That made him chuckle because now he wanted to know. “You can tell me.”
“Okay. Remember I said it was silly.”
He nodded and glanced at her again. God, she was beautiful. In blue jeans and a comfy looking T-shirt, her figure drew him to her, and his blood ran south. Damn, he had it bad for her.
“Well, we were at a bar and it was the first time my parents bought me a pint of Gat.”
“Okay,” he said slowly. Odd memory.
“I told you it was silly. It’s just, that was the first time they acknowledged me as an adult. So, I remember that feeling of gratification and think of them.”
That was heavier than he expected. “That is a good memory,” he said, because anything else would be wrong in some way. “I have a memory from my father.” Now he felt stupid about what he was going to say. “It was when he gave me my aviator pilot watch.” He showed her the item on his wrist. “It told me he had faith in me becoming a pilot.”
“And you did.”
A pilot who was afraid of taking flight. “Yeah, I did. But, like you, I remember that moment every time I look at my watch. So I get your need to recreate the scene so you can revisit it.”
“When I go home, I can visit it as often as I want. But, until then, the painting will do.”
They were quiet the remainder of the walk back to his home. Once there, he marveled at how much Devon, some of the Hamilton brothers and a few from Bravo team had accomplished.
“The glass has been replaced in your window, and all windows have sensors on them, so no one will sneak in that way again,” Devon said, when Danny approached him.
Devon’s voice didn’t sound it, but Danny felt like he was being chastised for not protecting his home better to begin with. “Thanks. I appreciate it.” Anything to make Moira safer.
“I’m still ready to kick your ass for taking her out today,” AJ told him.
Bristling, Danny stiffened and straightened, ready for a fight, even if only verbal. “I made sure she was safe.”
“She’d have been safer here with all of us,” Brad Hamilton said.
Of all the men to tell him about keeping his woman safe, these three took the cake. His woman? He wanted her to be, but there was still the matter of his brother. Based on her holding Danny’s hand, he didn’t think she held any regard for his brother, but he owed it to the man to speak with him first, in case his brother did hold a regard for Moira. Then, there was her wanting to return to Ireland. He guessed he could go with her, but his home was here. That realization let him feel how important it was for her to return home. Home held a special place in your heart. Maybe since she wouldn’t have any loved ones still there, she’d then consider staying.
“She’d just been freaked out and you brought men she doesn’t know here. Of course she needed to get out. Besides, I’m not certain the three of you, especially you, AJ, are the best for telling me how to protect a lone woman.”
“Hey, times with Megan were different,” AJ blustered.
“Yeah, sure. You kept her on the run with you instead of handing her over to the safety of your brother’s protective arms. At least I’m utilizing all the protection available.”
“Megan was still different,” AJ hedged.
“Maybe not.” Let them take that for what it was worth. He’d just let them know Moira meant more than a friend needing protection. If they tried to take him off lead for the op because she meant something to him, he’d go ballistic. Only Boss could usurp his leadership of the team. Technically, any Hamilton brother could do that, but they didn’t. They left the teams to Boss and even followed him when they participated on a mission. Well, mostly. They each took over when the women, they later married, had been in danger.
“So that’s how it is.” AJ shook his head. “Only a man in too deep would even consider putting a tracker on his woman.”
Okay, it sounded wrong, but he knew it wasn’t. She’d been free to move around, but between the men he’d hired and the tracker, he’d known where she was in case she’d been in trouble. Well, except for last night, since he’d chosen not to replace the men. He’d become comfortable and somewhat safe. He swallowed at the thought of the danger she’d been in when he’d been drinking beer with the guys.
“Anything on the men who chased her?”
“Underground by association, but no specific IDs on their names.”
His gut clenched in fear for Moira. If they had caught her…. He couldn’t think it. “So now we need to figure out if she was a target of opportunity or contracted.”
“It sounds like they gave up too easily for a targeted pick,” Brad said. “Think about it. They let the boys turn them away from checking, not only the woman being kissed, but the women’s restroom. Then, they weren’t waiting outside the door for when she left. No, I’d go for target of opportunity. Those two were probably trying to impress the bosses. I’m upset to say that since they didn’t get Moira, they probably snatched another woman.”
Danny nodded. He liked that line of thinking, but not that another woman may have been abducted. They’d keep an eye out for anyone suspicious, potentially from the Underground, but he’d keep that hope she hadn’t been targeted. Just in case there was another faction at work, he’d check in with Justin and Declan to see if they knew of any activity.
“But someone still broke in and destroyed her studio,” Devon said. “That was targeted. It screams petty though. The Underground would’ve trashed the entire place.”
It did seem petty. “Moira doesn’t know anyone she’s upset since she’s been here. Couldn’t
