A Wilde Christmas (Wilde Security Worldwide #0.5)

Chapter 4

four

Davey looked up at the familiar squeak of the door hinge, unsurprised to see his brothers in the hallway.

“Thought we’d find you in here.” Elliot stepped into the room with their youngest brother, Dominic, behind him.

He’d had every intention of going downstairs after he left Dad’s office but only made it as far as his old room. It wasn’t the same anymore—no more Washington Capitals merch or posters of his favorite bands, and all of his old swim medals and hockey trophies sat in a box in his closet at his apartment. Mom had converted the space into a bland guest room long ago, but he still found comfort in these four walls, even if they were painted a soft gray now instead of the intense blue he’d chosen as a teenager.

“What’s going on?” Dominic asked and flopped on the bed beside him. Excluding baby Nova, he was the youngest of the family at twenty-eight. Sometimes, he seemed even younger than that to Davey, who had already been a SEAL for a year when Dom started high school. Of the three of them, he was most like their father—goofy, fun-loving, and, more often than not, annoying as hell. The family had never needed a golden retriever because they already had one in Dominic.

Davey exhaled hard. “Dad and the uncles are retiring. They offered me the company.”

Dom sat up. “For real?” he said at the same time Elliot muttered, “Shit.”

“What?” Dom glanced back and forth between them. “Wait, what am I missing? This is an honor. Out of all of us, they chose you . You should be thrilled.”

“I am,” Davey said, but it didn’t sound convincing even to his own ears.

Dom shot him a skeptical look. “And yet you’re holed up here instead of celebrating with a bottle of Dad’s good scotch. That doesn’t sound thrilled to me.”

“Because Cade’s not gonna like it,” Elliot said.

Cade.

Davey groaned and leaned his head back against the headboard. “Fuck. I didn’t even think of that.”

Elliot stared at him. “Cade’s not what you were worried about?”

“No, he wasn’t even on my radar.”

“He should never be off it. He’s a scary dude.”

Dominic shrugged. “So, what? He’ll get over it. They appointed you.”

Elliot smacked the back of Dom’s head. “Dumbass. Do you even know Cade Wilde? He doesn’t get over things. He gets revenge.”

“Fuck,” Davey said again with feeling.

“Have you talked to him yet?” Elliot asked.

“No. They kinda just dumped it on me, and I didn’t have the opportunity.” He dragged both hands over his face. “But I should’ve talked to him before signing anything. The company’s his life.”

“What are you going to do?” Dom asked after a beat of silence.

“What can I do? I signed the papers. Can’t back out now.” He sucked in a fortifying breath and pushed to his feet. “I’ll handle Cade.”

“Uh-huh,” Elliot said doubtfully and raised a brow at Dom. “You want popcorn for this disaster flick?”

“You know it,” Dom said. “And a front-row seat.”

“We better grab some rain ponchos for the bloodshed.”

“Ah, good idea. And maybe our kevlar in case of stray bullets.”

“And a trauma kit.”

“Think Davey left us anything good in his will?” Dom wondered, making Elliot snort a laugh.

Davey pushed between them. “I hate you both.”