“No more going alone,” he said.
“What?”
“I wasn’t joking last night.”
“I was.”
Okay, they had kidded around but now he was dead serious. Going by the mulish look in her eyes, though her expression was pleasant, she hadn’t realised. In fact, she was probably ready to buck his decision.
Oh boy, he was having it out with her later, that was for sure, but not right now. He never aired dirty laundry in public. If he and she were going to have their first couple’s tiff it wasn’t going to be with witnesses. They might enjoy it, he and Mikki wouldn’t.
Taking a calming breath, he smiled pleasantly, turning his attention to breakfast.
Everyone fell into morning conversation, discussing what they meant to do that day. Luke intended to keep working on designs and deciding what would be needed, Aaron announced he was going to scout out the security a bit more to fine-tune some details, Mikki and Elspeth decided to drive into town to top up on groceries and go to the post office, and Ryan asked if he could accompany them as he had to go to the pharmacist.
Luke almost warned him about Elspeth’s driving but figured he’d wait to see if the man came back with any fear in his expression. That’d be an amusing test.
Aaron gave Luke a wry look, knowing exactly what had produced the little smirk that Luke couldn’t quite hide, but he didn’t say anything, either. With a stretch, he announced he was going for a walk, inviting Dog to accompany him. Dog wagged his tail, looked at Luke, and when Luke said “Go on, boy’, he took off gleefully after Aaron.
Now that everyone had peeled off to do a few last minute things before getting fully into their morning jobs, Luke went looking for Mikki.
He didn’t have far to look. She was waiting for him outside the room he slept in, one shoulder against the wall, her arms folded, her gaze inscrutable as he neared.
Stopping directly in front of her, Luke leaned his own shoulder against the wall, crossing his ankles and hooking his thumbs into his jeans pockets.
“Something on your mind?” she asked quietly.
“As a matter of fact, yes,” he answered. “And I want you to listen and not go off half-cocked.” As her expression darkened, he cursed silently. “Not the best wording. Sorry. I meant, please hear me out before saying anything.”
Pursing her lips, she studied him before nodding. “Okay.”
“I’m a Wells man, and we protect our women,” he stated bluntly, being completely honest because that was the kind of man he was brought up to be, but choosing his words carefully. “My concern for your safety isn’t meant to smother you. I know you’re independent, used to making your own decisions, but I’m really concerned to hear that you and Elspeth sometimes go on these ghost hunts alone, just the two of you. I’d prefer it if you didn’t do it anymore. In fact, I’ll be accompanying you. I’m not joking.”
She gazed at him with raised eyebrows before replying in a reasonable tone, “Wow, that was good. Now how about you put it in your own words with what you’re really feeling?”
“I don’t think that’s wise right now,” he replied carefully.
“Why?”
“I don’t want a fight.”
“You think I’ll get mad?”
“I’ve already been kicked in the nut sack once, I’m not ready for a repeat performance.”
“Why will I kick you?”
“Because you have a bit of a temper and my words may just offend you enough to have you firing up.”
“Intriguing. But I’m not taking a scrap of notice of your pretty words. I want to know what you’re really feeling.”
No, he didn’t think that was wise.
Leaning forward, she tapped his chest with one finger. “We can either tip-toe around this, Luke, or we can be honest.”
“I am being honest.”
“Honestly you?”
“Honestly trying to be reasonable.”
“So you’re not feeling reasonable?”
“Red,” he almost barked out, “I’m feeling pretty bloody annoyed right now.”
“There you go. Let it all out. What are you feeling pretty bloody annoyed about right now?”
Man, she was playing it cool, standing there with a raised eyebrow, refolding her arms as she waited. Annoyingly cool.
“You sure you want to do this?” he asked.
“Oh, absolutely.”
“Fine. I’m annoyed that you and Elspeth go off alone on ghost hunts. The two of you alone. It’s dangerous, it’s foolhardy, and I’m not going to let you do it again. There. I’ve told you.”
Those lush lips pursed as she eyed him narrowly.
He eyed her right back, just waiting for that flare up. Didn’t take long.
Her eyes flashed. “Luke Wells, we are not foolhardy, we know what we’re doing, and we don’t need a bloke around to tell us what to do or for protection.”
“Don’t care, I’m going to be right beside you both to make sure you’re safe whether you like it or not.”
“Is that so?”
“Hell, yeah.”
“Do you have to be such an overbearing dick about this?”
“Yes.” He thought to add, “And I’m not overbearing.”
“Luke-”
“You think a couple of blokes stumbling across you and Elspeth alone would hesitate to attack you? It’s not the ghosts I’m worried about, Red, it’s the human scum that prey on people. People like you have a right to do what they want, but unfortunately people like them roaming around make it unsafe.”
Mikki scowled, but there was something in her eyes…
Straightening, he braced his hands on his hips and leaned down to look her right in the eyes, feeling a muscle jump in his jaw as he grated, “I’m going to make sure none of those scum have a chance to destroy your interest and fun, I’m going to make certain that you continue to do what you like in safety. I’m going to watch your backs the whole time, and if you don’t like it, then…well…”
“Well?”
