Secrets of Summer - THE SPECTER SERIES [book four]

Chapter THIRTY NINE

Kirby Carter

You know you look like hell by the time you make it upstairs to the wearhouse lab.. Your eyes are puffy from crying in the car and your heart is heavy from the unfinished argument that lingers between you and Hunter.. Who now sits off to the side of the room, observing quietly, brooding..

Konstantin has about a hundred questions for you about wiring device charges and you are halfway through explaining the tricky process.. "Alright.. Because it's a closed circuit, you have to take care not to allow these two lines to cross, see?.."

You point to where he has made his error as he leans over your shoulder to get a good look, his spicy cologne tickling your nose.. "If there had been tannerite in these triggers you would have lost a hand.. Or an arm.. Did you get zapped?.."

He nods and his cheeks flush a little in embarrassment as he grins.. "Yez..Vrery Much.."

You chuckle.. Carefully undoing his faulty work and replacing the wires in the correct position.. "Hurts like a bitch, right?.."

He laughs, rolling a heavy shoulder with a little too much bravado.. "Eh.. Iz not so bad.."

You roll your eyes at him and he grins cheekily... "Liar.."

Your teasing tone draws another rumbling chuckle from the Russian..

Konstantin Ivanov has changed your views on gangsters forever.. Working beside him has opened your eyes to the stange lines Hunter walks between his different worlds.. And the Russian is a gentle giant..

Sweet and respectful..

You know he carries with him a darkness too.. But so does the viking.. So does Patrick.. So do you.. Maybe everybody does..

You had judged Hunter so harshly for retaining his Bratva ties.. But you have come to see how you might have been wrong to do that..

A sharp cell ringer chimes and you look up from your demonstration to see Hunter lifting his phone to his ear.. "Yut?"

He answers sharply.. "Where?"

His brow furrows angrily as he rises to his feet and begins pacing across the floor like a agitated panther.. "How long ago?"

You watch as his muscular frame goes tense .. Something is wrong.. You can feel it.. Putting down the wire cutters you rush over to stand in front of him.. Peering up at him with concerned, questioning eyes.. He stares into your soul, listening intently to the voice on the other end of the line..

"Find Greyson. I'll be right there.." He hangs up, shoving the phone in his pocket, looking over your shoulder.. "Konstantin, brat!"

Your knees wobble as you whip around to see Konstantin look up from the workbench.. "Da, comrade?.."

You place your hands on the vikings chest, trying to get him to stop ignoring you.. "Hey, who was that?.."

Hunter doesn't look at you.. "I need you to take KC home, now.."

Konstantin nods, raising to his feet..

"Viking?! Whats going on?.." You warble..

Hunter takes both of your hands in his, tracing small circles on your palms.. "Knox lost eyes on your sister after she got back to campus, and Greyson didn't make check in.. Neither of them has been seen for hours.."

Terror seizes your heart..

Oh god.. Oh no.. This is it.. The worst.. The thing you had most been afraid of happening..