Shattered: Steel Brothers Saga: Book Seven

by HELEN HARDT

  She swam toward the bar and then stood next to me, her full breasts bobbing on the surface of the water.

  “Can I get you a drink?” I asked.

  “Sure. I’ll have a Bahama Mama.”

  I got the drink from the bartender and handed it to her. “I’m Ryan.”

  “I’m Juliet. Where are you from, Ryan?”

  “Colorado.”

  “Cool. I’m from Cali.”

  The blond hair could’ve told me that. “Whereabouts?” I asked.

  “LA. I’m an actress.”

  “Oh?”

  She nodded. “Actually a waitress, but I go on lots of auditions. One day I’ll get my big break.”

  I nodded. Girls like her were probably a dime a dozen in California. Though she was pretty cute, I’d never been much for blondes. My only serious relationship had had brown hair. Still, Juliet wasn’t bad to look at.

  “So what do you do in Colorado?”

  “I make wine.”

  “Wine? That seems more like California.”

  “Colorado has a pretty good winemaking industry. Ever hear of Steel Acres Vineyards?”

  “No. I’m sorry.”

  I wasn’t surprised. Juliet didn’t really look like a wine lover. Anybody who drank Bahama Mamas the way she was sucking it down no doubt preferred something sweet.

  “That’s my vineyard. I’m the winemaker there. It’s part of the Steel ranch. My brothers and sister and I all own it together.”

  “Ranchers? Wow. I’ve never met someone from a ranch before.”

  I wasn’t sure why she was surprised. California had plenty of ranches. Of course, the only ranches she was probably familiar with were the old Bonanza sets. She’d probably never stepped foot outside LA.

  I was quickly becoming bored. Funny, I’d talked to Ruby Lee for hours on the plane ride, and I hadn’t been bored once. Now, when I was trying to pick up a woman—and Juliet was all woman—I was bored out of my mind.

  “So are you here with anyone?” I asked.

  She shook her head. “I’m traveling with a couple girlfriends. One of them is out to dinner right now. I’m not sure where the other is. She probably picked someone up.” Juliet giggled. “We have a system. If one of us is in the room with a guy, we put a sock on the doorknob.”

  For the first time, I wondered how old Juliet was. She was acting like a sorority chick. “Do you mind if I ask how old you are?”

  “I’m legal, if that’s what you mean.”

  That could mean as young as eighteen. Being thirty-two, I wasn’t really interested in hooking up with a teen. Of course, that was all it would be. A hookup.

  “Who are you with?” she asked.

  “I’m here with my brothers. And my sister. My two brothers are getting married. We’re having a big wedding here in a couple days.”

  “Oh,” she gushed. “How romantic. But are you here with a…girlfriend?”

  I smiled. “Nope. I’m free as a bird.”

  She lit up like a Christmas tree, the softness of the pool lights landing on her luminescent skin. It was nearing November, and even though it was still hot enough here in Jamaica to be in the pool, darkness had set in.

  “I assume you have your own room?”

  “I do.”

  She moved forward and touched my shoulder. No sparks. Not that I expected there to be. If this would be anything at all, it would be a one-nighter. Actually, more like a one-hour-er. She was certainly pretty enough. But man… She was so young.

  “Tell me how old you are.”

  “I told you. I’m legal.”

  “Does that mean eighteen or twenty-one?”

  “Silly. The resort doesn’t allow anyone under twenty-one, with the nude beach and all.”

  I hadn’t thought of that. “So how much older than twenty-one?”

  She giggled. “About three months.”

  Just a baby. A baby who shared a room with two others and left a sock on the door when it was occupied. This was sorority central.

  To my surprise, I wasn’t interested.

  “I think you’re too young for me, Juliet.”

  “Why? How old are you?”

  “I’m thirty-two. Pretty close to thirty-three, actually.”

  “Wow, an older man.” She widened her eyes. “Shay and Lisa will absolutely be green with envy if I bring you to our room.”

  Just what I needed. A couple of other teenyboppers jealous over me. “I don’t think so.”

  “But you bought me a drink.”

