He was ecstatic. Not about the file, about me dancing.

I ignored that and the not-so-great flutter that it sent shifting through my stomach, hung up and called Duke.

He wasn’t at Fortnum’s, so I phoned his house.

Duke had always been the kind of guy that, if you wanted to connect with him, you did that on his terms. In other words, face to face. Therefore, until Indy bought him and Dolores an answering machine last Christmas, there was no way to get a message to him.

Thanks to Indy’s intervention, I was able to leave a message at his place. That said, it was a crapshoot if he actually listened to it.

What I said was, “Hey Duke. Please don’t erase this without listening. I know you’re pissed at me and we need to talk about that. You know you mean a lot to me so you gotta know I don’t like that you’re pissed at me. But more, something’s up with Darius. I need to sit down with you about that and get your wisdom. So please, stop avoiding me so we can talk things out.” I paused then finished, “Hey Dolores.” Then I hung up.

It was slightly manipulative to drop the Darius thing, because Duke might be rough and gruff but he looked out for the crew. He probably already had his eye on Darius and was worried. So sucking him into that was totally making a play.

But I told Darius I would stop at nothing.

So I was going to stop at nothing.

I parked in Lee’s garage, got out of my car and made my way into the building and to the elevators. After running, shopping and stripping, I couldn’t face the stairs.

Truth be told, I didn’t know how I was going to face my getting ready preparations and a late dinner with Ren. I really wanted our date, as in, really. But I’d been running around all day, was facing what would likely not be a happy conversation with my family, and would rather go home, eat Ren’s delicious food and curl up on the couch and watch Nathan Fillion (and, of course, the rest of the cast of Castle).

The elevator expelled me on Lee’s floor. I made my way down the hall and into his office.

Shirleen was not behind the reception desk, but Vance was standing beside it, tossing a file on the top.

When I entered, he turned to me.

“Hey,” I greeted.

“Ally,” he replied.

“What’s shakin’?” I asked.

He grinned his shit-eating grin and seriously—he was Jules’s; I loved Jules and I had Ren who I loved—but I had to admit that it wasn’t just once in the time I knew Vance that I wondered what it would be like to be horizontal and have him aim that shit-hot grin at me.

“Everything,” he replied. His grin faded and he said weirdly, “Tomorrow night.”

I stopped advancing to the door that led to the nerve center of my brother’s operations and turned to Vance. “What?”

“Tomorrow night. You’re ride along with me.”

My mouth dropped open, but the rest of my body jolted with pure, unadulterated glee.

“Got a security system I wanna show you how to bypass,” he went on.

That feeling stole through me, that one I liked, but I still didn’t move.

“You know how to pick a lock?” he asked.

I forced my mouth to move. “Um… not yet.”

“We’ll go through that tomorrow night, too.”

Holy shit!

“I—” I started, but Vance kept going.

“We document those hours, I sign off on them for the License Board.”

Holy shit!

“I… uh,” Pull it together, Ally! “Why?” I asked.

“Saw the tape,” Vance answered as I heard the door to the inner sanctum open.

But I didn’t look there.

I kept my eyes to Vance. “What tape?”

“You, cool as shit, dealin’ with those guys in Lincoln’s.”

“Impressive.” I heard muttered, and saw Hector standing with us, the strap of a workout bag over his shoulder. He was looking at Vance. “You offer ride along?”

“Yep,” Vance answered.

Hector looked at me. “You need help on a case and someone to sign off on your hours, call me.”

I stared.

Was this happening?

Hector did a chin lift to Vance and me and sauntered out.

I looked from the door that closed on Hector back to Vance. “What’s going on?”

“What’s goin’ on is the team saw the tape. Darius and Brody both talk you up. But we saw evidence of what they’ve been sayin’. You want this. You’re good at it. You should have it. So some of the guys are up for backin’ your play.”

Oh my God.

I didn’t know what to do.

I did know what to feel.

Ecstatically freaking happy.

I also knew what to ask.

“Is Lee okay with this?”

“None of us work here to have someone tell us what to do unless we need direction. So it doesn’t matter. He knows we do what we do. He also knows we won’t work here anymore if he gets up in our shit about what we do.”

This, I knew, was true.

However.

“But you’re offering me ride along on one of his cases,” I pointed out.

“Yeah. And after he trained me or if we’re not workin’ a team operation, he does not send me out, micromanaging how I deal with a case. And he’s fuckin’ smart. Definitely smart enough to know it would not go down good if he started doin’ that shit.”

Before I could reply, the inside door opened again and I watched Ike move out.

He gave a chin lift to Vance, a mini-smile to me and walked by us to the door.

But at the door, he stopped, turned and said to me, “You need backup with that Smithie gig, you got my number.”

I had no chance to say anything before he was gone.

“I’m outta here,” Vance murmured, and I looked back at him. “Text you tomorrow when to meet me. We’ll meet here and move out.”

“I… uh, okay,” I agreed.

“Don’t be late,” he returned, then he, too, was gone.

I stared at the door.

I did this for a good long while.

Then I smiled.

I was still smiling when I tested the door to command central and found it unlocked, which was unusual, but likely left open for me.

I made my way to Lee’s office and entered it, yep… still smiling.

In it were the expected. Dad, Hank and Lee with the not expected but not surprising addition of Tom Savage, Indy’s father, my second dad and my dad’s best friend.

What was surprising was that Monty, another of Lee’s guys was there.

