I can’t believe she read me that well. Maybe I’m the one going soft. Grunting, I shove another forkful of food in my mouth so I don’t have to answer her question.
“Did you at least resolve your issues?”
Damn, she’s not giving up on this. “He’s still an arse,” I say, digging into my pasta.
Her laughter fills my heart, making me wish I had something else amusing to say so I can hear it again. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. “But because of Hugh’s presence, I think it’s best for you to stay with Sebastian at this point. You’ll be safer with your brother.”
“What?” Mina drops her fork into her salad and slides off her seat to stand in front of me. “I’m not going anywhere. I feel very secure here.”
“You’re going, Mina.” My tone is clipped, intended to end the discussion.
She folds her arms, her heart-shaped face settling in stubborn lines. “You’ll protect me.”
I stand and scowl down at her, hoping my honesty scares some sense into her. “I lost one family. I will not lose another!” I brace for her to throw arguments at me in rapid-fire ammunition fashion, so I’m taken aback when she steps close and wraps her arms around my waist, pressing her head to my chest.
“Then don’t push family away. Don’t push me away,” she says softly.
Bloody hell, she’s a perfect fit against me. My arms instinctively fold around her petite frame, and the overwhelming urge to protect her rears up, clamping my chest tight. “Mina, this isn’t about pushing you away. It’s about keeping you safe.” My voice is gruff. I know I should set her away, keep a professional distance between us, but after today’s attack, our time together has to end.
Sebastian has the resources to keep her fully protected. As much as I like to think I’m the best at what I do, I can’t be everywhere at once. Even though I know it’s the right thing for her, I don’t want to let her go. She’s a bright spot in my regimented, soulless life. And after holding her last night and feeling her curves pressed against me, I can’t stop myself from selfishly locking her close. Lowering my head, I push my nose to her hair and silently inhale her sweet smell.
One last time.
She sighs against my chest, then turns her head, lifting luminous brown eyes to me. “I don’t want to leave, Den.”
She’s biting her lower lip, waiting for me. Her sexy sweetness loosens the tightness in my chest. I have to know. Tilting her chin, I press my mouth to hers.
Soft. Fuck me, she’s so soft. Moaning against my mouth, Mina pushes up on her toes and slides her hands along my back muscles, tugging me closer. Every part of me hardens, and my hands wind into her hair. The supple waves entwine around my fingers and I grunt my pleasure and tug, tilting her head to give me deeper access. I have to feel her yield, my body craving hers to fully submit, to give herself over. When her lips part, deepening our kiss, I clasp the back of her head and twine my tongue with hers, floored at the intense desire rushing through my veins and roaring in my ears.
It’s one thing to know the chemistry building between us wasn’t my imagination, but another to experience how fucking shockingly real it is. I want to tear her damn clothes off and feel her skin against mine. A feral rumble stirs just below my chest, demanding that I stake my claim. That I take her to bed and taste every delicate curve, then devour her essence over and over until she begs me to drown myself in her and make her fully mine.
Holy shite! I have to stop this. She’s my charge. What the hell is wrong with me?
I break our kiss and take a step back. “I’m sorry, Mina. That was a mis—”
“Don’t you dare say that was a mistake, Dennet Barasa.” She’s shaking and the brief look of hurt on her face before she crosses her arms twists my heart. “Noble Brits don’t lie.”
Do I regret it? Hell no. Was it a bad idea? Yes, because I won’t be able to stop wanting her. She’s robbing me of my ability to think straight. With her hard stare zeroing on me, I suddenly feel like I’m under a heat lamp. Instead of answering, I quickly unzip my jacket and yank it off, tossing it onto the counter. “I’m your guard, Mina—”
“What happened?” Concern briefly replaces the anger on her face as she reaches for the bandage showing under the edge of my athletic shirt’s sleeve. Her brows pull together, anger renewed. “Did Hugh do this to you?”
I pull away. I can’t let her touch me again. I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop the next time. “No, he just wanted to pass along some information.”
