“Oh, please, you can call me Remi.”
“Kathy’s our housekeeper, cook, and jack of all trades. We’d be lost without her and her husband.” Greer sent the older woman a smile, then glanced at Remi. “If you like, you can leave your things in here.” He nodded, indicating her purse and laptop case.
“No. I’ll bring them.”
A swinging door separated the kitchen from the next room. He held it open for her. She stepped out into the dining room, which went silent as those assembled noticed her. Five women, seven men, and two children. The gathering looked familial. What the hell was going on here?
Greer slipped past her. He lifted his hand to indicate the group. “Everyone, this Dr. Remington Chase. Doc, this is everyone. Max isn’t here, but you met him last night.”
A redheaded lady who was helping a little boy straightened and held out her hand. “Hi. I’m Mandy. I’m with Rocco.” She pointed to one of the dark-haired men she met last night. “This is his son, Zavi. We heard you were helping the guys.”
She nodded at Rocco and smiled at his boy. “I hope I can help them, but I’m afraid it may be an unequal exchange.”
“Don’t know if Greer told you, but the house you’re staying at is where I live. Well, where I used to live.” She flashed Rocco a look. “It was my grandparents’.”
“Thanks for letting me stay there. It’s very comfortable.” Remi didn’t bring up the huge black crater next to Mandy’s house—she supposed it might be a sensitive subject in this group.
Another woman came over to them. Dark-haired with midnight blue eyes. “Hope you’re hungry! Grab a plate and help yourself.” She held out a hand. “I’m Ivy.”
“Nice to meet you,” Remi said.
“You’ve probably met my husband, Kit. That’s our daughter, Casey.”
Remi glanced across the table to Greer’s team leader, who was regarding her with a measuring look. She nodded at him, then looked around the table. She’d met all the men, but none of the women—until now. Three more introduced themselves. Hope, Eden, and Selena, who was dressed like Greer in a black tee and cargo pants with a pistol strapped to her thigh. She had to be another mercenary.
Remi was curious about the group. They all seemed healthy and happy and vibrantly alive…but happiness could be faked and fear hidden under masks of complacency—as she well knew.
Greer led her around the table to two open chairs. Once she’d put her things down, he gestured toward the long buffet overflowing with breakfast choices, hot and cold. “See why I wanted to come here?”
“You had me thinking we were sneaking into your friend’s house.”
“This is my friend’s house.” Greer nodded toward one of the guys. “Blade owns this fortress.”
“It’s a lovely home…Blade.” She scoured her mind, trying to remember if the brown-haired, gray-eyed man had been introduced to her by his name or his nickname.
Remi filled her plate with eggs and fruit, then returned to her seat. There was a lot of movement in the room. People came and went.
Greer sipped his coffee as she finished the last bite of her fruit. The few remaining people in the room were having quiet conversations.
Out of the blue, Kit nodded and said, “Great. We’re heading down now.” He got to his feet and kissed his wife’s forehead. “Lion’s here. We gotta go.”
She caught his sleeve. “Kit, let the boy eat first. Please.”
Kit stared at his wife a long minute, then scowled. Looking into the middle distance, he issued an order. “Max, bring him up. Ivy wants him fed.”
Remi leaned over and asked Greer in a whisper, “Who’s he talking to? How?”
Greer pointed to his ear. “We wear a communication device. I’ll have to join them in a meeting. I imagine you have some work you can do for a little while?”
She nodded and set her fork down.
“You can stay in here and do it, or use the living room, or park yourself on the patio. Please don’t leave the grounds. If there’s anything you’d like to eat or drink, help yourself from the kitchen.” He gave her the wireless info she would need to connect.
Max came in with a young man close on his heels.
“Lion!” Hope hurried over to hug him, then led him over to the buffet table. The boy was nearly a man. He was almost as tall as Kit, with broad shoulders his lanky build didn’t yet support. He wasn’t dressed as any kid she knew; he wore a rustic and simple outfit of tan homespun pants and top.
The fabric looked terribly familiar. And his animal name…
She leaned over to whisper to Greer, “Is he a watcher?”
“You know about the watchers?”
“I know of them. I’ve never met one before.”
The boy filled his plate then faced the table again as Casey came back into the room. She stopped next to her dad. “Lion! Hi.” She smiled at the kid.
The boy’s lean face remained stoic. The only movement was the color rising on his cheeks. He looked at Kit, then dropped his gaze to his plate. “Casey,” he said, as if even that was somehow trespassing.
Remi looked at Kit, caught his rigid expression. Ivy apparently did as well, for she tilted her head and widened her eyes, giving her husband the classic and silent order to stand down.
Kit’s nostrils flared. He looked at his daughter. “Go about your business, Case.”
“But Lion’s here—” His daughter looked at her dad’s imperious brow, then complied without further comment.
Kit nodded at Lion. “Greer, bring him with you when you come down,” he said, then left the room.
Greer leaned back in his seat and grinned. “Roger that, boss.”
Remi curiously tucked away that little exchange. She glanced over at Greer, who shook his head and mouthed, “Later.”
Ivy reached over and gripped the boy’s wrist. He’d quit eating and was about to rise. “Stay and finish. No harm will come to you here.”
Max folded his arms. “Provided you stay away from the boss’ daughter.”