“Well, nothing. This isn’t an ultimatum.”
“It sure sounds like it.”
“It’s a fact. It just is.” Leaning closer, he added tightly, “Don’t give me lip on this, Red. I’ll follow you anywhere on your crazy quest for ghosts. I won’t be dogging your footsteps when you’re with a group, but when you and Elspeth go it alone I’m your back-up.”
Her mouth tightened.
“I’ll fetch you coffee, fetch you soup, carry your damned bags of camcorders and meters and shit, and help set things up. I’ll sit in the bloody dark and cold, I’ll get cramp in my arse, my balls will freeze off in winter and cook in summer, but I’ll be there every step of the way. There. Said.” Returning to his upright position, he glared down at her. “Your turn.”
Rather than flare up at him, she studied him for the longest time. He could just about see that brain of hers ticking over. Oh boy, this was not going to go well.
However, instead of reacting the way he expected, she asked quietly, “You really feel like this?”
He nodded. Wait for it. It’s coming.
“Wow.” Looking down at the floor, she chewed her bottom lip.
What was she thinking? Damn, he didn’t like not knowing what she was thinking. He usually read women pretty well, but then none of them had been his Red. She was turning out to be a sweet bundle of surprises. Well, this might not be so sweet, but for sure he’d expected her to flare up at him. Red hair and all, right? Red hair and temper?
Eyeing her, he started to reverse his opinion. Maybe the red hair and temper were a bit of an oxymoron. So far he hadn’t seen a lot of temper, just a whole lot of spirit. Big difference.
Mikki looked back up at him. “You’re the first man to ever volunteer to come with us to keep us safe.”
That had him blinking. “Pardon?”
“No one has ever done that for us.”
“Really? What about your brothers? Your dad?”
; She shrugged. “They cared, warned us about the dangers, but that was it. My brothers have their families, and Dad…well, he just ripped me about the danger and said we shouldn’t do it. All the males in my family had a go at me and Aunt with that. But not one of them volunteered to come with us just so we could continue to have some fun.”
“Really?” He couldn’t believe it. “None of them?”
“No. They just expected Aunt and me to give up ghost hunting, to not go where we wanted, to wait for groups. They don’t understand how much fun we get out of it, our interest. And we are interested. We hear about places groups don’t want to go, small places sometimes with no big scares, we want to explore, and no way were we going to let this stop us.” She glanced back down at her sneakers. “It sounds stupid, doesn’t it? We know it can be dangerous but we take precautions as much as we can. We let the police know where we’re going, we make sure the owners of the property where the buildings or ghostly happenings occur know we’re going there, when and where. We have our mobiles charged, we tell our families, and we report in to Dad every morning and every night for added safety.”
For the first time since he’d sat at the kitchen table for breakfast, Luke relaxed a little. “Did you ask them to go with you?”
“I did a couple of times, just invited them to have some fun, you know? But they’re not into it and weren’t prepared to go with us. I wasn’t going to ask them to come for added protection, that’d be kind of…weak.”
“Better weak than dead,” he replied bluntly.
“You really want to go there right now?”
Shit no, he wasn’t that dumb, especially when she was talking to him instead of reaming him a new one. He’d call that a win. Luke mimed zipping his mouth shut and tossing the key over his shoulder.
“The fact that no one wanted to come with us wasn’t going to stop us from doing what we wanted. We took some risks, but we played it as safe as we could.” She looked at him searchingly. “You really will come with us?”
“Of course I will.” He straightened. “Red, I’m not here to fight, curtail your fun, or preach to you. I’m here to say I’ll come with you, I’ll protect you.” He grinned. “I’ll be your muscle.”
The smile that lit her face was worth more to him than any material possession, and then she threw herself into his arms and hugged him tight. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
He hugged her back. There was a lot of relief running through him right now, but let her think he was in control and graciously accepting her gratitude. And feeling damn manly again. Something about Mikki just fired up those man instincts.
“But there are stipulations,” he warned.
“Mmm?” Her face was buried in his neck.
“Only a couple of times a year, I can’t take too long from the business.”
“Agreed.”
“I need a lot of advance warning, like sometimes a couple of months. It may have to wait a time, but we will do it. Okay?”
“Okay.” She paused. “Do I still need to go to the races with you each time?”
“Oh yeah,” he said with supreme satisfaction.
“Deal.”
He did a mental brow wipe. Bewdy, one argument won without too much trouble. Time to strike while the iron was hot. “And tonight we fool around.”
She started to laugh, her lush body shaking against his. “No.”
He sighed. It was worth a try. “I really have to get rid of Aaron and his trusty side-kick.”
She just laughed harder.
Reluctantly, he finally left her to continue his work.
Several hours later he was sitting on what was left of a broken rock wall, pad on his knee as he jotted down last minute information. When Aaron appeared, he lowered his sunglass down his nose to peer over them at his older brother.
Aaron looked serious, which could mean anything, but he wasn’t that mysterious that Luke didn’t know he wasn’t happy. He was, after all, still his brother. “Problem?”
“There are footsteps near the graveyard.” Reaching behind him under his coat, Aaron hooked his thumbs into his back pockets.
