Theirs to Keep (Tangled Hearts Trilogy #1)(10)

Cade shook his head. “You tell me something. If she belonged to you, wouldn’t you have turned this city upside down looking for her? She obviously doesn’t belong to anyone because only a damn fool would just let her disappear.”

“Maybe,” Merrick said grudgingly. “That doesn’t solve the issue between us, though. I’m not letting a woman come between us. We’ve never let it happen. We may as well be brothers. We’re family. And I’m not ruining that. But…”

The corner of Cade’s mouth lifted. “But you aren’t backing down either, right?”

“Yeah,” Merrick muttered. “I’m not backing down.”

Cade remained silent a moment. He wasn’t certain what to say. He understood Merrick’s reaction. It was much the same as his own reaction to Elle. And no, he sure as hell didn’t understand it either. His instincts screamed that she was his, and apparently so did Merrick’s, which really muddied up the damn waters.

They were both jumping the gun in a serious way. Elle was fragile. They knew nothing of her past or present. They were taking a damn lot for granted.

But yeah, he was going to protect her just like he knew Merrick was, and neither of them was going to walk away from her, and they sure as hell weren’t going to let her go without a fight.

Which was damn sure going to put them at odds in a way they’d never been pitted before.

“You going to sit there like you aren’t having the same damn thoughts?” Merrick interjected. “You don’t come to me demanding I start talking and then clam up when I tell you what I’m thinking.”

Cade sighed. “What do you want me to say, Merrick? That I want her too? That I look at her and something just clicks and I know that I’m going to be front and center in her life from now on if I have any say? That I’m going to make damn sure nothing ever hurts her again? That I want her no matter how long I have to wait for her? And yeah, you’re right. It makes us both out of our goddamn minds. We only just met the woman. This kind of shit just doesn’t happen.”

“Tell me about it,” Merrick muttered.

“I’m going to go get Elle so she can eat,” Cade said. “We understand each other. For now… For now, she’s going to need us both to get her through her recovery and whatever else comes up. For now, we’re going to have to put aside whatever crazy-ass thoughts we’re having and focus on what’s best for her.”

Merrick nodded. “Yeah, in that we’re agreed.” But then his gaze met Cade’s. “Don’t let this f**k us up, man.”

“Yeah,” Cade said quietly. “I hear you.”

Chapter Seven

ELLE FLINCHED, AND A SMALL whimper emerged from her throat. Fear knotted her insides, and she strained to see her pursuer. She could feel him, could feel how powerful he was. Knew he was right there, waiting. But she couldn’t pierce the thick cover of shadows to see his face.

She ran faster, even knowing it was inevitable that he would catch her. She felt the sweat that drenched her shirt, felt the heat enveloping her. The sun.

She tripped and fell face first in the dirt, her hands sprawling out to break her fall. And when she turned, he was there, looming over her, but the sun blinded her.

As he moved, the sun’s rays caught on something clipped to his side. It was a badge. He reached for her, and she let out a scream, knowing it was her last chance to escape.

“Elle, Elle, wake up. You’re safe. It’s okay. Open your eyes, honey. You’re safe.”

Her eyelids fluttered, and confusion filled her. None of her surroundings were familiar. She had no idea where she was, and then her gaze found the owner of the voice.

A man was a mere foot away, and she was still so ensconced in the terror of her dream that she couldn’t differentiate it from reality.

She rolled away with a cry of fright, ignoring the stabbing pain through her body. She fell off the bed on the other side, and she hastily scrambled upward, trying to gain her footing so she could flee.

But the man blocked her pathway.

He didn’t make a move toward her, though. He just stood there, his expression calm, but his eyes were murderous. She shivered at the darkness in his gaze.

“Elle, take a deep breath and calm down, honey. Remember where you are. You were having a bad dream, but that’s all it was. You’re safe here. Remember last night? You’re here with me and Merrick, and we’re going to take care of you.”

She stared back at him as the previous evening came back in bits and pieces. Cade. His name was Cade. He’d helped her. He and Merrick. They’d found her in the shop she’d broken into, and instead of turning her into the police, they’d taken her to a friend for medical help and then they’d brought her home.

“Cade,” she croaked out.

“Yes, honey, that’s me. Cade. I’m not going to hurt you. I came to see if you wanted breakfast. I made pancakes, and if you don’t hurry, Merrick’s going to eat them all.”

She blinked at the lighthearted joke, and some of the shadows clinging to her mind melted away as she stared at the man standing a few feet away.

Where before he’d seemed so menacing, he now appeared gentle and kind. He was a big man. Tall, lean but very well muscled. He and Merrick were both dark-headed, but Cade had lighter brown hair where Merrick’s was nearly black. Cade’s eyes were blue, and she frowned as she tried to remember what color Merrick’s eyes were.