The Strand Brothers Series: Complete Set

by Lora Ann

  She turned around and queried, “Do you think they can figure out who did it?”

  I didn’t lie to her. “No. I don’t.”

  “Oh,” she gasped. Once she collected herself, she asked, “Then why exactly am I here?”

  Good fucking question. “I wanted you to feel safe,” I replied.

  She held my gaze. “Why would that matter to you?”

  I strode towards her. When I rounded the desk, I set my glass on it. I took a hold of her shoulders and honestly answered, “I don’t know.”

  Her head was tilted back due to our significant height difference. “I see.”

  Now that shocked me. “You do?”

  She reached up to hold my biceps, which flexed under her long, slender fingers. “You feel that?”

  How could I not? The air crackled with the sexual energy coming off both of our bodies. But there was something else, too, and it scared the hell out of me. As I pulled back, I dropped my hands to my sides and clenched my fists. “We’re attracted to each other. Doesn’t mean anything,” I stated. But I didn’t know if I said that for her benefit or mine.

  “If that’s the way you want it, fine,” she acknowledged.

  She sashayed across the room to the door. I stood there and admired those gorgeous hips in motion. What would they feel like underneath mine as they arched up to pull me deeper inside her? STOP! We are not going to tap that. My self-control was at its limits. I was a goner if she spun around and offered the invitation. She glanced over her shoulder. “Too bad.” She added, “We could be really good together,” as she closed the door.

  A woman who knew and accepted her sexuality—not to mention wanted me as much as I wanted her—had just walked out of my office. I barely restrained myself. Truth was, I could not deny myself much longer. I poured myself another drink and hoped the investigation was complete by morning. Otherwise, I would have one helluva case of blue balls. I could do this. I would stay away from her. Liar. Could and would. Once Aimee Taylor returned to her apartment, and her life, I would keep my distance. Yeah, right. Who was I kidding? If only, I was that strong.

  Chapter Six

  Aimee

  Did I just proposition the most gorgeous and dangerous man I had ever met? Yes. Yes, I did. OMG, what was I thinking? First off, I’d never done such a thing before in my life. Men simply wanted me. I’m not conceited. I simply knew how to work my God given assets to the best advantage. Granted, my body would fit in better in a different era. However, I was always pleasantly surprised by how many men liked a curvy woman. I remember being so concerned with that when I chose to escort. I thought men this day and time preferred svelte bodies. Or even athletic ones. No amount of working out was going to get rid of my butt. I could give J. Lo a run for her money. And my rounded size double Ds were not the result of surgical enhancement. I always felt my hips were too wide, but they did seem to balance the package. The only two things I really liked about my body were: my tiny waist and shoulder-length natural blonde hair. Of course, Nik’s hair was much longer than mine, but my color was darker with more gold in it. None of that mattered at the moment, point was, I’d offered myself and was shot down. That hurt. More than I was willing to admit, even to myself.

  As I stepped into the shower, I reevaluated where I went wrong. Maybe it was him? Gah, I didn’t know the answers. What I did know was that I wanted him with a ferociousness that terrified me. It wasn’t just his looks. Even though he was by far the most striking man I had ever laid eyes on. I wasn’t kidding when I referenced him to Thor. He was tall—probably six-foot, four-inches or more—and his shoulders were massive. I wanted to run my tongue along every hard, heavy muscle on his big body. He was a masterpiece, with angles and planes on his rugged face. And sculpted lips that made a woman beg for them to be anywhere on her. There was no mistaking the danger and power that radiated off him. I loved successful men. They all had such pull, like gravity itself.

  Once I sat on the bench inside the shower, I instantly remembered that look in his eyes—the one that disclosed vulnerability for just a moment. He was broken somehow, and that was what really drew me to him. How did I thaw him? He gave a whole new spin on the quote “Island unto oneself.” I wanted more than his body. I wanted to know the man inside. I felt connected to his wounded soul, as if I had known him for years. Maybe, I was seeing my other half. I didn’t know what it was, but I needed to find out.

