Granted, none of them possessed the skills he did or the connections. Maybe it was best if he kept an eye on Zach. From a distance, of course.

  FIVE

  Now this was more like it.

  Ash delivered a right hook to the black leather bag in front of him. His brow was beaded with sweat, his T-shirt clinging to him as he pummeled the swinging punching bag. Man, it felt good. It had been too long since he’d hit something. Back at the grain terminal when he’d been up against some of Hogan’s goons in their Therian forms, he’d been forced to use his wits to outsmart them, since his body had still had healing to do. Some Humans truly believed if a Therian was shot, they’d bounce back up. Fuckwits. Therians might be stronger and heal quicker than Humans, but they weren’t indestructible.

  For weeks he’d been told to take it easy, rest, don’t overexert himself, like he was made of fucking glass or something. On Friday, everyone on his team had been called in for a physical. They’d all been cleared for duty, with only Sloane being sentenced to desk duty for a couple of weeks just in case. His best friend had been pissed, but Ash was secretly glad for it. Sloane had been impaled by a piece of jagged metal and had almost died. Ash didn’t want him out in the field before he was ready.

  Their return had been met with cheers. Ash had never expected it. The whole of Unit Alpha was there to greet them when they stepped foot on the floor. HR had even arranged a party with “Welcome Back” banners, balloons, and cake. Everyone was happy to see them. They’d even been happy to see Ash, which was probably the biggest shocker of all. Sparks had given them all a speech, thanked them for their bravery and service, and then after the party, called them in individually for an assessment.

  Despite being on active duty and having been cleared by the THIRDS physicians, Sparks had Destructive Delta’s Defense agents benched. They were to resume their training regimen for another two weeks before they’d be assigned a case. That was fine with Ash. He’d had enough of resting. He bounced on his toes, pulled his elbows in at his sides, and delivered a roundhouse kick to the bag. His body was raring to go. After a good stretch, he’d started with basic punches and now kicks. He still had a good hour left to practice some routines before it was time to hit the pool, then the shooting range. Maybe tomorrow he’d get in the ring with someone who could give him a good workout. He’d just delivered a side kick when he caught a whiff of something fruity.

  “No,” he growled.

  “You don’t even know what I’m going to ask.” Dex stepped up beside the bag, his hands on his hips.

  “Doesn’t matter. It’s coming out of your mouth, so no.” Left hook, right elbow, left knee.

  “Even if it’s about Cael?”

  Ash stopped and turned to Dex. “You really think that’s going to work every time?”

  Dex blinked at him. “Yes. I really do.”

  “Fuck off.” Ash turned back to the bag, then sighed. Who the fuck was he kidding? “What about Cael?”

  “I need you to train him.”

  Ash jabbed the bag with his right fist. “He’s already trained.”

  “Yeah, but he was put through Recon’s training. Anything beyond that is because Sloane’s insisted on it. Even then it’s not the same training you, Sloane, and Hobbs go through.”

  “Yeah, because we’re Therian Defense agents.” They were the muscle behind Defense. It was their job to take the brunt of the physical danger for their partners. Their Human partners did what they could to neutralize a threat, but as past experiences had proved, that was easier said than done. It was a Therian Defense agent’s job to go up against feral Therians and keep their partners from getting mauled.

  “Hogan proved assholes like him don’t give a shit what kind of agent you are.”

  Ash straightened and turned back to Dex. “So this is because of what happened with Hogan?”

  Dex’s pale-blue eyes flashed with anger. “You bet your ass. Hogan kidnapped Cael. What if we hadn’t gotten there in time?” he spat out, and Ash understood Dex’s frustration, not to mention fear. They’d had one hell of a close call.

  “Hey, relax. He’s okay now.” It seemed like he’d been saying that to Dex a lot lately, which was disturbing. Dex was always annoyingly cheerful.

  “And the next time? Please, just do this. Not for me, but for him.”

