I shot him a look. “Are you Kay?”
He looked down at me. “No, but I’m the one protecting you.”
I folded my arms across my chest like my brother. “Since when?”
“Since this entire mess started. Everyone under this roof is charged with my protection.”
“She’ll be protected with me while she helps,” my brother said as he turned his attention to me. “Anna, there’s been?—”
“Nothing,” Bee snarled.
I slapped Bee’s arm. “Interrupt my brother again and the next love tap will be to your balls.”
I watched his hands fist at his sides as King chuckled, but I turned on him, too.
“Shut up. Quit antagonizing the man. Spit out what the fuck you need.”
Brutus snarled. “You’re not helping him look for that kidnapped fucking woman. It’s dangerous.”
I gawked as I looked back at my brother. “There’s been another kidnapping? Where!?”
My brother’s face hardened into stone. “In our territory. We could use your skills.”
“Skills?” Brutus asked. “What skills?”
“Just because you think you know everything about me,” I said as I walked toward my brother, “doesn’t mean you actually do. Tell me everything you know, King. Start from the beginning.”
He just shook his head. “I don’t know much, that’s the problem. The only reason we know about the kidnapping is because she was reported missing this morning. The Chief of Police called me.”
“Fucking hell, let me change,” I grumbled.
Brutus caught my arm. “What skills?”
I slowly panned my gaze up toward him. “Let. Me. Go. Or I will make sure my brother ensures that you do.”
He held me like that for a long time. Our eyes connected. His hand tightened around my upper arm. It wasn’t until my brother damn near growled like a goddamn animal that he finally let me go.
“What skills?” Brutus asked, turning to my brother. “How can she help?”
“For starters,” King said, “she’s in good with the homeless population around here. If there was a kidnapping off the street, they’re gonna know about it, and she’s the only one they’ll talk to.”
“I’ve got baggies made up in my room, if you can pry Cap and Ariel out of it long enough,” I said as I raced to the closet for some decent riding clothes. “Under the bathroom sink, in the totes I always use.”
“I’ll get ‘em,” my brother said.
“Baggies?” Brutus asked.
“She makes bags of things for the homeless. Snacks. Food. Toiletries. Gift cards,” King said.
I slipped into the closet long enough to pull some pants over the shorts I had on. I ripped a hoodie over my head and came out of the closet, rebraiding my hair for the helmet I’d surely have to put on while I rode on the back of someone’s bike.
“Who am I cruising with today?” I asked.
“Me,” my brother said.
I nodded as I reached for my purse. “Fair enough.”
“I don’t like this,” Brutus said.
