“Yes.” He grabbed his suit jacket off the back of the sofa and slid it on.
“Your tie is crooked.” Avery crossed the room to stand in front of him. Quinn stood still as she loosened the knot and retied it. Her fingers brushed his neck, making his skin burn.
His gaze dropped at the same time hers lifted. Her hands stilled.
Quickly, Avery dropped her gaze and finished the knot. Quinn stepped away. “Let’s go.”
They drove to town in silence. Cars filled the parking lot of the funeral home. Quinn guided Avery up the steps and to the door. She hesitated when he opened the door and the nauseating scent of vanilla drifted out.
“How about I just wait in the truck?” She backed up a step. Her face had gone deathly white, her hands fisted at her sides.
“Avery, you have to go in.”
“I can’t.”
He put a hand on her arm. “Come on.”
She looked at him. “You don’t understand. I can’t go in there.”
“Why not?”
Her eyes became haunted. “My parents…your family. I can’t be here.”
“None of us want to be here, but the only place I can protect you is at my side.”
Her gaze dropped to the open door where the murmur of voices drifted out. “The last funeral I went to was my parents’,” she whispered.
Now he understood her reluctance to go inside. Hell, he didn’t blame her. If he never did this again it would be too soon.
“I’m sorry, Avery.”
She nodded, visibly pulled herself together as an elderly couple approached behind them. “I’ll be fine,” she said and allowed him to guide her inside.
The proceedings went by in a blur. Like a dream they were suddenly standing at the gravesite, watching the casket being lowered into the ground. Quinn had gone through the motions by rote, vaguely remembering driving to the cemetery. He watched the coffin disappear into the ground, the ache in his chest so great he thought he would explode. It got harder and harder to remain upright beneath the weight on his shoulders.
His mother, Bailey, and Dani sobbed quietly, his brothers stood tall next to his father. He’d done this to them. They suffered from his mistake. His broken promise.
Pain knifed through his chest and his knees threatened to buckle.
A hand slipped inside his. Quinn looked down to see Avery’s hand in his, small and soft, offering strength and comfort from a woman battling her own demons. She didn’t look at him, simply stared straight ahead.
He laced his fingers through hers, grounded once again. One by one, friends and family stepped up to drop a handful of dirt on the casket. Automatically, Quinn fell into step behind Avery, saw her hand shake as she released the dirt. She quickly moved away. He stared at the grave for a moment, a band squeezing his chest. Somehow he managed to let go of the soil in his hand.
The line moved on, nudging him along with it. He shook himself out of his daze and walked away. His parents stood a few feet away talking to the Bertrams. Evan had his arm around Dani’s shoulders, speaking quietly to her. His brothers were dispersed through the crowd, going through the motions as he was.
Quinn raked a hand through his hair, looking for Avery. A quick look around the cemetery came up empty.
Then he saw her walking toward his truck. He took a step in her direction, wanting to be with her instead of here, but Chris’s voice stopped him.
“Let her go, bro. She doesn’t belong here.”
He faced his brother, saw the same stress lines around Chris’s mouth and eyes as the rest of them. “Not now,” he warned.
Chris fisted his hands at his sides. “You shouldn’t have brought her.”
Quinn stared him down. “Don’t be an idiot. Avery didn’t do this. If you want to blame someone, blame me. I put our brother in the ground.”
“Fuck you, Quinn. We wouldn’t even have been on that mission if it wasn’t for her. Ryan would still be alive.”
He knew what his brother wanted. Needed. Fighting and women had always been Chris’s way of dealing. Physical pain to take away the emotional. Quinn wasn’t going to oblige him. At least not here. But goddamn if his brother didn’t know what buttons to push.
“Not here,” he warned, low and soft.
Chris’s eyes flashed with anger and pain. “I mean what I said, Quinn. Get her the hell out of here.”
“She’s my charge. Where I go, she goes. No matter what, we’re bound to protect her.”
Chris shoved him. “You’re bound, bro. Wolff Securities isn’t protecting the woman who got Ryan shot.”
Quinn got in his face. “Stand down, Chris. Mom is watching and you’re adding to her stress. Now is not the time for this.”
Kell approached, his gaze bouncing between them. “Everything good here?”
“Yeah, great.” Chris spun around and stalked away.
“I don’t have to ask what that was about, do I?”
Quinn glanced at Kell and shook his head. “We need a football game.”
Kell nodded. “It’s been awhile.”
Regret filled him. Too many missions kept them too busy to take time and enjoy a Sunday dinner and football game in the backyard like they used to. It had been tradition growing up. A chance for six testosterone crazed boys to let off a little steam. And one sister to prove she was tougher than she looked.
“Maybe in a couple weeks after things settle down.”
If they ever did. The family wasn’t going to bounce back from this easily. “Yeah, maybe.”
“Go take care of Avery. I’ll make sure Chris behaves.” Kell strode after their brother.
Quinn headed toward the parking lot, relieved to be away from the gravesite. Avery sat in the passenger seat watching him. He climbed in the driver’s side and quietly closed the door. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. What was that about?”
“A football game.”
She frowned.