Luke scrutinised him. “I’m guessing these footsteps aren’t Mikki’s, Elspeth’s and mine.”
“Nope.”
“And since you’re fronting me up, I’m guessing they’re not old prints.”
“Not old at all.”
A bad feeling stole over Luke as shoved the sunglasses up onto his head. “How old?”
“I’d say last night.”
“Crap.”
“The prints were next to a broken branch, you can see where someone has been kneeling before leaving on a pushbike, the trail of which stops at the main road.”
“So someone was out there. Why?”
“Not sure yet. Could be a simple sticky-beak, could be an opportunist.”
Concerned, Luke stood abruptly. “The girls can’t wander around outside at night alone.”
“Agreed.”
“I’ll tell them.”
“They’re in town, remember?”
Luke frowned.
“Ryan’s with them.”
“He’s at the pharmacist.”
“He knows where the women are.”
Luke regarded Aaron curiously. “Exactly why are you here? Why do I feel like you’re not telling me everything?”
Aaron smiled slightly. “Not everything about me is circumspect.”
“Uh huh.”
Aaron’s smile widened.
Luke pointed the pen at him. “We’re out here, Elspeth hires you for security, and you just happen to be here when someone is lurking around. Plus you told me to keep an eye out for anything strange. That’s gotta mean something.”
“Elspeth bought a dilapidated old mansion, I’m here to scout out the security for her. Simply put, I came up to have a good look around before Dad and his mob come and start restoration. I like to get a look at the original grounds.”
“Uh huh.”
“You were out here with two women alone in an old mansion half an hour from the nearest town, I’d expect you to watch out for them.”
“That was never in question.”
“Nope, it wasn’t. Me telling you was habit.”
“Habit,” Luke repeated sardonically.
“Habit to tell a man to watch my client.”
“And Mikki?”
“Family friend, and also a woman with my client.”
“And the strange stuff you wanted me to be aware of?”
“My client’s property I’m to provide security for, I’d want to know anything strange happening around it.”
“You expected a prowler, didn’t you?”
“You never know. You can never be too prepared.”
“You live in a seriously suspicious world.”
Aaron’s eyes were steady, suddenly solemn.
“I don’t think I’d like the world I suspect you walk in.”
His older brother regarded him intently. “And what do you suspect of my world, Luke?”
Okay, this was a little intense but he didn’t back down. “I think your security might be just more than hiring out bodyguards and security guards, and setting security alarms.”
“It’s what I do.”
“But are those bodyguards and security guards just for the shopping malls and rich and famous? ‘Cause I have to tell you, mate, I have yet to see one of your men or women working in the shopping malls or building sites.”
Aaron’s expression didn’t alter. “They work on building sites.”
“Such as the spy base that went up fifty miles out of the city?”
“No secret.”
“No.”
“Anything else?” Aaron continued to watch him calmly.
Luke watched him back. “You going to tell me more?”
“If I did that, I’d have to kill you.”
Luke laughed.
Aaron didn’t.
Perturbed by the lack of his brother’s emoti
on, Luke stopped laughing. “You’d really kill me?”
Aaron smiled.
“You are freakin’ scary, mate.”
Laughter lines fanned out from the corners of Aaron’s eyes. “I couldn’t kill you, Luke, you’re my little brother.”
“That’s a big relief,” Luke replied ironically.
Passing him, Aaron reached out to ruffle his hair affectionately. “I might have to make you disappear, but I’d never kill you.”
“If you make me disappear, be sure to send Mikki, Dog and Duchess, too.”
Stopping, Aaron turned to face him. “You and Mikki. It’s about time.”
Luke’s eyebrows shot upwards.
“Anyone could see that you two had a spark.” With that, Aaron continued walking.
“Wait.”
Stopping, Aaron glanced back over his shoulder.
“Seriously, did you expect a prowler?” Luke asked curiously.
“It’s always a strong possibility when something new happens involving money, and it did happen last night. We’re going to take steps to ensure the girls are not alone outside, at least until we know for sure if it was just a sticky-beak and nothing more sinister.”
This was sounding worse by the minute. “How sinister?”
“No idea.” Aaron strode off. “But better to plan for the worst.”
Watching his brother return to the mansion, Luke wondered, not for the first time, just what Aaron’s security company did. Aaron never said much, but some of the people he had working for him weren’t the average guards. But Luke’d learned a long time ago not question his brother, he never received a satisfactory answer in response, and as his dad always said, ask a man no questions and he wouldn’t tell lies.
So Luke went back to what all his family did - minding their own business and getting on with their own lives and interests. Besides, if Aaron ever felt like talking - big joke - he knew his brothers and father were there for him.
Luke was perfectly happy landscaping and enjoying the simple things in life. The only blight right now was wondering if whoever had been in the bushes the previous night was simply a sticky-beak or, in Aaron’s not-so-comforting words, someone a little more sinister. The thought that someone had spied upon them was bad enough, the thought of what might have happened if Elspeth or Mikki had been there alone curdled his guts.
The Wells Brothers: Luke Page 24