  I was startled when a deep male voice called out, “Hello. Everything okay in here?”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat and answered, “Yes.” I entreated, “Give me a few moments, please.”

  “No problem.”

  There was a red silk robe hanging on the back of the bathroom door. I ensconced myself in its luxury. The lining was soft terrycloth and I nearly moaned from the pleasure of my body encased in such extravagance. I padded into the guestroom and stumbled a bit when I saw the man lounging in the arm chair by the fireplace. He was just as magnificent as Nik. When he stood, it became obvious he was just as tall, yet leanly muscled. He wore his hair short in a classy GQ style. Everything about him screamed urbane and money. The look he gave me was peculiar, as if he had just seen a ghost. He recovered quickly before he spoke, “You must be Aimee. I’m Alex, one of Nik’s younger brothers.” Oh, his cultured voice was melodic. Unlike Nik’s, which had that dark rasp. Though they both shared that hint of an accent I still couldn’t place. I held out my hand. “Nice to meet you, Alex.”

  He smiled and there was an adorable dimple on the left side of his mouth. Wow, I had no doubt this man could have any woman he wanted. Where his older brother was enigmatic and brooding, he was laid back and charming. I was going to need a cold shower when he left. Too bad I wasn’t drawn to this brother—he would’ve been better for my overall wellbeing. He took my hand with masculine grace and brought it to his lips for a soft kiss across my knuckles. Goodness, these Strand men were enough to make a woman melt. “I hope you don’t think I’m being presumptuous,” he stated. “I wanted to meet you on my own without Nik standing guard, if you know what I mean?”

  I chortled, “Actually, I do.” I waved my hand in a motion for him to sit back down. I took the chair across from him. “He can be a bit intimidating,” I acknowledged.

  “Don’t let him frighten you,” he professed.

  “I’ll try. Not an easy task, considering he vibrates with restrained violence.”

  “Yeah, well, there is that,” he confirmed with a smile. As he sat up straight, he held my gaze with his beautiful cornflower blue eyes behind a sexy pair of tortoiseshell glasses. “He won’t hurt you. I hope you know that.”

  Maybe not physically, but I wasn’t so sure about emotionally. I had a feeling Nik could absolutely break my heart if I let him in. I had no words so I simply nodded and pulled my robe a little tighter around me for security.

  “I’ve made you uncomfortable,” he proclaimed. “I apologize.” Sincerity laced his voice.

  “It’s not that.” I glanced over at the fireplace and mustered up the courage to ask him questions regarding Nik. Finally, I turned my head back towards Alex. “Can I ask a few questions?”

  He held his hands out. “By all means, I’ll do my best to answer.”

  “Nik is a former UFC heavyweight champion?”

  He grinned, “Yes. That’s common knowledge, Aimee. What do you really want to know?”

  “Well, how did he go from that to successful mogul?”

  “He has always been good with money. Also, he has an MBA.”

  “Doesn’t surprise me, although, it still doesn’t make sense.” I could see the confusion on his face, so I spelled it out. “How did he get the money to start up a company?” I raised my shoulder in a slight shrug. “I mean, did your parents have a lot of capital?”

  “Why all the financial questions?” he probed defensively.

  “I meant no disrespect.” I waved my hand around the room for emphasis. “I was just trying to figure it all out.”
/>
  He rubbed his jaw with his forefinger and thumb contemplatively. “I see where you’re going with this. You think most cage fighters come from rough backgrounds?”

  I nodded emphatically. “In my experience, they do. Have I missed the mark with Nik?”

  “No, not at all. As a matter of fact, you’re spot on. However, this isn’t my story to share. You need to ask him yourself,” he affirmed.

  I appreciated his loyalty to his brother, even if it frustrated the hell out of me. “Fair enough, Alex.”

  He reached for my hand and clasped it in his. “Was there anything else?”