“He was right.” Her gaze latches onto my wound, worry flickering. “Trouble has found you.”
I still don’t know the source, and until I hear back from Elijah, I can’t rule out the clean-up team doing a sweep of any potential witnesses. I just hope Mina isn’t visible on any of those video feeds. But right now there are too many unknown variables that could put her at risk. “This is why you’re not safe here,” I say gruffly, following her gaze to my arm. Grabbing my jacket from the counter, I pick up my gym bag where I’d stashed my wet clothes. The last thing she needs to see is a blood-soaked bullet hole. “I won’t discuss it further. You should get some rest. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to the office. You’ll be safe there until you pick Josi up from church and head to Sebastian’s place.”
“So that’s it?” Mina throws her arms wide, her features scrunched, voice shaking. “You’re ditching me like yesterday’s newspaper?”
“Mina…” I call after her as she turns and walks up the stairs. She reaches the top, but her only response is to walk into my bedroom and shut the door firmly.
Brilliant bloody job, mate. Exhaling my frustration, I retrieve my ruined suit and bury the clothes under all the rubbish from dinner, then tie the bag up and take it out to the bin in the garage.
When I come back in, I have a text from Elijah.
Yep, there’s a shot of your car from that quadrant, but I didn’t see Mina at all. Still looking through the extra feeds we found. I’ll let you know if we see anything.
Thanks.
I set my phone down and think about the shooter’s phone sitting in my car. I hope Elijah can figure out a way to turn it on and try to crack its encryption without allowing the guy the chance to erase it. I need to know who the hell ordered that hit on me.
After I turn off the lights and sit alone in the dark, that’s when I finally allow myself to acknowledge the truth about my wife and child’s deaths.
Their murders.
My hands begin to shake and I fist them on my thighs. Edgar will pay. I will find a way to insure he feels their pain.
Every last fucking bit.
Gritting my teeth, I shut my eyes tight against the moisture that threatens, then lower the dam around my mind, letting the pain I’ve bottled up for years flood in.
I miss them both so much. The little things: like listening to Bren read me her poetry and watching Enya’s endless energy. The way my wife smiled, how she supported my long work hours just as much as she sometimes over-mothered our daughter. Enya’s tittering laughter, and how she saw the world. She was full of wonder and awe, never negative or sad. Not my Enni. She was always smiling. They didn’t deserve what happened to them. None of our families did.
I approach the cabinet next to the fireplace and stare at the drawer where I’d put the bracelet Mina returned to me. I can’t bring myself to open it and look inside. My chest hurts too much, especially after learning the truth today.
I walk back to the couch and sit down, letting the darkness fan my misery until it feels as if the room is closing in on me from all sides, crushing my chest.
A sliver of light snakes across the room, then suddenly the whole living room is filled with dim light. Mina had reopened her door, and now the light consumes the space, pushing dark thoughts away and leaving sweet memories intact.
Only love and vengeance remains. Those, I can deal with.
My heart twists as I glance upstairs. Even from a distance, as long as she keeps the door open, Mina’s presen
ce chases away my demons. I miss her warmth, her exuberance, our debates, and how she seems to read me so easily. The idea of coming home to this place alone tomorrow leaves me feeling unsettled.
Empty.
My gaze lands on her leftover tea. The one thing I forgot to clean up. Craving the closeness I feel with her, even something as simple as sharing a drink of hers, I grab the mug and down its contents in one big gulp.
That’s Earl Grey? Pulling back, I frown my displeasure at the empty mug. Maybe it’s because it’s green tea. I roll my tongue around the strange bitterness in my mouth, then shake my head a couple of times. The taste is just not right. I blink in the darkness for a few seconds. My head feels light, airy. Clearing my throat, I stand and walk over to the tins of tea she brought.
I flip one lid open and inhale the mixture. Then do the same to the other. They smell different, but they both have a similar underlying scent. I lift my gaze to the window and try to focus, but my vision is softer, a bit blurred and my body strangely relaxed.
