“I’m fairly certain I fired two of you,” he said evenly. “Why would you want to help?”

“You did, but Miss Romero was good to us, sir,” John answered. “We owe it to her to find her and bring her home.”

The other six nodded in agreement. But Killian turned to Frank, waiting for his analysis. He was the head of security. He knew the men better than Killian did and Killian wanted the best out there to get Juliette back.

“I vouch for them, sir,” Frank assured him. “They’re the ones I would pick.”

Killian nodded. “All right. Get my coat. We leave now.”

The men nodded.

Frank stepped forward. “With all due respect, sir, it would be best if you remained here.”

Killian blinked. “Here?”

“This could be a trap to get you out in the open,” Frank explained. “We should tread wisely until we have something more concrete.”

The notion was sound, but Killian had been in that house since before Juliette was taken. He’d suffered inside every inch of those four walls. Remaining behind when Juliette needed him was a notion he did not want to even consider.

“You would be a risk to the mission, sir,” Frank added.

Killian conceded. “Fine, do whatever you deem necessary. Bring her home safely.”

“With your permission, sir, I would like to run point from here.”

“What?” Killian frowned. “No. I want you out there looking.”

“I understand, sir, but my first and only priority is to protect you.”

Killian nodded. “But I’m ordering you to find and protect Juliette. She is your charge now.”

Frank’s thick eyebrows furrowed in clear disapproval, but he bobbed his head once more before turning on his heel and marching to the doors. The crew followed him.

“What can I do?” Vi demanded. “I want to do something. I need to do something. I’m going crazy.”

Killian started to open his mouth when Frank returned, his expression tight. “Sir, there’s someone here to see you.”

That someone, much to Killian’s surprise, turned out to be Arlo and Juan. The two were followed closely by no less than eight fully armed men in black attire and cold features. Their impromptu visit had Killian’s suspicions rising. It had him moving to put himself between Vi and the newcomers. The girl’s big, brown eyes shot to his, filled with question, but she wisely kept her mouth shut.

“If I tell you to leave, leave,” he told her quietly under his breath. “Understand?”

Vi nodded.

Killian turned just as the group came to a halt in a small cluster inside the door. Juan, in his loose trousers and gray coat, tore off his leather gloves and stuffed them into his pockets. Next to him, Arlo had the sour expression of someone who’d been force fed cockroach clusters. His bright, red coat was zipped all the way to his chin and he had both hands shoved into his pockets. He reminded Killian of a sullen teenager, which was almost entertaining.

“Juan.” Killian stepped forward to shake the other man’s hand. “To what do I owe to this pleasure?”

“Killian.” He took Killian’s palm in a firm shake. “I have come to offer my services in your time of need.” He motioned with his free hand to the men waiting for his instructions. “They are my best and will do what they can to help find your woman.”

At your woman Arlo shifted and averted his gaze. No one paid any attention, but Killian noticed. He also noticed the glance Arlo cast Vi. It was barely a sideways flick of his brown eyes, but there was no mistaking the spark of interest. It made Killian wonder if he’d ever seen Vi before or even knew who she was. He might have. Maybe he was just surprised to see her in Killian’s home. Whatever the case was, Killian had to suppress the urge to tell Arlo not to even think about it. Even without his promise to Juliette, he still wouldn’t allow assholes like Arlo near her. Not that it mattered. Vi caught the glance and shot Arlo the curled lip of disgust, followed by the aversion of her gaze.

“Thank you.” Killian turned his attention back to the man standing before him. “That is quite generous of you.”

Juan nodded and stepped back. “When one is attacked, we are all attacked. We must unite in times such as this and prove that we do not go down quietly.”

He inclined his head. “Thank you.”

“Arlo will also stay to make sure my orders are followed,” Juan added.

The last thing Killian wanted was Arlo, but to decline would be to insult the other man and Killian had enough problems. Not that he believed this unexpected act of kindness came from somewhere deep in the man’s heart. No one ever did anything without a price. Juan would eventually ask for something and Killian had a feeling he knew exactly what that would be. For now, however, Killian let it slide.

“Thank you.”

With a brisk nod, Juan faced his son. He said something in Spanish that sounded like an order. Arlo frowned, but he nodded and muttered something back. Killian had never been any good at picking up other languages, not like his father, but he suspected Juan was telling his son not to fuck up. He relayed the same message to the men before turning and marching out the way he’d come in with three of the eight men following. Arlo met Killian’s eye and the two exchanged a mutual displeasure over the situation before Arlo’s attention was drawn over Killian’s shoulder to Vi again. Vi caught his glance a second time and her frown was even more vicious than the first time.

“Got a problem, pal?” she muttered.

A smirk tweaked the corner of Arlo’s mouth, darkening his eyes. “I got something.” The remark was followed by the lazy glide of his gaze down the length of her. Killian felt his annoyance prickle and was about to tell the shithead to keep his eyes to himself when Vi beat him to it.

“I don’t something outside my species. Might want to find someone with low self-esteem issues and bad eyesight.”

With that, she folded her arms and stomped over to her usual haunting grounds, only to find her seat occupied. Killian hadn’t forgotten about Marco. He just wasn’t sure what the hell to do with him now. Normally, a slow and agonizing death came to mind, but this was Marco. He used to help Killian into the car when he was too small to get in by himself. He used to help with his seatbelt and made sure it was done up tight. He’d been in the family since before Frank. Since before Killian’s parents had even met. He was family. Had been. He had been family.

“Dominic!” Killian called without taking his eyes off the man waiting for his execution.

Dominic stepped on the threshold, hands clasped neatly in front of him. “Sir?”

Killian jerked a nod towards Marco. “Take him to the basement. Keep him there until I say otherwise.”

Bowing his head once, Dominic hurried forward. Marco was already on his feet, waiting. Neither man said a word as Marco was led out.

Killian glanced up and met Frank’s hard expression. There were extra folds on his face that hadn’t been there before and a flicker of grief in his dark eyes that Killian understood; he wasn’t the only person Marco had betrayed.

“You should go, Frank,” he said quietly.

Frank squared his large shoulders, lifted his chin, and gave a quick nod. “Yes sir.”

“Take Arlo and his men with you as backup.” Anything to get them out of his house.

“Yes sir.”

He stomped forward and the group fell into step in an efficient cluster out the door, leaving Killian alone with Vi.

“He took Juliette?” the girl asked.

Killian moved to his desk. “That’s what he says.”

Vi narrowed her eyes. “You don’t believe him?”

“I do.” He took a seat and stared at his monitor. “He doesn’t know who he gave her to.”

Vi edged closer and perched tentatively in her favorite chair. “Yeah, I heard that part. Phil said he’d been with you for ages. Did you piss him off?”

Killian looked up. “Why would you think I would piss him off?”