Letting out a big breath, I motorboat my lips.
He chuckles. “Feel better?”
I don’t really, but I don’t want to worry him. “A little.”
“Attagirl.”
CHAPTER SIX
RHYS
WHEN Isaw fear replace the anger in her eyes, I should have stopped, but the asshole in me wanted her to know. She needed to know what she’d stepped into. It’s pissing me off that I have to keep reminding myself that she’s innocent in this.
It’s not her fault.
She didn’t step purposely into the middle of a dangerous situation. It’s my job to keep her safe, and that’s what I’m going to do.
Even if it means possibly losing the promotion I’ve been busting my ass for the past two years.
When she came back from outside, she wanted to talk to her brothers. The one she stepped up to was Mason, which tells me he’s the one I have to convince thatshe. can’t. be. here. I wasn’t able to get him alone after they shut themselves in aroom. I’ll have to do it tomorrow.
His wife, Sloane, showed me to a guest room and told me to make myself at home. She’s a beautiful woman with a dancer’s graceful body and based on the way she practically glides when she walks, I would bet that she was in some form of dance.
Memories of watching my mom perform on stage hedge my thoughts, but I push them away.
The room is small, but the full-size all-wood bed looks comfortable with the homemade quilt and matching pillow covers. Bedside dressers are on each side, and a tall clothes dresser is across from the bed against the wall. I toss the bag from my SUV onto the bed and glance at the window.
The soft orange and pink glow of the setting sun is in the sky, and I step up to see the view. Trees as far as I can see. The barn and stables are not far from the house to the left, and a dirt path goes past those to a small bridge big enough for ATVs over the wide stream that cuts through the property. The dirt trail disappears into the line of trees on the other side of that.
To the right is a garden. It’s not huge, but it’s not small, and looks well-tended. Movement on the far side of the garden gets my attention, long blond hair is barely visible through a screen of vining vegetables along the far edge.
I look closer, shorts, tie-dyed tank top. What’s she doing? Turning from the window, I grab my gun and push it into the holster under my arm and quickly go downstairs to find the back door through the kitchen. Sloane and a younger woman with long auburn hair watch me walk through.
It doesn’t take me long to close the distance, but up ahead is a cabin that I didn’t see earlier. It’s set back about an eighth of a mile from the house, behind the barn, and a narrow trail in the green grass connecting the main house to it. Sitting cozily next to the stream, the porch is on the side overlookingthe running water, with a small fire pit in the middle.
She hasn’t noticed me walking up behind her. Her awareness is for shit. Just as she jogs up the steps and puts her hand on the knob, I say, “You shouldn’t come out here alone.”
She screeches as she jumps to face me, her hair flying and her hand on her chest. “Goddamn it! Why?!”
Stepping up the step, I’m pissed. “Because you shouldn’t be walking around by yourself where anyone can grab you.”
“No, I mean, why would you sneak up on me like some kind of creeper instead of just letting me know you’re following me?” Anger flashes in her eyes and her chest rises and falls in a huff that has a laughable growl laced in it.
Rolling her eyes, she turns the knob and walks into the cabin, flipping the light switch as she crosses the threshold. As I follow her, she purposely pushes the door closed behind her, and I put my hand up to stop it from hitting me. She spins around, anger in every line of her face. “I did not invite you in.”
“You should be counting your lucky fucking stars it’s not someone else. There’s cover in every direction that anyone could use to wait and grab you.” I slam the door behind me.
I’ve never talked to a civilian this way when I’m on the job. Something about this woman makes me want to break things. Then I realize I’m fucking pissed that she put herself in danger by walking up here alone, what if I hadn’t looked out the window? I’d never know she wasn’t in the big house with me.
She would be an easy target while I slept.
Crossing her arms, she pushes her tits up on her chest, and it takes every sort of fucking self-control to not look down. She pops her hip out and says, “Do you steamroll all women? Or is it just me, Special Agent? ‘Cause I’m starting to feel a little bit special.” She holds her thumb and index finger up with just an inch of space between them as she sarcasticallydrags out her last few words.
I don’t think I’ve ever met a more beautiful but irritating woman. And she’s right, I don’t know what it is about her that has me wanting to strangle her and kiss her at the same time. Shaking my head once, I chuckle. “Baby, don’t flatter yourself. I like my women a little less… exhausting.”
Her eyes narrow, and her lips press together in a tight line. “I told you to stop calling me baby, I’m not your baby.”
The cute as fuck kitten is back, swatting at me, and I smile inwardly at the rise I just got out of her.