  Ash thought it over. He wouldn’t admit it, but Dex was right. Cael wasn’t trained the way Defense was. The Recon department had a training program for its agents. They weren’t trained to take down lethal Therians because that wasn’t their job. Although Rosa and Cael tended to accompany Destructive Delta’s Defense agents more often than not, they did so in a medical and technical capacity. Their main objective was investigating and collecting intel. Maybe it was time for Recon’s training program to evolve. The world had become a far more dangerous place than it had been when Ash first joined.

  “Okay, but what am I supposed to tell him? You know he’ll just walk away if he thinks it’s because he’s weak, which he isn’t.” He could see Cael’s reaction now. It was not going to be pretty. Maybe still adorable, because even pissed off Cael looked perfect to him, but Cael would still get mad as hell.

  “First of all, don’t tell him it was my idea, because then he’ll get defensive for sure. If it’s coming from you, he’ll listen. You care about him, right?”

  Ash gave him an uninspired look. “That’s a stupid question.”

  “Right. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but tell him. That’s all the reason he’ll need.”

  “And you’re okay with that?”

  Ash studied Dex. Was it just him, or was Dex coming to him for help on a regular basis? A few months ago, Ash was pretty sure Dex wouldn’t have been caught dead asking Ash for help. If he did, it was usually begrudgingly and because he had no choice. And he’d make sure to let Ash know it. Now he didn’t seem to think twice about it.

  “You’re okay with me and Sloane?”

  “Only because for some reason beyond my understanding you make him happy,” Ash muttered, removing the wraps from his right hand.

  Dex grinned broadly.

  “Yeah, all right. I get it. Now fuck off back to your boyfriend. He’s already called me twice today asking where you are. Tell him I’m not your goddamn chaperone.”

  “You can tell me that yourself.” Sloane approached them with a wide smile. There had been a time when Ash thought he’d never see his best friend smile again. Now he was doing it all the time. Ash shook his head in shame at Sloane.

  “Seriously, man? You can’t go five minutes without being on your boy’s ass?”

  “What can I say? It’s a mighty fine ass.” Sloane winked at Dex, whose cheeks went pink.

  Ash let out a sound of disgust before turning back to his punching bag and waving them away. “You two make me sick. Fuck off, both of you. I got shit to do.”

  The two of them laughed as they walked off, and Ash discreetly watched them go. He held back a smile at the playful way Sloane shoved Dex away from him, laughing at something his partner said. They were good together, those two. Without Dex, Sloane would be far too serious. Like Ash, Sloane was always in danger of losing himself to his dark thoughts. They needed to keep themselves busy, distracted, or their heads would go to places no sane person would want to live in.

  Cael’s sweet smile came into his thoughts, and Ash found himself smiling. Even when he wasn’t around, Cael managed to save Ash from himself. He finished removing his wraps and shoved them into his duffel bag. He left it on the floor by the punching bag, knowing no one would dare move it. It had his name on it.

  He pulled on his socks and sneakers and headed down the hall, not bothering to do more than wipe the sweat off his face with a towel he’d grabbed on the way out of the boxing bay. He walked into the gym and toward the back where he knew Cael, Rosa, and Letty would be using the exercise bikes.

  On the way there, he spotted Calvin running on the treadmill, no Hobbs in sight. With a frown, Ash made a detour, stopping beside Calvin, who removed his headphones when he saw Ash approaching.

  “Where’s your shadow?” Ash asked, looking around the gym. It wasn’t like Hobbs not to be where Calvin was, and he hadn’t seen much of him since they’d reported back to work.

  Calvin adjusted the speed on his treadmill. “He wasn’t up for it.”

  “Haven’t seen much of him today.”

  “He’s not left the office today.”

  That was strange. It wasn’t like they had a case to work on. They were supposed to be getting back into top form. Ash nodded. “He should really get in a workout. You think he might be up for a sparring session tomorrow?”

  Calvin pressed his lips together. He looked worried, and that was never a good thing. Ash didn’t know what the hell was going on with those two, though he had his suspicions, especially after what Maddock had said about Letty getting the drop on Calvin. Calvin slowed the treadmill until it came to a halt before hopping off. “I’ll tell him. Don’t be surprised if he doesn’t show. He’s been feeling a little… tense recently.”