  “Correction. I ordered you a drink. This is all-inclusive, remember?”

  She turned her lips down into a pouty frown. “What if I got you another? What do you like to drink?”

  “Wine. Good wine.”

  “Hmm. I don’t know anything about wine. I don’t like it much.”

  This was so not happening. Not that I couldn’t handle a woman not liking wine. She was just too young. I held out my hand. “It was great to meet you. I’m sure we’ll see each other around.”

  “I hope so. My friends and I are here for a few more days. How long are you here for?”

  “A week.”

  She smiled sweetly. “Are you sure I can’t convince you? You’ll have fun with me. I promise.” She winked.

  I shook my head. “You’re very attractive, but you’re just too young. I’m sorry.”

  I turned and walked toward the pool ladder. Sticking around here wouldn’t do me any good right now. I’d never get rid of her. Besides, I had to go back to my room and shower before dinner.

  Ruby would be at dinner. Maybe she’d be wearing more flattering clothes. Of course, why did I care what Ruby wore?

  I didn’t.

  I was here to have fun, vacation, relax after such a busy and tiring wine season, and help my brothers celebrate their weddings.

  And that was exactly what I planned to do.

  * * *

  Marjorie had made reservations at the Japanese hibachi steakhouse at the resort. There were eight of us, so we took up a table by ourselves. I had put on a pair of black dress slacks and a white shirt, no tie. I needn’t have bothered with any of it, though. Everyone else was dressed in shorts and flip-flops. Casual seemed to be the way of it around here.

  “Nice duds,” Talon said to me.

  “Yeah, I didn’t get the memo on the dress code.”

  “It’s all island wear here, even at dinner,” he said. “Where were you, anyway? We would’ve told you what to wear.”

  “I walked over to the nude beach and took a quick swim in the pool.”

  Talon laughed. “Hey, guys,” he said to the others. “Ry here already made a visit to the nude beach.”

  The razzing from my brothers began. Joe’s friend Bryce joined in as well.

  “Where are the ladies?” I asked.

  “Jade was still getting ready when I left,” Talon said. “She told me to go ahead.”

  “Ditto for Melanie,” Jonah said. “I assume Marj and Ruby will be along with them any minute.”

  “Cool.” I sat down and opened the menu. “I don’t imagine they have any decent wines around this place.”

  “In your opinion?” Jonah said. “Probably not. But they should have some good wine.”

  I perused the list and was pleased to find a few I approved of. I ordered a couple bottles, while Talon ordered a bourbon, Jonah a martini, and Bryce a beer.

  “So where’s Henry this week?” I asked Bryce, referring to his nearly one-year-old son.

  “With my mother and my aunt.”

  “And how’s your mom doing?” I regretted the words as they left my lips. Maybe he didn’t want to talk about that. Then again, if Henry was staying with his mother, surely she was okay.

  “She’s better. It helps her to be around Henry. And she’s with my Aunt Vickie too, so between the two of them, Henry’s in good hands. Mom was suffering from a little bit of neurosis and some situational depression after she found out about my father. And then his suicide�
�� To be honest, I think she’s relieved that he’s gone.”

  “Understandable.”

  “She’s going to stay with Aunt Vickie for a while. They need each other right now. Now that Vickie knows for sure what happened to her son, and my father’s part in it…” Bryce sighed. “Uncle Chase is there. They’ll be all right.” He smiled. “And I plan to call. A lot.”

  “Marj sure does adore Henry,” I said. Marjorie had taken care of Bryce’s son a few times. I had never imagined her as the motherly type. She hadn’t been content to stay in the house like a good girl, much to my chauvinist father’s chagrin. She worked right alongside us guys on the ranch. I never imagined her doing anything in the childcare department, but she had really taken to the little guy.

  “Here come the women now,” Talon said, smiling. His eyes were glued to Jade, his fiancée.

  Jade was beautiful, her golden-brown hair tumbling down around her shoulders, and she wore a pink bikini top—yeah, she was my brother’s woman, but she had an amazing rack—and a black-and-pink sarong tied around her waist.

