---Sage's POV---

I sighed, exhausted and sad to the bone, as I left the office with a heavy heart. The army had contacted me a few days after dad's unit arrived in our house, to inform me of his death and the will he had left behind.

His will was simple; all his belongings were to be shared amongst my siblings and me, since my father was an only child and his parents had passed away several years ago. I shook my head; still feeling slightly shocked at the insane amount of money dad had managed to collect over the years.

The representative of the army had given me a look into the coronary's report, which clearly showed me that there was no way dad could've survived the attack. The bullets were well aimed, two pierced through his right lung and one had managed to pierce through his vertebrae and clipped one of his major arteries.

A few tears streaked down my face before I wiped them away and gave the documents back to the man, who offered me a genuine sad smile. Like he said, Dad didn't feel too much in the end.

Silencing the last few snivels, I stepped into my car and quickly made my way back towards home. It still felt strange to come home and realize dad wasn't there, nor would he ever come back. I guess that was the hardest part of mourning.

My cellphone bleeped once, making me look at it before glancing at the light. Since it was still on red, I quickly opened the message and groaned as I read its contents.

"You need to get home soon, they're almost ready." – Davy

"Damn it." I groaned, throwing the cellphone down before I picked up the pace, calling Davy as I took another turn. "Got my message?" He asked as soon as he picked up the phone while I cursed slightly at the slow driver in front of me.

"Yeah, I need you to distract them for a moment until I get there." I replied, feeling rather impatient as the elderly lady was driving slowly on her driveway, reversing every so often so her car was still blocking the streets.

"Hmmm, distract them...I can manage that, I think. They need all of them ready for their plans and I'm sure I can distract Josh, one way or the other." The way Davy just said that made me feel rather sorry for Josh, because I could almost see him biting his lower lip in a tempting way.

Poor Josh indeed.

I shuddered slightly in my seat before replying, "Okay, do whatever it is that you have planned but I don't need him jumping you in the middle of the house Davy. At least let me keep that innocent part of you alive."

A snort was my reply before Davy busted out laughing but he managed to choke out, "Bro', that part of my innocence set sail a long time ago!" he barked another laugh out at my shocked exclamation before he hang up on me to go do whatever he had planned with Josh.

It took the older woman a total of an hour and a half before I simply got out of my car and gently offered her to park it for her. She agreed, saying that her eyesight wasn't what it used to be before she continued to gush and coo over me, saying how the kids nowadays weren't chivalrous anymore and that the world needed more kids like me.

After several compliments and a few pinches in my cheeks later, I managed to say goodbye and quickly rushed home to find a laughing Laura in the middle of the living room, where Declan and Richard both were chuckling as well, Declan staring at the door like he couldn't believe his eyes.

"Okay, what did I miss? What's so funny?"

Declan turned and smiled warmly, creating a fluttering sensation in my stomach as his pearly whites flashed at me. His eyes did a quick scan over my body, which made me blush slightly, though I tried to keep the warmth out of my face.

Richard snorted and shook his head. "Davy came down the stairs wearing some shorts and a shirt of Josh, saying that he forgot his music downstairs before he went in the shower. As far as I know, Josh had followed him upstairs because he wanted to know how Davy got his shirt."

I nodded, still not understanding what they found so funny before Laura piped in. "I saw the whole thing happen; Josh managed to stop Davy by skidding to a halt in front of him, preventing our brother from entering his room. Josh called him out and demanding his shirt back."

My sister wiggled her eyebrows with a grin spreading over her face as she said with glee, "Davy simply peeked up at him, smirked and then shrugged the shirt off before prancing past Josh, completely in the nude and without so much as a blush. Josh just stood there, eyes bulging out before he cursed and rushed to his own room, no doubt taking a very long and cold shower to cool down."

I laughed as well, shaking my head at Davy. That was so typical of him, to taunt and tease the one he's interested in. No doubt Josh tried to hold back and Davy simply threw his idea back in his face.

Well, at least I was home on time.

---Josh' POV---

I cursed loudly as the cold water collided with my fevered skin but at least it helped in stopping myself from rushing down Davy's room to show him what happened if he kept teasing me.

When he had appeared in the living room, a pair of nearly there black shorts peeking out from under the shirt I had shouldered off last night... That already had been a heavy blow to my self-control, so I followed him after he made some pathetic excuse of forgetting his music.

I knew why he was teasing me like this; I had cornered him after that French playboy pawed him, as if he had the right to touch the guy I was interested in. Davy might have realized my interest in him but I had warned him and explained patiently that I was determined to go after him but not now.

He just lost his father, plus, his life might be in danger if The Black Sun realized how much Ashton's family really knew of their existence. That's why I told Davy that we're going to take this easy, nice and slow.

Translation; No sex until I really knew he was into a serious relationship with me and his life wasn't at stake.

Apparently he disagreed on that and has made a point of it ever since to tempt me into giving in. When I had rushed up the stairs after him, the scene that followed still managed to make my blood boil dangerously through my veins, the lust amplifying every sensation I felt and it surely didn't help my arousal.

He had stopped just in front of his room and build-in bathroom, peeking over his shoulder through his golden lashes as I called out to him. I knew his sister was peeking out if her room in interest, wondering what the ruckus was all about as I grinded to a halt. I decided to keep my intended conversation to a later point and simply demanded my clothes back.

The tempting smirk that had slipped over Davy's face combined with the way his eyes darkened considerably had my heart thumping in excitement. His only response was to move his shoulders back as he elegantly shrugged my shirt off, letting it drop to the floor so I could marvel at the tanned, flawless skin in front of me.

