“Neanderthal.”
He picks up his burger, takes a big bite, and chews slowly. When he puts the sandwich down, a change comes over him. “Fine. What does your women’s intuition tell you about this case?”
I’m about to tell him to stick his women’s intuition comment up his ass, but I see no malice on his face. Like he genuinely wants to know.
I tap my fingers on the table. “This feels - personal.”
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Ryker says nothing for several minutes but stares at me.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
He puts his hand over mine to stop the tapping. That heat from his touch shoots straight through me, and I snatch my hand back into my lap.
Ryker chuckles. “Personal.”
I nod. “Yeah. Why send a kill squad after us if we don’t know where the fugitives are?”
He considers that.
“Plus, there’s something that’s been bothering me for weeks,” I continue. “Dakota Helfinger went after my sister, an ATF agent. He knew about her son. And our family has been very tight-lipped about where that young man lives, and even his last name. We don’t post pictures on social media. He has no accounts. The records are sealed. Yet, Helfinger found them both.”
Ryker finishes his fries and crumples up the wrappers. “So, it’s personal to your sister.”
I sigh. “Maybe our whole family?”
“Who have you pissed off recently?”
I smirk. “Long list.”
His eyes narrow. “Doubt that.”
I laugh. “You don’t know me.”
“Know enough.”
“Really? What do you know?”
Ryker stands to get rid of the garbage on the table and straighten the kitchenette. Then, he turns to me. “I know people underestimate you all the time, much to their detriment. I know you’re a badass who isn’t above fighting dirty to protect someone. I know that even when you’re pissed as hell, you make sure your co-worker gets sustenance. I know the necklace you wear is more than an accessory. I’d say it was a good luck charm. And I know that you’d put your life on the line to save your twin sister.”
I stand. “How did you know she was my twin?”
His eyes dart to the side. “Boss told me.”
“Thalia?”
He shrugs. It does make a certain amount of sense, so why doesn’t it sit right with me?
“Is that how you know about the necklace?”
“No. You touch it when you’re about to do something dangerous,” Ryker points out.
I never thought about it before, but he’s right.
“My sister - twin sister - Cam gave it to me right before basic training,” I pull out the necklace, running the medallion back and forth across the chain. “Archangel Michael. Protector of warriors and law enforcement.”
Ryker steps closer and hooks one finger around the medallion. He is right up in my Coochie Mama business. If he gets any closer, he’ll have to meet my mom and buy me a ring.