“Never mind. Next time, don’t walk away like that. I need to know where you are at all times.”
Her lips thinned. “I was giving you time with your family.”
“Burial is over. There’s a gathering at my parents’ house.”
Her chest rose and fell on a deep breath. “I suppose you won’t let me stay at your house while you attend?”
“No.”
“Didn’t think so.”
Hating this as much as she did, Quinn brought the engine to life and headed for his parents’ house, falling into place among the line of cars going in the same direction. Bailey had left right after the ceremony to prepare the food and take the burden off their mom’s shoulders. The driveway was full of cars by time they arrived, forcing him to park on the road. A few more hours and it would be over. Then they could all get on with some semblance of life. If that were possible.
He wasn’t so sure.
They walked to the front door in silence, the sun high in the sky.
“Maybe I could hang out here,” Avery said when he opened the door. He knew she wasn’t afraid of facing his family, not much scared this woman, but of causing them more grief.
He gave her a gentle nudge through the door. “Relax. It’ll be fine.”
****
Avery stepped through the door of Quinn’s parents’ house, unable to go anywhere else with his hand on the small of her back guiding her forward. His touch made her belly flutter with more than nerves.
She recognized Quinn’s brothers immediately, since they were the tallest bunch in the crowded room. All eyes turned to them as they walked in and if it weren’t for Quinn’s chest at her back she would have turned and left. She didn’t know how much everyone knew, or if they knew anything at all, but no judgment shone in their eyes.
Quinn’s mother approached, her eyes red-rimmed. “Maybe you should take Avery out back where it’s less crowded.”
The suggestion was given politely, but firmly. Avery didn’t have to be told twice that she wasn’t wanted. “I’
ll just wait in the truck.” She turned to go but Quinn’s hand on her arm stopped her retreat.
Quietly, he said, “I’m responsible for Avery right now, Mom.”
His mother’s lips thinned before she gave a small nod. “I understand. Why don’t you show her to the kitchen and pour her a drink. She looks like she could use one.”
A nice, stiff one, Avery thought, as Quinn guided her through the crowd and into the kitchen where the blonde that looked like Quinn’s mother stood behind a marble-topped island pouring wine into glasses. She looked up from her task when they walked in and her smoky gray-green eyes studied Avery with a directness that could only come from a member of the Wolff family. There was no condemnation in her eyes, but something warned Avery not to cross this woman.
Never one to back down, Avery returned her stare and waited.
After a moment the woman held out a hand. “We haven’t been introduced. I’m Bailey Wolff.”
She shook Bailey’s hand. “Avery Marks.”
Bailey nodded and returned to her task of pouring drinks. “Right. Quinn’s charge.”
“Yes.”
“Would you like a drink?”
Avery cast a glance at Quinn and he nodded. She didn’t blame him for not getting involved. Not that she needed him to. She’d always been able to handle herself. But, in this situation, she walked a tightrope.
“Please.” She accepted the wine glass Bailey passed her.
“How about you, big brother?”
“No.”
The rich red wine slid down Avery’s throat and settled her nerves a little. Over the rim she studied Quinn’s sister. She was a stunningly beautiful woman with honey blond hair and striking eyes. Avery admired her silky smooth skin and sculpted lips. Not a freckle to be had, unlike her own skin, which was dotted with them. Elegant came to mind.
“On the clock, I see,” Bailey commented, sipping a glass herself.
The loaded question hung in the air between them. Avery sipped her wine, her eyes bouncing from Quinn to his sister.
“Later,” Quinn said.
Bailey’s gaze shifted from Quinn to Avery then back again. “Definitely.”
There it was. Quinn would be explaining the situation to his sister later. Bailey’s expression was one of determination.
“There’s more room on the back deck,” Bailey suggested, her meaning clear.
Quinn sent her a warning glance and guided Avery toward the back door. Warm afternoon sun hit them as soon as they stepped onto the deck. Thankfully, there weren’t as many people out here.
Like Quinn’s house, this sat on the lake. More than anything she wanted to go stand by the railing and feel the warm breeze on her face, but her feet ached. Someone caught Quinn’s attention and she pointed to the chair sitting in the far corner of the deck. He nodded and turned to speak to the man.
She sat down in the lounger and stretched her legs out with a sigh of relief. The bandages helped, but being on her feet for so long pushed her limits.
Someone stepped into her line of sight and she looked up to see Quinn’s brother, the watchful one who always seemed to hang in the background. There was an alertness about him that reminded her of Quinn. But his was understated, subtle, and that made him even more compelling.
“Avery, right?”
She nodded, wary. Lest she not forget she was in the lion’s den.
“Mind if I sit?” He motioned toward the Adirondack chair sitting a few feet away.
“Of course.”
With a sip of wine she watched him pull the chair over and sit down. Uncertain what to expect, she waited for him to speak first.
His green eyes met hers, reminding her of an antique bottle she’d once found buried in her aunt’s back yard. They didn’t make her want to run in the other direction like the brother with the dark blond hair and reckless nature who made it clear she wasn’t wanted.
“I’m Quinn’s brother, Nate. We haven’t officially met. I’d like to apologize for Chris’s behavior at the funeral today. He was born without a censor button.”