  At that moment someone coughed. We looked up at the same time to see Nik leaning against the doorjamb. He looked confident and relaxed, but his eyes gave away the storm raging inside him. “Are you finished talking behind my back?”

  Alex stood with ease, not at all intimidated by his enormous, pissed off brother. “We’re good,” he said. As he walked through the door, he cuffed Nik on the shoulder.

  *****

  Once Alex was gone, Nik stepped into the room. “Did you need to know something?”

  I twisted the belt on my robe around my hands —a nervous habit of mine. I tried to hold his gaze, but it was no use. “I didn’t mean to intrude on your personal business. I apologize if I have upset you.”

  He scoffed, “Bullshit. You had every intention of wringing out every drop of information you could from my brother.” He sauntered over to me and crouched down in front of my chair. “For the record, he’s my attorney. He won’t tell you shit that isn’t a matter of public record, sweetness.”

  Oh, the man infuriated me and set me aflame with desire. How does he do that? “I was trying to learn more about you. Forgive me for giving a damn,” I snapped.

  When I stood, he had to lean back on his haunches. Wow, the fantasy that played through my mind at such a visual. This man was beyond trouble. I needed to stay far, far away from him. I paced across the room then spun and asked, “Why are you here?”

  He chuckled darkly. “I live here.”

  I sighed in exasperation. “No. What I mean is, why are you in this room with me?”

  He stood. “There are detectives here to see you.”

  I shook my head to clear my thoughts. “You couldn’t have told me that from the get go?”

  He shrugged his big shoulders. “I could have. I just didn’t.” He strode towards me, and I took a step back. “Get dressed,” he commanded over his shoulder at the doorway. “They’re waiting.” Then the door closed.

  Grr. I wished I had something to throw at the stupid door. Better yet, at his head. Oh, the man was pushing all my buttons. And I would be lying if I didn’t admit; he was turning me on. Big time.

  *****

  I put my clothes back on, sans panties—since that always grossed me out to put on dirty underwear after I was clean—and walked into the living room to meet the detectives. Once introductions were fulfilled, we got down to business. I learned that they, Detectives Michaels and Reeves, had no idea who had broken into my place, which wasn’t at all a huge surprise. I knew they had done their job, but, still, I felt uneasy. I inquired, “Do you think whoever it was will return?”

  Reeves answered, “Can’t predict that, ma’am. If they do, you’ve now made a paper trail. That’s always important in prosecuting, if it comes down to that.”

  “Alright. Is there anything else I should do?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Michaels replied. “Don’t go back to your apartment until it’s been cleaned up.”

  Well, duh. As if I would want to step foot in there again with it looking like a tornado had hit it. Plus, I didn’t want to see that horrid word—albeit fact—written across my stuff.

  Reeves pulled me from my reverie. “Do you have some place to stay?”

  I was pretty sure Renée would let me crash with her. Of course, there was a reason we were no longer roommates; however, a few days wouldn’t kill either one of us. “Yes. Thank you for asking.”

  When Detective Reeves smiled, I realized he was an attractive man. I glanced down and caught a glimpse of the wedding ring on his left hand. Ah, a very married good-looking man. “Stay aware, Ms. Taylor. Make sure you don’t go anywhere alone.” I heard the concern in his voice and was touched.

  Then Nik replied, with a resounding, “I’ll see to it myself, Detective Reeves. Thank you for your time. If you need to reach Ms. Taylor, she’ll be here,” he announced.

  WTF? Was he joking? There was no way I could spend another night in the same space as Nik Strand! I just stared at him while Alex showed the detectives out. As soon as they were gone, I responded, “No. I’ll go call Renée. I will not stay here with you.”

  He prowled forward and grabbed my upper arms firmly. “The hell you won’t.”

  I tried to pull away, but he tightened his grip. He hadn’t hurt me, per se.

  Although Alex didn’t see it that way as he asserted, “Get your hands off her, Nik.”