  Melanie, Jonah’s fiancée, had wavy blond hair and was taller than Jade and not as curvy. She looked gorgeous in a casual black dress that showed off her great legs.

  Our sister, Marjorie, was the tallest of the lot at around six feet. She was wearing a red sarong tied into a dress.

  Coming up behind her was—

  My eyes nearly popped out of my head. Who the hell was that?

  Sleek dark hair with only slight waves hung well below her shoulders, resting on beautiful breasts. A light-blue V-neck tank showed lots of cleavage, and a denim miniskirt hugged her hips. Her legs were shapely, and so were her arms. This woman was athletic—athletic but still curvy and perfect in all the right places. Her full lips were painted scarlet, and her face…

  Ruby Lee.

  Still no makeup other than maybe some mascara and the red lipstick. Damn, she didn’t need it.

  She was beautiful. And God…that body.

  Well, she was a cop. She was probably required to stay in shape.

  Jonah and Talon smiled.

  “You ladies all look beautiful,” Talon said.

  Ruby twisted her lips and looked down.

  “Let’s see,” Marjorie was saying. “Where shall we all sit? Boy, girl, boy, girl, of course. Let’s go Bryce, me, Talon, Melanie, Jonah, Jade, Ryan, Ruby. How does that sound?”

  Sounded great to me. I wouldn’t mind looking at Ruby Lee during dinner. Boy, she sure cleaned up nice.

  Chapter Five

  Ruby

  My skin tightened around me. I felt like I was wrapped in cellophane. I knew I was turning twelve shades of red. Why did Marjorie seat me next to Ryan? Granted, we had shared a little conversation on the plane, but he was just being nice.

  While the other guys were all wearing shorts and flashy print shirts, Ryan looked dashing in plain black dress pants and a white shirt with the top few buttons undone. A tiny bit of black chest hair peeked out, and again I looked down.

  I had never been so attracted to a man.

  I had never let myself be so attracted to a man. I had no intention of letting myself right now, but something about him made it difficult to resist. He wasn’t just a beautiful creature. He was also a nice man. A generous one. I had no idea how much money he had shelled out for my first class seat on the plane, but I did know the Steels were loaded. Melanie had made that clear, and it was common knowledge, anyway.

  Ryan would have no interest in me. He was simply a nice person.

  My skin heated as he touched my forearm.

  I turned toward him abruptly. “What?” I asked a little too loudly.

  “You are miles away. I was asking if you want wine.”

  “Oh.” I cleared my throat. “Yes. That would be nice. Thank you.”

  The waiter filled my glass.

  “Did you order this wine?” I asked.

  “Yeah. Their selection isn’t great, but it’s a little better than on the plane.” He smiled.

  Even his teeth were perfect. Not too big, not too small, and no doubt straightened by the best orthodontia Steel money could buy. Yet something told me he hadn’t worn braces. No. Ryan Steel had been born perfect.

  I looked over at his brothers. Steel brother number one, Jonah, the oldest, had hair a little longer and darker than Ryan’s. It was graying at the temples and in his few days’ worth of stubble. His eyes were dark, nearly black. We were sitting at the moment, but when standing he was tall. Around six-four.

  Steel brother number two, Talon, the middle brother, stood about six-three. He had lived the most difficult life of the three. He looked a lot like number one and had the same coloring, though his hair was a little wavier with less gray. His jawline was a slightly different shape, and he had a barely noticeable crook in his nose. It had most likely been broken, probably when he was in captivity. I suppressed a shudder. What my father had put this man through…

  I tried not to think about it as I concentrated on the man sitting next to me. The youngest Steel brother.

  Ryan’s eyes were slightly lighter than his brothers’—a chestnut brown rather than espresso. His hair was a little bit shorter and a little better groomed. Not in quite as much disarray as his brothers’. His eyebrows were dark brown and sculpted. Had he had them shaped? I had to stop myself from chuckling. No Steel man would have his brows threaded. They were perfect on their own.

  I shook my head slightly. Was I really waxing poetic about Ryan’s eyebrows when I’d just assessed his brothers as though they were suspects in a lineup?

