Marie Harte - [PowerUp! 08] by Killer Thoughts Page B

up.”
    Ian opened his mouth and closed it like a fish out of water. “Oh, ah, right, then.” He took a step back but kept a wary eye on Caleb, as if not sure what to think.
    “If the drama is over, how about we get back to work, gentlemen?” Owen suggested.
    Ian flushed. “Hey. I’m just calling it like I see it.”
    Caleb shrugged. “If the little guy wants to vent, let him, Owen.”
    “ Little guy ?”
    At that, the Knox brothers and Tim cracked smiles. Owen had to cough to cover a chuckle. Ian looked incensed.
    “Fine. Ian, are you done yet?” he asked in his best patronizing tone, knowing how much it irked his thief.
    He could almost see the steam pouring from Ian’s ears. And Jesus, but Ian in a mad was just the hottest thing. His blue eyes practically glowed with passion, and his energy tantalized. Standing so close, their personal fields seemed to fit, overlapping and seething with wild power. Sometimes Owen felt that around others. He sensed Caleb in that way, but not with the sexual vibes pouring off Ian. Owen wanted nothing better than to take his little thief back to the bedroom and fuck him into submission. Apparently Ian caught some of that emotion, because his flush grew deeper and he glanced away.
    “I’m done, boss .”
    Too bad. “Great. So Caleb is on board to help me nail Kerr. If you all study the folders I’ve laid out, you’ll see exactly what we’re dealing with. Joe, Reuben, I added to what you already had. You’ll want to check that over.”
    “Roger that.” Reuben nodded and took a seat at the conference table in front of a manila folder.
    Joe motioned to the door. “I’ll have Reuben fill me in later. I’ve got to get back to the monitors.”
    “Sounds good. Thanks.” Owen nodded.
    Joe left and closed the door behind him.
    “Still got security holed up in the same place?” Caleb asked.
    “Yes.” Out of the corner of his eye, Owen noticed Ian’s lips flatten and couldn’t have been more pleased. So, his thief didn’t like Caleb’s familiarity? Good. “And there’s a backup in the outside bungalow, where the Knoxes are living.”
    “Good to have security on-site and outside.” Caleb sounded pleased.
    “Sir, if I could add something?” Tim asked.
    “Go ahead,” Owen answered.
    “I’ve noticed some odd marks on our road, like vehicles coming and going that aren’t ours.”
    The road to Owen’s home was private, his property the only thing out there off the main road. Owen tensed. “Is that right?”
    Caleb looked interested as well. “See anything?”
    “No. It’s a solid half mile long, and whoever’s been around is good enough to be out of sight whenever I’m on the road.” Tim frowned and said to Owen, “But I know what our tire treads look like. I wanted to be sure before I brought the matter to you and Reuben.” The head of security.
    “Good work, Tim.” Owen had been waiting for something like this. “Kerr is baiting me. I’m sure he knows all about us, everyone here, and what we’re doing.”
    “He’ll have marked my presence as well,” Caleb added quietly.
    He and Owen shared a look. That couldn’t bode well. Back when Owen had been young and stupid and filled with seething hatred, he’d used Caleb to spot for him to kill Henry, Carl’s older brother. Except he and Caleb had been sloppy, and Caleb’s face had been caught on camera, a fact they both regretted. Nothing could tie him in any way to the murder, but Caleb had been there. If Kerr paid any attention to detail, he’d put two and two together.
    “Shit,” Owen growled. A stupid oversight, not to have foreseen. He was better than that.
    “So much for the element of surprise. No way I’m getting close to him now.” Caleb swore again. “But maybe I can still help from here.”
    “I can’t ask you to do that,” Owen protested, trying to think ahead.
    “Actually, it’s not exactly a favor. Kerr has been on my radar for some time.”
    Owen stared at him. So. Kerr must