking Sophia home to Surrender. I’d rather settle this on my own turf where I’m familiar with the surroundings. I’ve got the land and the resources to put up a fight if we need to.”
    “That’s what you want?” Brant said, raising his brows in question.
    “No, but if he’s as strong of a hacker as I think he is I want to be prepared in case he runs down our location. Shane and his team are on leave, and I can have a few of them for backup in a couple of the empty cabins on my property. My cousin is the sheriff, so he can be on the lookout for trouble in town.”
    “You’ve forgotten one thing,” Sophia said.
    Declan could tell by looking at her that she was spitting mad and trying to rein in her temper. Jesus, he had it bad. One look at those pouty full lips and stubborn chin and he was hard enough to drive nails. Suddenly the decisions that had seemed so important years ago seemed like a mistake now. But he couldn’t bear to lose anyone else because of who and what he was, and here he was dragging Sophia into the middle of games she didn’t know how to play. Only this time there was no option for failure. He couldn’t lose her like he’d lost his friends and the agents he’d known through the years. What was left of his soul would be completely destroyed.
    “What’s that?” he asked, knowing exactly what she was about to say.
    “You’ve forgotten to ask me if this is what I want to do. I’m not an idiot. I realize I’m in over my head with whatever is happening here, and I’ll take whoever you have to spare to protect me while I’m in hiding until this bastard is caught. But I’ll be damned if I go anywhere with you.”
    “Too bad, sweetheart. I’m all you’ve got. What are you afraid of? That