Page 5 of Deadly Forever

“I told you what to pack,” James shot back. “It’s an island.”

“But … are we all going to be staying together?” Finn didn’t look thrilled at the prospect.

“I’m not an idiot,” James replied. “I know you guys don’t want to see one another on your honeymoons. That’s why you’re all going to separate islands.”

Grady’s eyebrows flew up his forehead. He was clearly intrigued. “This is the first I’m hearing of that,” he said. “How is it going to work?”

“It’s the Bahamas,” James replied. “There are a bunch of different islands. You each get your own. If you want to meet for dinner one night, though – which I totally don’t recommend because it cuts down on your private naked time – you can meet on one of the islands without a problem.”

“Are we staying in hotels?” Jake asked.

“I rented houses so you can have unlimited privacy,” James answered.

“Oh, it’s almost as if you’re spoiling us,” Grady teased. “What’s your deal? Why are you going out of your way like this?”

“I happen to be a generous and giving man.”

“True,” Grady confirmed, rubbing his chin. “Something else is going on, though. What?”

James blew out a long-suffering sigh, one only an older brother could muster. “Your honeymoon is going to be one of your best memories ever,” he said. “There’s no reason not to enjoy it.”

“Why really?”

“I want you to have a good time,” James said. “While you’re having a good time in the Bahamas, though, I’m going to be having a good time here. I don’t know if you have realized it or not, but we’ve pretty much pushed off everything but the most important clients while you’re gone for your honeymoons, so I will have some time off in your absence as well.”

“I have noticed,” Grady said, bobbing his head. “That was also generous of you. Something tells me you’re going to have something of a honeymoon of your own while that’s going on, though, so it’s not exactly like you’re doing it just for us.”

“No, it’s not,” James agreed, grinning. “One of those two weeks will be spent here and I will keep up on work. The other … well … there’s an artists’ retreat in the Upper Peninsula. It’s very prestigious and hard to get an invite, but I nominated Mandy for it – even sending photographs of some of her work – and she was accepted.”

Grady widened his eyes, surprised. “You’re taking her to an artists’ retreat?”

“It will be fun for me, too,” James said. “I won’t be attending the classes but there’s fishing … and hiking … and I got a very secluded cabin with a private hot tub.”

“Ah, in other words, you’re going to be naked as much as we are,” Grady said, snorting as he shook his head. “You’re a piece of work. You know that, right? Here we were thinking you were going out of your way for us, but instead you were going out of your way for Mandy.”

“She deserves it,” James argued. “You guys deserve it, too, don’t get me wrong, but she deserves it most. She wanted to make sure you had fabulous honeymoons. That’s the only thing she asked of me when I started planning them. She’s going to be lonely when you’re all gone, though, and I want to make sure I keep her entertained.”

“Lonely?” Grady was confused. “Are you planning on ignoring her while we’re gone? I have to say, that doesn’t sound a thing like you.”

“I don’t plan on ignoring her,” James countered. “I plan on showering her with affection … and gifts … and my tongue.”

“You’re such a pervert,” Grady muttered, shaking his head.

“She’s still going to miss your hens because they like to gossip,” James said. “I’m entertaining and I know she’ll be perfectly happy spending time with me. Still, she’s not the center of attention this time so … I don’t want her feeling left out.”

“You know you’re setting a bad precedent, right?” Jake asked, rubbing the back of his neck. “She might end up spoiled if you’re not careful.”

James and Grady snorted in unison. Mandy was already spoiled and everyone knew it.

“I think I’ll take my chances,” James said. “I … .” He didn’t get a chance to finish because his gaze swept over to the television where the local news station had broken in to regular coverage to show a fluid situation at an area shopping mall. “Is that where the girls are?”

“Where?” Grady snapped his head to the television and frowned. “It says armed gunman are in the mall and shots have been fired.”

“That is the mall they’re at,” Finn said, swallowing hard. “You don’t think … .”

“I think trouble finds Mandy when she’s least expecting it,” James said, reaching for his keys. “We have to get over there right now.”

“WHAT do we do?”