Monty took one look at me then looked to Lee and declared, “Vance offered the ride along.”

I looked to Lee and saw he was studying his boots, jaw hard.

I decided not to confirm this. If Lee’s boys were offering help, I’d take it. What I wouldn’t do was cause friction between Lee and his men. If they made their decisions and carried them out, that was one thing and they had to deal with that and any ramifications. If I stuck my nose in, say to gloat (or the like), that was another.

So I kept my mouth shut.

“Ally,” Monty called, and I looked back at him. “The men in this room are here because we know your plans and we’re askin’ you, with respect, to think long and hard about carrying them through.”

I held his eyes.

I’d known Monty a long time. He was the oldest member of the team, an ex-Navy SEAL who didn’t work in the field often for Lee due to an injury he sustained during his time in the military.

I liked him. He was solid guy; nice, funny, a family man. I also respected him.

But this pissed me off.

My father, second father and brothers, I’d show them respect and listen to what they had to say.

But Monty?

What the hell?

It must be said, I failed at not getting pissed-off, but I succeeded in keeping my shit together and therefore pointed out (somewhat) calmly, “I’ve been thinking on this for two years.”

“We’d like you to think on it longer,” Monty replied.

I drew in a deep breath.

“Monty’s here because he gives a shit, Ally,” Lee put in.

“I get that,” I said to my brother, then looked at Monty, “And due respect to you, what I do with my life is none of your business.”

“I’ve been doin’ this awhile, longer than your brother, and I’ve seen women chewed up and spit out in this business,” Monty returned.

“Yeah? So every man you know who tried his hand did spectacularly?” I shot back.

“Honey,” he started, and I fought back being even more pissed-off; not at the endearment, but at his patronizing tone. “Your first case has you stripping.”

“Yes. I’m working for Smithie. And to get the job done, it requires me doing something that’s uncomfortable. But you do what you have to do to get the job done, and I shouldn’t need to tell you that. Marcus Sloan has you on retainer, and don’t try to bullshit me that the things he pulls you boys in to do are the like of acting as crossing guards at the local school.”

Monty shut his mouth and looked at Lee.

In silent badass speak, that meant That was a good point. I said my piece. It’s now up to you.

It was then I got it. Monty was there as the objective voice of reason.

And this definitely pissed me off more, because it inferred they thought I was being unreasonable.

I slid my gaze through everyone in the room and stated, “Due respect to all of you, and I’ll note, that’s a lot of respect and it’s not just out of love. I know you all are skilled and experienced and exceptionally good at what you do.” I pinpointed Dad. “But you did not have a chat with Hank before he entered the Academy. You did not have a chat with Lee before he went into the Army or when he got out and built his team. You let them do what they had to do and you did that proud. The only reason I can think that I’m standing here is because I’m a woman. And that does not fly with me.”

“Ally,” Tom cut in, and I looked his way. “If Indy was doing this, I’d be worried.”

“Indy’s about coffee, books, family, friends, Lee and rock ‘n’ roll. In other words, Indy is not me,” I retorted and kept at it. “We’ve also sat down and she knows that she will not ever be involved in my business. She’s down with that.” I moved my gaze to Hank. “All of the Rock Chicks understand this and are down with it. So if that’s a concern, I assure you, that’s covered.”

“What Tom’s saying,” Dad put in, “is that, as fathers and brothers,” he tipped his head Lee and Hank’s way, “we’re worried.”

“As they go about their business, are you worried about Hank and Lee?” I asked.

“Every day,” Dad replied quietly, and my body locked. “It’s what fathers do, sweetheart.”

There was no retort to that.

So I didn’t give him one.

Instead, I said, just as quietly. “I get you and I love you for it. But this is what I want to do and I want to do it because I’m good at it and I like it. You know I’ve struggled to find my calling. I’m not struggling anymore. I’ve found it, Dad.”

And Dad had no retort for that. I knew because he didn’t give me one.

“Hector, Vance, Ike and Bobby, as well as Darius and Brody are backin’ your play, Ally,” Lee said, and I turned my attention to him, surprised and pleased at the unknown addition of Bobby. “And I’m not gettin’ in their shit about that. But they’re not your brothers and—”

I interrupted him. “Darius is.”

“You know what I mean,” Lee replied.

“And you know what I mean,” I returned softly.

His jaw clenched.

I held his eyes and kept speaking softly. “You can try to stop me. But you won’t. I know you have the means to do it. But I’ll keep going. Ren’s behind me. Daisy’s behind me and that means Marcus has my back, and you know Daisy’s support means I have Marcus’s support. You won’t sway him your way if Daisy is standing in between.”

His jaw clenched harder.

He knew.

“The Rock Chicks are backing this too, so if you think the rest of the men won’t fall, or at least won’t stand in my way, you’re wrong about that, too,” I went on.

A muscle jumped in his cheek.

He knew that, too.

“And I’ll finish with this,” I told him, still soft but firm, and my eyes went to Hank, Dad, Tom and even Monty but they ended back on Lee. “If you make moves to shut me down,” I looked to Hank, “Or you,” I looked through Dad, Tom and Monty again, “Any of you.” My eyes went back to Lee. “That hurt will dig deep. So deep I may get over it, eventually. What I won’t do is forgive you.”

Lee held my eyes.

I returned the gesture.

Since I had preparations to do and a date to make, I couldn’t do it for what it seemed it would take to win it.