Avery smiled. “I’ve never heard it put quite that way before. Thank you.”
He nodded, his gaze traveling around the deck. “You know you’re safe here. We Wolffs are a protective bunch. No matter what the circumstances, we will protect you.”
His quietly spoken declaration made her realize how alone she really was. With her parents gone, no siblings to turn to and an aunt who’d seen her as nothing but a burden, her life seemed empty compared to that of the Wolff clan.
“How many of you are there?” she asked, uncomfortable with the subject. She didn’t deserve their protection.
“Seven.” His expression turned solemn. “Six now.”
Her heart twisted. “Bailey is the only girl?”
“Don’t let that fool you. She knew exactly how to survive with six brothers.”
Avery didn’t doubt that one bit after having met Quinn’s sister. She doubted much scared the woman. What would it have been like growing up with six brothers?
Pushing the thought away, she sipped her wine. Already she could feel it relaxing her.
Someone approached Nate and he excused himself, although she got the impression he wanted to say more. She finished her glass and watched him stride away, head bowed to the man who drew his attention. Unintentionally, her gaze found Quinn leaning against the railing listening to his companion talk, but watching her. He masked his expression so she couldn’t read his thoughts, but heat rose slowly from her toes to the top of her head at the way he looked at her.
Maybe it was the wine or maybe she was tired of fighting her attraction for the man, but either way she acknowledged the chemistry sizzling between them. There were so many reasons for them not to be together. Right now she could think of none of them.
She watched Quinn excuse himself and stride toward her. Whatever he’d been about to say got waylaid when his mother approached.
“Quinn, could I talk with you for a moment?”
He glanced her way before moving inside the house with his mother. Feeling awkward and out of place, Avery rose gingerly to her feet and followed. Only she didn’t go all the way inside, instead detoured to the stairs leading to the second floor in search of a bathroom. The open floor plan allowed her to see downstairs as she wound her way around the bedrooms. Quinn stood beneath the stairs talking quietly with his mother, who looked upset.
Certain it was over her presence, Avery heard the familiar voice of Quinn’s brother, Chris, coming down the hall and she quickly ducked inside the closest door. She closed it silently and let out a long breath. Quinn’s brother didn’t like her and she didn’t want another confrontation.
Feeling like a coward, Avery turned to study the room. Immediately, she knew she was in Quinn’s childhood bedroom. Not a thing was out of place, the room preserved much as she expected it had looked like when he was a child. Sports memorabilia decorated the walls and trophies sat on a shelf over the bed.
Curious, she moved farther into the room and trailed her fingers down the dark blue patchwork comforter. The trophies were from football and baseball. State champs three years running in both sports. Medals with Quinn’s name on them hung from the trophies. He was that guy. The one who dated the high school cheerleading captain and was voted prom king.
She sat on the edge of the bed and tried to imagine Quinn as that guy, but the images didn’t fit. Somehow, she just couldn’t picture him in a letterman’s jacket. He was too rugged. Too much his own person to follow those strict high school codes. Quinn went his own way and she liked that about him.
Picturing him stretched out on this very bed, she leaned back against the pillows and closed her eyes. Sure enough, she caught the faint hint of sandalwood.
As she drifted off to sleep she wondered if Quinn had ever had a girl in his bedroom.
Chapter Twelve
Chest tight, Quinn stood in the doorway of his old bedroom, watching Avery sleep in the very sp
ot he once had. Somehow she had slipped upstairs without his knowledge. He’d spent the last ten minutes in a near panic looking for her.
Silently, he closed the door and moved into the room to stand beside the bed. She looked so peaceful and content he hated to wake her. But he was ready for this day to be over.
Avery rolled over with a tiny sigh that went straight to his groin. “Quinn,” she murmured.
He sat down on the edge of the bed. “Time to go.”
She blinked the sleep from her eyes, frowning slightly. “I fell asleep?”
“You did.”
Her frown intensified. “I…”
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Don’t worry, it happens to everyone.”
“Everyone who comes here falls asleep?” she repeated, amused.
“We blame it on Mom’s cooking.”
“But I didn’t eat anything.”
“Not here.”
Her eyes lit up. “The Tupperware.”
He nodded.
“That was really good.”
Even if she only ate a few bites. With his mom’s cooking that’s all it took. She lifted her head to rest her cheek on his knee. An innocent move, but his body didn’t see it that way.
“This used to be your room,” she guessed, her eyes traveling the paraphernalia on the walls.
“Mom kept all our rooms the same as when we left. A waste of space.”
Avery’s expression softened. “No, not a waste,” she murmured. “You’re very lucky to have a mother who wants to preserve the past.” A mask fell over her face and she pushed to a sitting position. “We should go.”
Clearly talking about this upset her, so Quinn rose to his feet and helped her to hers. She winced as she stood, and bit her lip.
He moved to her side, but she waved him off. “I’m fine,” she said and he scowled. She rolled her eyes and walked to the door. “Well, I am.”
She was not fine, but he let it go and followed her into the hallway.
Maximum Risk Page 13