"Ugh, this is not helping me at all!" I whined, banging my head against the tiled wall as I recalled how Davy had stood there in the doorway of his room, as naked as the day he was born before he simply tapped towards me and with a feline grin, shouldered past me, making sure that his delicate skin brushed against me.

His spicy scent still clung in my nose and Laura had giggled loudly at my perplexed expression as Davy left me with the biggest hard-on from hell. That's when I rushed down to my bedroom and jumped straight into an ice cold shower before I even thought of peeling my clothes off.

"That little-" I barked a laugh as I slowly calmed down enough to risk getting out of the shower and started to dress up quickly. I knew I had wasted some precious time but honestly, they would understand me. I mean, which man in his right mind can face temptation like that and just shrug it off as cool as a cucumber?

Throwing a shirt on, I didn't even bother with drying my hair completely and walked down the stairs, still in the process of buttoning my shirt up. I heard the shower running in Davy's room, filling my overheated mind with tantalizing images of his flawless skin dripping with water, running down-

"For fuck's sake, get a grip!" I growled while smacking myself upside the head in an attempt to get the image out before I rushed down the stairs and walked in the living, where the others were waiting for me.

"Cooled down now?" Richard smirked teasingly while Declan was hanging over the seat where Sage was sitting, eying the man rather hungrily. Okay, something has happened between those two as well...

I ignored Richard's smug snickering and sighed before looking at the laptop he was holding. "So, are we ready or what?" I asked, rolling my eyes when Richard chuckled again and stood up. Declan followed his example and straightened up, eying Sage once more before we headed upstairs to our little HQ.

On the way up, we passed a freshly washed Davy, who smirked like the cat that ate the canary as he eyed me whilst biting his lip and then he skipped past us while I groaned under my breath. Declan chuckled and patted my back.

"Have fun with that one Josh." He smirked, winking at me before he released my shoulder and went to the desk where he could monitor Richard's progress. Richard cracked his fingers before they flew over the keyboard, conjuring series of flickering numbers that rushed by.

I couldn't understand anything off it, and neither could Declan but Richard was only preparing his assault and talked us through it, his blue eyes pinned on the screens in front of us.

"Okay guys, I'm ready and about to start the mission. Ready sir?" He stated, glancing at me over his shoulder, his fingers hovering over the keys before his eyes darted at Declan. Declan sighed and with a heavy heart, he nodded, giving Richard enough confirmation to start the attack.

He focused on the screen and for a moment, all you could hear in the room was the rapid typing on the keyboard and the annoyed sounds Richard made when he bumped into resistance.

"Okay, I'm in, time's running out....Looking for the data we need...."

I nodded, though he didn't see me while Declan rubbed a hand over his face and leaned forwards. "Okay, I need you to find out as quickly as you can who are the faces behind The Black Sun. if we have time after that, we'll try to dig deeper."

Richard nodded, keeping his eyes on the screen at all times. His eye flew at every digit the pc spewed out and I tensed up as I saw his movements grow more and more frantic. "Shit! They're onto me!"

We all jolted up in our seat and watched as Richard's eyes flashed over the screen as he typed away, basically sweating bullets along with us while I paled instantly. If they got our location they would surely send someone over to silence every single one of us. Judging by the horrified expression on Declan's face, the same thought was running through his head as well.

"What the-" Richard exclaimed loudly whilst leaning back, his mouth hanging ajar while his fingers slowed down. "What Echo, What? Details man!" Declan snapped, fully in his element as our lieutenant. Richard snapped out of his daze by hearing his codename and shook his head slightly.

"I don't know who or what but we got some unexpected help sir; someone is aiding me and the information is now pouring in, though I don't know why they're helping us." He stated, glancing over his shoulder in shock while Declan stepped closer, eying the screens warily.

"Is the information coming in without your help?" Richard nodded once, making Declan nod as well. "Than I need you to find out who our ally is, quickly. We might need their help in the future."

He nodded and quickly went to work while I started pacing around. A few seconds later, Richard gasped and stared at the location on his screen in shock. I rushed over and read the address before I gawked at the screen myself.

The screen flickered and Richard slumped down in his seat, sighing in relief as he declared, "And we're back out without them knowing who we are. We didn't manage to stay under the radar though. Our attack was spotted instantly."

Declan didn't respond, he merely shared a look with us before we all went back towards the others and instantly spotted our little aid. Declan lifted an eyebrow, making Sage squirm slightly on the spot as he slowly closed his laptop with a busted expression.

He didn't even needed to demand an explanation, since Sage took one look at Declan before sighing softly. "I managed to ghost their account so you'll be able to know off their plans in the future and I also dropped some viruses in their account, getting them off your trail.

And before you ask, yes, father knew I am a hacker, he even asked me to help his investigation when he first suspected a rat in the army. I've been checking up with you guys on every mission you went...without dad's knowing though."

We all gaped at the man in front of us, who boldly stared us down as he placed the laptop away and crossed his arms in front of his chest in a defensive gesture. Declan didn't react for a moment, just blinked and breathed as he kept an eye on the man before he smiled softly.

"Thank you...if it weren't for your interference, we'd been at their mercy in no time." Sage merely inclined his head, not denying or confirming the statement but it only added to my thought of how close a call this had been. Somewhere in the world, the rats knew they were being spotted and they would surely start to wonder who it was.

Declan was still staring at Sage with a smile blooming on his face while Richard stared at him with child-like awe. I smirked and patted Declan on the back whilst saying, "Good luck with that one."

My best friend snorted and pushed me to the side while Sage blushed slightly but pinned me with a teasing glint in his eyes. "And I wish you the same with my brother. So far it isn't going well huh?"

I groaned slightly and stomped out of the room, leaving the whole room barking with laughter as I went to search for a certain boy. As they say, payback's a bitch.