Chilled (Bone Secrets, #2)(75)

“I know what you were thinking. I was thinking the same thing,” she whispered. “I wanted it too.”

His gaze flew back to her. She didn’t look annoyed or pissed. She looked…like someone who was ready to go a couple rounds in bed. With him.

“You’re living with someone,” he forced the words out.

She looked away. “No, I’m not. I asked him to move out a month ago. He’s living with his brother. It’s over. It’s been over for a long time, but he won’t admit it. He keeps saying things will work out.”

“Jim said—”

“He didn’t tell you I was pregnant, did he?” Her head swung back to him and those gorgeous eyes sparked. Alex feared for Jim.

“God, no. He just said you were living with the perfect guy.”

She lifted an eyebrow. “When did he say that?”

“Early this morning when we went down to the cockpit.”

Brynn pounded a hand on her armrest. “I’m going to kill him. I told him last night Liam had moved out and it was completely over. He lied to you this morning. He’s trying to protect me again.”

“Protect you from me?” Alex frowned. Jim had a point. A lying ex-marshal wasn’t good enough for his little sorta-sister.

“He must have seen something.” She looked into his eyes. She didn’t explain, but Alex knew she meant the sparks that shot between them every time he looked at her. He didn’t tell her where her head had been when he woke up that morning and Jim spotted them. Seeing Brynn with Alex must have really pushed Jim’s overprotective buttons.

Brynn dug in her coat pockets, a fierce glare in her eyes. “Where’s my phone? I don’t care if there’s no service. I gotta at least try to chew him out. He’s gonna get it. He’s pushed his nose in my business for the last time.”

Alex bit back a laugh. She was gorgeous in her self-righteousness. He made a mental note to never take anything about her for granted. “You probably won’t reach him. Service is spotty.”

She snorted. “Won’t know until I try.” She found her phone and cursed at the screen. “No service.” Contemplative eyes looked at Alex. “Let me see your phone.” He slid it out of a pocket. It showed one bar of service. Poor Jim. He started to hand her the phone and froze.

“Wait.”

Her fingers were on his phone, but she stopped and her eyes flared at what she saw on his face. “What is it?”

“He’s got a phone.”

“Yeah.”

“No, I mean Besand has a phone. He took Linus’s phone.” Could he call the f*cker? Alex’s hand shook as he started pulling up his contacts on the screen. Could it be that simple? Could he get a hold of Besand right this minute? Hey, you dead?

“You’re going to call him? Besand? What…what are you going to say?” Brynn stuttered through the words, shock in her voice. She leaned closer to look at his screen.

Alex inhaled deeply and caught her warm scent. She smelled woodsy. Sort of like campfire and fresh pine needles. His entire body tensed and for a split second he couldn’t remember Linus’s last name to search his contact list. He hit the C key. There it was. Thank God he’d been too preoccupied to buy a new phone in the last two years.

His finger hesitated over the send key. What would he say?

He raised his gaze to Brynn and sunk into the brown depths of her eyes. She looked scared, angry, and curious. Anger shot through his core, and he hit the send key. Alex knew what to say. If he hurt anyone on his team, Besand was a dead man.

His hand shook as he raised the phone to his ear, still staring into those stunning eyes. Warmth raced down his spine. When they got out of here…

The phone at his ear was silent. No rings, no buzz. Alex looked at the screen.

Connected.

He moved the phone back to his ear and heard a click.

“What?” A voice spoke from the phone.

Alex knew the voice. Every neuron in his body fired simultaneously at the sound and intense pain exploded his brain. Besand. He lived. He wasn’t dead under two feet of snow. All Alex’s silent questions from the last three days had just been answered. The back of his mouth suddenly tasted sour, and he closed his eyes. He heard Brynn gasp.

“Besand.” Alex’s voice was flat.

There was a pause, and Alex swore he could hear Besand smile through the connection.

“A-man! It’s my favorite guardian of justice and retards! How’s the temperature in that tin can?”

Alex forced himself to exhale. The autonomic muscles that controlled his lungs seemed to have forgotten how to function. They worked only with direct commands. “Where are you?”

Besand laughed. Alex opened his eyes as Brynn made a small sound. Biting her lower lip, she leaned forward and braced a hand on his knee. Was that support for him or her?

“Would you pay me a visit if I told you? I’ve missed our chats.”

Red fury clouded his vision. Brynn’s fingers tightened on his leg, and the cloud lessened somewhat.

“Can’t be too bad with that hot blonde in there. Wish I had one with me. It’d give me something to do.”

Alex swallowed hard and laid his hand on top of Brynn’s and gently squeezed. He’s trying to make me react. Rule one. Don’t react. “I’m sure you’re staying plenty busy yanking on your dick. No audience out here though. You miss the other prison bitches watching?”