  “Everything okay?”

  “He’ll be fine.” Calvin gave Ash’s shoulder a pat. “Thanks, Ash.”

  He walked off, and Ash didn’t like the vibe he was getting. Whatever had been going on between Calvin and Hobbs had nothing to do with what he’d just witnessed. Something else was worrying Calvin. Maybe Ash would drop by their office after what was sure to be an interesting session with Cael.

  The trio was cycling and chatting to their fellow agents when Ash walked past Letty, giving her ponytail a tug along the way.

  “¡Oyé, cabrón!”

  She swatted at him, and he jumped out of the way with a chuckle and gave Rosa the finger in greeting. She rolled her eyes at him before carrying on her conversation with Letty.

  “Hey,” Cael said brightly.

  Man, he looked sexy in his charcoal-gray THIRDS T-shirt and black workout pants. Cael used the end of his T-shirt to wipe his face, exposing his torso and the thin dark treasure trail that disappeared beneath the waistband of his pants.

  “Come on.” Ash motioned for Cael to follow him, and his heart swelled when Cael stopped pedaling and got off the bike to join him. He didn’t ask any questions. Ash asked him to follow, and Cael did. Truth be told, Ash would have done the same. Wherever one led, the other would follow. Ash had never had that level of trust with anyone but Sloane. Cael told Rosa he’d come find her later and followed Ash out of the gym. “We’re going to train,” Ash said as they entered the boxing bay.

  “We are?” Cael stopped beside Ash’s bag, which was exactly where he’d left it. The boxing bay wasn’t very busy, which was how he preferred it. Anytime he sparred with someone, agents would gather to watch him kick his opponent’s ass. Ash only kicked someone’s ass when they deserved it. Unfortunately, there was always someone who deserved it. Why? Because they were stupid enough to challenge him.

  In Unit Alpha, there was always someone who wanted to prove how hard they were, and what better way to do that than trying to take down Destructive Delta’s Ash Keeler? Ash had a reputation. He’d lost count of all the names he’d been called. He really didn’t give a fuck. He had a job to do and a way of doing it. Whoever didn’t like it could kiss his ass. He had no time for inflated egos. Most of their fellow agents respected him and his skills, but there were always those asshats who thought Ash was their personal Everest to climb.

  “What kind of training?”

  Cael watched intently as Ash reached into his bag and pulled out a pair of clean hand wraps. He tossed them at Cael, who caught them, his expression puzzled.

  “My kind of training.”

  “Up close and personal? Why?”

  Ash took one roll from Cael and took hold of his hand, smiling at the way Cael’s cheeks flushed ever so slightly. Ash proceeded to wrap Cael’s hand. “Because you need to be prepared.”

  “I am.”

  “You could be prepared better.”

  Cael’s eyes narrowed. “Does this have to do with Hogan?”

  “Yes.” Ash readied himself. He firmly wove the wrap around Cael’s knuckles, under his thumb, around his palm and wrist, making sure there was enough flexibility. Cael’s frown deepened.

  “You don’t think I can take care of myself?”

  “You know that’s not it.” Ash finished up and took hold of the other roll and Cael’s hand again. He lingered slightly, his thumb stroking Cael’s palm. He wasn’t sure his distraction would work. Not when he could see the little wheels in Cael’s head spinning furiously as he put two and two together.

  “Then why do you want to train me all of a sudden? Did Dex put you up to this?”

  With a sigh, Ash went to work wrapping Cael’s hand. “He’s worried about you.” He could have lied, but if their relationship was ever going to get started, he wanted it to be on the right track. No lies, no secrets, no bullshit.

  “I knew it. I can’t believe this. He keeps telling me he’s going to stop treating me like a kid, but it never ends.”

  Cael tugged his hand out of Ash’s grip, the wrapping unraveling. Ash snatched a hold of it before it could hit the floor.

  “Hey, your brother loves you. You can’t be mad at him for wanting you to be safe.”

