Deadly Silence (Blood Brothers #1)(17)

“How?”

She huffed and tried to keep from yelling at him. “I kicked the bastard in the balls and ran.” After getting Julie Pentley into the car and to safety.

Ryker’s lips twitched. “Actually not the most effective move, and we’ll work on that later. What I don’t understand is that if this guy hit you, and he’s on the other side of a domestic case, why not use that information in the divorce? Why not get his ass arrested and help your client in the process?”

“You’re right. You don’t understand. So let it go.” Ryker would have it figured out by dinnertime if she didn’t get him to back off. She stood and moved around the desk toward the door. “It has been good to see you, but after last night, I think we should cool things a little.” She reached for the doorknob.

His hand enfolded hers. “You don’t like our relationship being taken out of the little box where you put it, now, do you?”

Heat from his body washed over her, but she lifted her head to meet his gaze. “We don’t have a relationship.”

He smiled then, and the curve of his lips held more determination than amusement. “I’m not letting you run, and I’m certainly not letting you hide, baby. Although neither of us has been in this for the long haul, I’m staying in Wyoming for the moment. The first thing that’s going to happen is I’m going to figure out who dared put a hand on you and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

For the first time, she saw a side of him that gave her true pause. In the long haul, he’d be unbearably possessive. Why did that give her an intriguing sense of safety? “Knock it off,” she snapped in his face. “Get out of my business.”

That quickly, she found her back against the door and her front pinned by hard male. His hands planted on either side of her neck, his thumbs at her jaw, forcing her to look at him. “Something you need to understand and pretty damn quick is that your business is my business right now.” His thumb swept up and over the offensive bruise on her face.

“Step back.” Her voice trembled.

He ignored the very calm order. “No. You don’t want to tell me who did this? Fine. I’ll find out on my own, and I’ll have the name by the time I pick you up for supper. What you don’t want to do is deal with him or his case until I have that name. Kicking him in the balls might’ve just pissed him off more, and now you’ve let a bully stew on it for a while, which might be dangerous for you. Got it?”

“You have no right to interfere,” she whispered.

“Baby, I’ve been f*ckin’ you for months. That gives me every right.” Anger glowed dark in his eyes.

“We’re done. Get out.”

His eyes softened. “You shouldn’t make statements you can’t back up.”

She shoved against his ripped abs.

He didn’t move a millimeter.

And then he did.

His head dipped, and his mouth found her neck and wandered up to her ear. His teeth scraped, and then his tongue licked the slight wound.

Of its own volition, her body did a full tremble.

He leaned back. “That.”

Her mind fuzzed.

His mouth slammed down on hers. She knew his kiss—often dreamed about it. Not soft and sweet…not even lustful. It was dangerous. From day one, she’d tasted danger on his tongue, and it burned her hotter than she’d ever been.

Never had she dated a bad boy, but after living her desired routine-driven life for years, she’d craved adventure, and he filled that need. He drew out a wildness she hadn’t realized she possessed.

He held her flush against the door, kissing her hard, sending a craving along her nerves that almost hurt. His tongue went to work, his left hand keeping her jaw open for him. His right hand found her hip and dragged her against the obvious bulge in his jeans. By the time he released her, she’d stopped thinking completely.

“What time are you finished today?” he asked, his breath heating her face.

“Fi-five,” she stuttered.

He leaned back and gently put her to the side. “Stay in the office until I come for you at five, Zara.” He ran his thumb across her bottom lip. “Cross me on this, baby, and I ain’t gonna be gentle.” He had already shut the door behind himself before she could take a whole breath.

She blinked several times, her fingers going to her still-tingling mouth. What had just happened?





Chapter





6




Ryker pulled up to the business just as Heath finished scraping off the last of the logo on the front window. “Thanks for letting me borrow the Hemi,” Ryker said, tossing the keys to his brother. Life, not genetics, had made them family, and he’d die for either Heath or Denver.

“No problem.” Heath wiped the window with a clean cloth, his jeans nearly threadbare beneath a tattered Grateful Dead T-shirt. His movements barely contained his fury as he waited for something to break in the serial killer case.

“You do not look like a lawyer.”

Heath turned, his eyes sober. “I’m not a lawyer. Well, I am, but I don’t want to practice law. I just have the degree to get us out of trouble when it comes knocking.”

Sometimes Ryker saw in Heath the angry and scared-shitless kid he’d met at Lost Springs so many years ago, determined to fight any bully who threatened him, no matter how big the bully. “Even so, now that we have this place, you should probably get some clothes.”