  The most amazing feature on Ryan Steel was his mouth. All the Steel brothers had gorgeous lips, but Ryan’s were the pinkest and fullest.

  Something in me surged at that moment. Something I hadn’t let myself feel in over well over a decade. For a second I didn’t recognize it.

  Then it hit me.

  Desire. Sexual desire.

  I had come across attractive men in my lifetime. Even some close in looks to Ryan Steel. But I’d always held back, never let myself feel anything.

  Now, looking at Ryan…

  I couldn’t. There was a reason I stayed away from men. There was a reason I dressed the way I normally did.

  I didn’t want the attention.

  The clothes I was wearing weren’t my own. I had only brought a few pairs of slacks and shorts, several button-up shirts, a one-piece bathing suit in an unflattering brown, a pair of flip-flops, and a couple pairs of sensible shoes. Melanie had told me not to worry about what to wear for the wedding, that she would take care of it. But I’d had no idea that her future sister-in-law would take over my wardrobe this evening.

  Marjorie was about six inches taller than I, and I shuddered to think of what this miniskirt I was wearing looked like on her. It probably barely covered her ass.

  But she had insisted, and Jade and Melanie had agreed, that I wear something a little more exciting to dinner. Jade and I had the same size feet, so the strappy sandals I was wearing belonged to her.

  They had oohed and aahed when I’d stripped down to my underwear to let them dress me like a Barbie doll. Yes, I was in shape. The only reason I didn’t have six-pack abs was my own choice. I didn’t particularly like six-packs on women.

  * * *

  “Wow,” Marjorie said. “Why on earth do you cover this body up?”

  “I don’t know.”

  That was a goddamned lie.

  “Well, that’s over now. The three of us would love to look like that. How do you do it?”

  All three of them were gorgeous in very different ways. I didn’t know why they’d want to look like me.

  “I work out,” I said. “A lot.”

  “Do you diet?”

  I shook my head. “Nope. I eat what I want. I have a huge appetite from all the exercise.”

  “Wow. What do you do for working out?” Jade asked.

  “Weight training, interval training, kickboxing. When I get tired of that, I
do a little yoga.”

  “Do you have to stay in shape?” Melanie asked. “To stay on the force?”

  “No. The training was pretty vigorous when I was back in the academy, and we’re encouraged to stay in shape, but a lot of the cops I know have grown beer bellies.” I smiled.

  “Wow,” Jade said again. “Too bad we don’t have a couple months before the wedding. You could get us all in tip-top shape.”

  I warmed. They were all very beautiful with great bodies. When I said as much, Melanie said, “Thank you. That’s really sweet, Ruby. But you… There’s no comparison.”

  Marjorie had taken it upon herself to pull my hair out of the bun. “And all this hair!” she exclaimed.

  My hair fell nearly all the way down my back.

  “Why do you keep it wound up so tight?”

  “It’s just the style I’m used to.”

  “I suppose it does suit you well when you’re working,” she said. “But this is not a week for work. We’re going to relax, celebrate, have fun. You need fun hair.” She began brushing my hair. “Amazing. Straight with just a little wave from being wound up. Not a bit of frizz on your whole head. You have a beautiful head of hair, Ruby.”

  “I… Thank you,” I said.

  After Marjorie finished combing out my hair and dressing me in her own tank top and skirt—“the color of this tank will go great with your eyes”—she painted my lips a dark red, which I wasn’t sure I could deal with. Then she stroked on some blush and mascara.

  “That’s really all you need. Your skin is gorgeous. What products do you use?”

  “Um…soap and water?”

  “In Colorado? How do you keep your skin from drying out? You should be moisturizing.”

  Marjorie Steel certainly didn’t mince words.

  “Good genes, I guess.” I nearly had to laugh at that one. They all knew where half my genes had come from, and they were not good. Although, even though my father was a complete psychopath, he was pretty damned good-looking. He had dark hair, nearly black, the same as mine, though his skin was olive and his eyes brown. My skin was fair and my eyes blue, like my mother’s.