What the bloody hell? I quickly gulp down three glasses of water in an effort to dilute the strange sensation.
Chapter Thirteen
Mina
“I can’t believe you took away my teas,” I say as the elevator dings at the BLACK Security office.
“They didn’t taste right.” Den takes off his shades and steps into place beside me as I walk toward Sebastian’s office. “If there’s one thing Brits know, it’s good tea. I’ll replace your tea with better blends. Who did you say gave them to you?”
“My friend Laura. She left them at the door for me.” I stop in the hall and look up at him. “I like my teas just as they were. Perfectly mature, sophisticated, and well-blended.”
His voice softens as his gaze locks with mine. “It’s for the best, Mina.”
“I think I know what tea I like,” I say, my back stiffening.
“Not when drinking it might hurt you.”
We both know we’re no longer talking about tea as we stare at each other. His golden gaze probes my face, his broad-shouldered stance tense, dominant. Standing there in his dark custom suit, crisp white shirt, and silver and black striped tie, he’s so handsome my heart aches. I inhale deeply to soak in his appealing aftershave. All I want to do is step closer, press myself against his hard chest, and run my fingers along his clean-shaven face.
Last night I slept fitfully. The tease of his hands in my hair, his hard body folding me close and the pressure of his lips claiming mine played over and over in my mind. I can’t believe the infuriating man and his sense of honor left me reeling with want.
As the office buzzes with conversations and general morning routine happening around us, I kind of love that none of Den’s co-workers have a clue how much passion lies beneath his cool exterior. And the fact I’m the only one who does, makes me want him even more. Even now, the palpable intensity between us hasn’t waned, yet he’s determined to pass me off to my brother and pretend it never happened.
“Isn’t that the whole point of living, Den? Taking risks on things that could hurt you?”
“When it comes to you?” He starts to lift his hand toward me, then tucks it into his pants pocket. “The risk is too great.”
Are we still talking about what happened between us? Or is this about something else entirely? I want to ask, but his next comment throws me.
“I’m pretty sure there was something laced in your tea. Whatever it was, my mind felt spaced and my muscles relaxed, which wasn’t right. Based on the thoughts in my head, I should’ve been very tense.”
Was he as worked up as I was? Then it hits me what he’s saying and my gaze widens. “Are you saying my tea was drugged?”
He nods. “I think they both were. I’m meeting with Travis later today. He should have the results of the blood sample he found at the hotel and Regan’s DNA. I’m going to have him do a chemical break down of your teas. I want to know what’s in them.”
“There’s no way Laura would do that. She didn’t even drink all through high school and college.”
He frowns. “People can change.”
“Not her. She’s a gem. Teas are kind of her specialty.”
He shrugs. “Someone did this, and we need to find out who. Didn’t you say the teas were left at your door? How do you know they were from Laura?”
“Yes, they were definitely from her. I know because each package had a ribbon with a peppermint design on it. Peppermint is an inside joke between us.”
“No one else knows about this inside joke?”
“Regan knew,” I say, my heart sinking. “But since she’s gone, that only leaves Laura.”
“Travis can tell us what’s in it. Then you can call your friend. If it was unintentional, she should know about the teas she’s buying.”
Just as I nod my agreement, movement in my periphery draws my attention. My brother is in his doorway, arms crossed. Eyeing Den with a purposeful gaze, he inclines his head, indicating he wants to talk to us.
As Den and I walk into his office, Seb moves behind his desk. Stacking several folders neatly next to his closed laptop, he pushes his chair up. “Talia and I have been summoned to the police station. Since we spent months looking for Regan in the hopes of trying to recover the money stolen from BLAKE Industries, they want to question us about her death.”
“Her death?” I ask, my chest tightening. While I’ve been pretty certain the person in the hotel was Regan, it’s still hard to hear it confirmed. “Was that her body in the burning car?”
