Deadly Silence (Blood Brothers #1)(112)
“Yeah, you did.” Ryker stalked across the room and set a knee on the bed. “I’m sorry you were taken.”
She plucked at a loose thread on the dark bedspread. Her long black hair sat atop her head with tendrils spilling down, looking so damn feminine his chest hurt. Fresh bruises were scattered across her smooth skin but did nothing to detract from her beauty. Sitting there, so soft, she looked nearly fragile. “I wasn’t exactly taken.”
He crossed his arms. “I should throttle you for jumping out of a window and into a helicopter.”
She grinned. “I had the phone, and I couldn’t let them take Greg like that.”
Ryker moved toward her. The woman was never going to take the safe route, but perhaps that worked for him. “My life is dangerous, and it’s going to become more so before I fix everything. I totally understand if you want to take a break and wait for me to do what I have to do.”
She lifted her face. “Which is?”
“Take down Cobb and Dr. Madison.” It was the only solution at this point. If he wanted a normal life, if any of his brothers were ever going to have safe lives, it was time to stop running and hiding. “I thought I could keep going forward, but it’s time to finish with the past.”
“That makes sense,” she murmured.
“But here’s the whole story: I love you, Zara. Every single inch of you. If you stay with me, it’s not gonna be easy, but I’ll keep you safe.” No matter what, he’d protect her, and he’d let all of his love show in the only way he knew how. “Either way, you and I end up together. That’s a vow.”
Zara studied the only man she’d ever love. Strong jaw, muscled body, tumultuous blue-green eyes that showed love. Real love. “If you think I jumped into a helicopter just to go sit quietly in a corner now, you’re crazy.” She smiled. “I love you, Ryker Jones. No matter what we have to do, I’m with you the entire time.”
He stretched over her, flattening her to the bed. “I’m not sure where we’re going next, but we have to leave Cisco.”
She nodded and then paused. “What about Grams?”
“Well, I was thinking she might like to relocate to Montana for a little while.” Ryker smoothed tendrils away from Zara’s face, his touch beyond gentle. “It sounds like the kids have a few grandparents already, and I know she’d be a huge help. In case we need to run again, I’d rather she was already somewhere safe.”
“I’ll ask her what she wants to do,” Zara said, glancing down at his lips. “I’m sure she’d love Montana.”
Ryker wandered his lips over hers, sending all sorts of electric jolts through her body. “I’m tired of taking things slow and being so cautious. It’s time to jump in with both feet, baby.” His breath heated her mouth.
She breathed out and wiggled her butt to get more comfortable, rubbing against his obvious erection. “With both feet?” she asked.
“Marry me.”
She blinked. Her rambling rebel had just used forever words. “What?” she whispered.
“Marry me. Take my name, be my wife, promise eternity.” He kissed her, long and deep, so much emotion in his touch she felt him deep inside. Finally, he released her mouth. “Well?”
She blinked again. “I never thought to hear those words from you.”
“You’re the only woman I’d ever say them to,” he said, his eyes swimming. “We suddenly have family around, a lot of it, and now at least I know where I came from. The past is gone, and I have a future, and I want it with you. Only you.”
Her heart expanded until she could barely breathe. “Ryker.”
He grinned. “Well? Marry me.” It wasn’t even remotely worded as a question.
She looked into those dangerous eyes and saw her future. Her very good, surrounded by family, slightly wild . . . future. “Yes.”
Anya Best won’t rest until the serial killer who murdered her sister is caught. And she’ll do absolutely anything to take him down—even offer herself up as bait to lure him in.
FBI Agent Heath Jones works alone. The last thing he wants is to babysit the beautiful—and infuriating—woman who has inserted herself into his investigation, no matter how irresistible he finds her. But it’s soon clear that the Copper Killer won’t rest until Anya is his prized possession. And Heath will do anything to keep her safe—even risk his own life . . .
A PREVIEW OF LETHAL LIES FOLLOWS.
CHAPTER
1
A flash of red caught Heath’s eye as he was about to shut down the computer. He sat back down and squinted at the center monitor on the makeshift desk. Damn it. His instincts humming, he maneuvered the jewelry store camera he’d hacked until the red bloomed into shimmering highlights beneath the weakened sun. Son of a bitch. What the hell was she doing there?
He rapidly tapped keys to scan the street with a multitude of cameras—some he’d hacked and others he’d planted. “Anya,” he muttered, shaking his head.
She drew a black wool coat tighter around her slender figure, stopping directly in front of the door to his former, short-lived detective agency. Drawing a card from her pocket, she read it and glanced at the now-scraped-clean window. Her shoulders hunched, and a winter wind lifted her hair.