  “Yes, I can,” Cael huffed, turning to march off, his one hand still wrapped.

  “Come here. Please.” Damn. How was it that Cael looked adorable even when he was pissed off? “Cael. Please.”

  With a frustrated groan, Cael turned and headed back to Ash. “What?”

  Ash lowered his voice so no one else could hear him. There were no Therian agents anywhere near them, but he didn’t want to risk it. “Had Dex not approached me, I would have suggested it myself anyway. When I found out Hogan had you, I wanted to tear all those bastards apart with my bare hands. I couldn’t stand the thought of him hurting you. It’s not because you can’t handle yourself, but things are getting rougher out there. The Order, the Coalition? It’s only the beginning.” He put his hand to Cael’s shoulder, his thumb finding a small patch of skin to stroke. “Please. I need you to do this for me. For my peace of mind. But I also need you to want this for yourself.”

  Cael wrinkled his nose. “Fine.”

  “It’s not going to be easy.” Ash took hold of Cael’s hand again and gave it a small squeeze. Cael knew what he was agreeing to. What he was getting into.

  “I can handle it,” Cael stated firmly.

  “I won’t hold back.” If they were going to do this, they were going to do it right. Ash only had one way of training. All or nothing. His opponent could either hack it or they couldn’t. He never cut corners, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to start with Cael. “Do you trust me?”

  Cael’s expression softened. “You know I do.”

  “Okay.” Ash finished wrapping Cael’s hand. “I promise you, this is going to hurt me as much as it does you.”

  “You’re going to kick my ass to get me ready. I get it. We gonna get started, or we gonna stand around talking about our feelings all day?”

  “Ooh.” Ash held his hands up in front of him. “The claws have come out.”

  Okay. This was good. He could work with this. Cael, much like his big brother, had a bit of a temper. Ash could use that to his advantage. Unlike a lot of agents, whose anger made them sloppy, Cael and Dex’s anger made them focused and determined. Ash remembered the first time Dex had sparred with Sloane. Little bastard refused to stay down no matter how many times Sloane floored him. The more Sloane had pissed Dex off, the more Dex was determined to kick his ass.

  Ash stepped on the mat and motioned for Cael to follow. “Hit me. And don’t hold back.”

  Cael gave him a deadpan expression. “Darn, and here I was planning on using my knockout punch.”

  “You planning on carrying a stepstool around with you to use it on a dude my size?”

  Cael arched an eyebrow at him. “Oh, I see. It’s going to be like that, is it?”

  Ash grinned. “It’s gonna be like that.” He put a hand to his chest. “Unless that hurts your feelings? I’ve heard more and more criminals are taking sensitivity classes these days.”

  “Okay, then.”

  Cael rounded his shoulders. He did a few stretches, and Ash could have sworn Cael was doing his best to look as seductive as possible while he did it. Once he was done, Cael bounced on his toes to loosen up before he charged Ash and threw a right hook. Ash stepped out of the way with ease. Cael came at him with a series of hooks and jabs that Ash was able to easily deflect. He grabbed Cael’s wrist, twisted his arm behind his back, and kicked at the back of his leg, forcing him down onto one knee. He released Cael and stepped back.

  “I saw that coming from a mile away.”

  “That’s because you’re so freakin’ tall,” Cael complained.

  “No, because you pulled back a fist two feet away from me. By the time you reached me, I knew how you were going to hit me and figured out what my countermove would be.”

  “It was not two feet.”

  Ash took hold of Cael’s waist and pulled him closer. “We’re talking close quarters, so it might as well have been. You’re also swinging with no purpose in mind. When you’re dealing with someone up close and personal, it’s about putting your opponent down. You already know everything you need to know to subdue a perpetrator. You’re not training with me for that. You’re here to take down someone my size. Most perps won’t be trained the way we are or even the way Hogan was, and sometimes you might not have anything available to use as a weapon. If that is the case, you’ll be using your fists, elbows, and knees to cause the maximum amount of damage.” Ash lifted his elbow and moved it slowly toward Cael’s head.