When Seb nods, Den says, “I should get confirmation from my friend today as to whether or not the blood he found at the hotel matches Regan’s.”
“For now we have to assume that it does, which means you should continue to protect Mina.”
“That’s what I want to talk to you about—” Den pauses as Talia walks into the room from her adjoining office.
“We need to double Joey’s security.”
Seb steps to her side. “Why do you think she’s in danger?”
“I just got off the phone with the warden at the prison,” she says, her forehead creased in concern. “He said earlier this week someone attacked Simone. Which is probably why she risked getting caught when she called here asking us to help get her moved.”
My brother cups her shoulder, massaging it. “It was probably a well-deserved beating. You know as well as I do that nothing out of Simone’s mouth can be trusted. Hanging up on her was the right thing to do. But what does that have to do with our daughter’s security?”
Talia clasps his hand, holding him in place. “While getting a follow up exam late yesterday, Simone knocked the doctor out. She used her appointment time to give her enough lead-time to escape. She’s in the wind.”
Blood rushes to my ears, the sudden anger buzzing so hard I can barely hear. “The woman who killed my mother is now running around free?”
Talia nods solemnly, then looks at Seb. “Until they find her, I don’t want Joey out of our sight. We should set a security protocol for the entire family.”
“I’ll do that. Alert your father too in case she tries to reach out to him,” he says. “I’ll have Teresa bring Joey to the station while we talk to the police.” Looking at Den, he continues, “I’d like you to escort them and meet us at the precinct. Calder can relieve you once he gets back from his breakfast meeting.”
“Understood. I need to speak to Elijah before I leave for your place.” Den turns to me. “You’ll be safe here. I’ll be back soon.”
My brother waits until Den walks out and Talia goes into her office to retrieve her purse to speak to me. “Den’s a seasoned operative, but he’ll only stay on top of his game if his head is fully in it. Do you understand?”
I start to speak, but Talia walks back in, so I just nod. There’s no point in telling him that Den has already made that decision for me. I’ll let Den tell Seb he’s bringing me to his place later today.
The BLACK Security office feels sudde
nly quiet once Sebastian, Talia, and Den leave. Theo is at his computer, typing up a surveillance report. I’m sure Elijah’s holed up in his office, and I don’t really know the two other guys Den spoke to before he left.
Everyone is busy and I’m stuck here under guard and unable to work, feeling completely useless. There has to be something I can do to help. I wonder what turned up in the camera angle surveillance Elijah compiled around the Eastend hotel.
I knock lightly on Elijah’s doorjamb just as he leans back in his chair and slides his hands through his short dark hair. He smiles as he lowers his hands back to his laptop and pulls the screen down, closing it slightly. “Hey, Mina. What’s up?”
What’s he working on that’s so private? I walk into his office and nod toward his laptop. “Did you find anything in any of the surveillance footage around the hotel?”
He shakes his head. “Other than the shot Den asked me to confirm of him sitting in his car, I didn’t find any sighting of you or of your car in any of them.”
“That’s good to know.” I exhale in relief, then furrow my brow. “Wait, so there was footage of Den?”
“It’s just the shadow of the back of his head.” Elijah pushes his laptop back and quickly toggles from the video he was watching to another video clip. “See,” he says, pointing to the screen. “You can’t tell anything about him. Though…hmmm.” He taps the screen, his brow furrowed. “The make of his car and his license plate are visible.”
Opening another screen, he clears his throat as he logs in. “You’re not seeing this, got it?” When I nod, he types in a search in the DMV database for Den’s license plate, then checks that address on the Internet. “The address he used at the DMV is actually for a real estate agency. Gotta give the guy props for keeping his home off the grid.”
What are the chances there’s a connection to the fact that Den drove us to the office today in his Bentley sports car? At the time I accepted his comment that his car was acting funny last night and that’s why we came here today in the special car he kept under a cover in his garage. What else is he keeping from me?
Noble Brit Page 10
