Deadly Silence (Blood Brothers #1)(28)

Heath lifted an eyebrow. “Wait a minute. All hell is breaking loose, and you have a woman in your shower right now. You really think it’s time to bring Zara into your life?”

Ryker stilled. Heath was right. “No. Now is a shitty time, but Zara is in danger, and I’ve promised to protect her. Or at least to find out if she’s in danger. Somebody punched her, and I want to know who it is. Zara is in now, and I’ll keep her safe.”

“She’s not in,” Heath countered. “We could leave here like we did Alaska and start over in a different town to hunt the killer. Leave Zara safe and free.”

“The woman had a bruise the size of a tangerine on her face,” Ryker growled. “She ain’t safe.” That was why he was staying, damn it.

Heath threw up his hands. “Maybe not, but she sure as shit isn’t asking for your help or telling you the truth. She’s bruised, she’s been paying for motels, and she’s been giving somebody cash, brother. That woman is a f*ckload of trouble, and she’s not leveling with you about it.”

Ryker ground his teeth together even as his hands fisted. Everything Heath was saying was true, and that just pissed him off. “I can handle Zara.”

“Right,” Heath mocked.

Fire flushed so hard through him it burned. Ryker moved then, and Denver planted himself firmly between the two men, his hand flat against Ryker’s vibrating chest. “Whoa now. We’re brothers.”

“Doesn’t mean we can’t beat the hell out of each other,” Ryker said evenly, his gaze on Heath over Denver’s shoulder. While he couldn’t stop the voices inside his head, mocking his reasons for staying, he could sure as shit hit Heath a few times.

“Any time and any place,” Heath returned, fury flashing in his eyes.

Denver shoved Ryker back. “Jesus, you f*ckwads. Knock it off. We have enough problems.”

Heath blinked and then leaned back against his door. He took several deep breaths. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

Regret slammed into Ryker. “No, I’m sorry. Really.” God, he needed his brothers. Without them, he wouldn’t have made it to adulthood. “I’m an ass.”

“We both are. I’m off—had a rough day at court,” Heath muttered.

Denver frowned and partially turned. “Huh?”

Heath shook his head. “Nothin’. Just a rough day.” He turned and shoved open the door to his apartment, and his shoulders slumped. “Ryker, I’m sorry about what I said. If you want to keep her, I’m here for you. But that don’t mean it’ll end well. It never does.” He moved inside and shut the door behind himself.

“Well.” Denver looked at the closed door. “He’s a f*cking ray of sunshine.”

“Something’s up,” Ryker said, his chest growing heavy. He’d been so focused on Zara and the visit from Greg that he was missing signals. “What happened today at court?”

Denver turned toward Heath’s door. “You go figure out what’s up with your lady, and I’ll dig into Heath’s psyche.”

Ryker nodded. “We can meet in the morning and determine our next plan.” He paused. “If we have to talk about that woman again, let’s use Isobel Madison as her name, okay? That way we don’t ever have to say ‘Sylvia Daniels’ again.”

Denver blinked. “Yeah.”

“Good. Also, I think Heath should talk to the FBI about the Copper Killer case. He’s pacing the office like a caged tiger, and he needs to have a meeting with them just to do something. Okay?”

Denver nodded.

Ryker sighed. “Denver?”

“Yeah, I know. You’re welcome.” Denver opened Heath’s door and then disappeared.

Ryker breathed deep and headed back into his place to talk to Zara. It was time she leveled with him, whether she liked it or not.

*



Zara stepped out of the bathroom, tucking the towel securely at her breasts. She stopped short at seeing Ryker on the bed, which was the only piece of furniture in the room. “I don’t have spare clothes.”

“You’re not gonna need them.” His eyes darkened as his gaze ran over her freshly scrubbed skin. He still wore the faded jeans and T-shirt, but he’d ditched his boots and leather jacket. Sitting on the end of the bed, his elbows on his thighs, he was the perfect picture of masculine intent. A tension, one she didn’t recognize, swelled through the room.

She swallowed and pushed her hair off her shoulders. Her body started to thrum in a way unique to being with Ryker. He brought out something in her she didn’t quite understand. Even if her mind and heart had doubts, her body was all in. “Listen. I’m not going to lie.”

“That’d be a nice change.”

Her chin went down. “Hey—I’ve never lied to you.”

“You haven’t told me shit.” Even the clipped words held a sense of…dominance—a state at home in him, on him, around him. Why she responded to that with wild tingles, she’d never understand. But she had to shake her head to focus.

“You don’t get to know about my life, Ryker. We’ve gone over this.” Heat rose from her chest to her face. “You set the parameters from the beginning.” The concrete floor chilled her bare feet. Wearing nothing but the towel, she shivered with an unwelcome vulnerability, even through the ever-present desire. “You can’t change them now.”