  Nik growled low in his chest as he dropped his hands to his sides. He was looking at me when he spoke to his brother. “I didn’t hurt her,” he affirmed.

  Alex’s brows rose. “Aimee?”

  I held Nik’s gaze as I answered, “I’m fine, Alex. He didn’t harm me.”

  Alex walked over to me and placed his hand on the small of my back. I reverted my gaze to his when he queried, “Do you want me to stay?”

  I shook my head. “No, thank you. I’ll be fine.”

  He nodded, “All right, then. I’ll be in the other room if you need me, just yell.” With that he sauntered out of the room, but not before I saw the look that passed between them.

  While Nik stroked his hands up and down my arms, which he had clutched earlier, he looked at me intently. “Did I hurt you?”

  “No. You didn’t.” I stepped away from him so I could think clearly. “Why do you want me to stay here?”

  “It’s safer.”

  That was true. But I had a feeling there was more to it. “Nik?”

  “Yeah.”

  “What aren’t you telling me?”

  He sighed. “Sit down, Aimee.”

  Well, crap. I just had to ask. As I sat on the sofa, he joined me, turning his body so he faced me directly. “I think Reynolds is behind this.”

  Okay. Truth was, I’d thought the same thing. But I had disregarded it because he wouldn’t do something so petty. Would he? “Why do you think so?”

  “I’ve seen him do something similar in the past.”

  “Really!” Now this was news to me so I questioned, “To whom?”

  He glanced away. “Doesn’t matter. Point is, until we know for sure you’re better off here.”

  I had no argument. Or maybe, I just wanted to stay close to him for a little while longer. Which was really a bad idea, the man was wreaking havoc on me. I needed to leave. Instead I acquiesced, “Okay. But only until I get my place back in order.”

  His lips curved up in a sexy half-smile. “I’ll take care of it in the morning.”

  “Oh, no. That’s not necessary. I’m sure insurance will cover it.”

  “It’s already being handled, Aimee.”

  “Well, then.” I was shocked silent for a moment. Then I held out my hand and said, “Thank you.”

  He took my hand in his and lightly stroked my inner wrist. “No problem.”

  I would never know what might have happened, for at that moment, Alex walked back into the room. “Nik,” he announced, “We need to talk.” His voice held a seriousness that I had no doubt he used in the courtroom.

  Nik inclined his head towards the door and then met my gaze. “Excuse me, Aimee.”

  Once Nik and Alex were absent from the room, I was left to contemplate just what the hell I was doing.

  For the record—I didn’t have a clue.

  Chapter Seven

  Nik

  Once Alex closed the door to my home office, I demanded, “Tell me.”

  “No, Nik. You’re t
he one who needs to start spilling his guts,” he retorted.

  I spun to face him. “Enlighten me, Alex. What am I supposed to convey, exactly?”

  “Please. As if you have no idea why I brought you in here.”

  “I really don’t have a clue. You need to elucidate.” Annoyed, I walked over and poured myself a drink.

  Alex shook his head in disapproval. “You’ve had enough,” he asserted.

  “Shut up.” To make my point perfectly clear I added, “I don’t need you mothering me.”

  “Fine,” he incensed. “It’s your liver.” He began to pace the office. “Mind telling me what the hell you were thinking when you had your goons perform an illegal search of a senator’s private residence?”

  Ah, the interrogation begins. I nonchalantly shrugged one shoulder. “Hunch.”

  “Come on, Nik, work with me here,” he implored. “What were you searching for?”

  I raised my brows at him. I swear he had his head so far up his ass he was going to find his lungs any second! “Evidence.” I fought like hell not to add the “duh.”

  “Last time I checked, you were not the police.” He shoved both hands through his hair in exasperation—family trait, that. “Do you realize you could have gone to jail if you were caught?”

  I shrugged. “But I wasn’t.”

  Alex stormed across the room, got right up in my face and hissed, “Stupid, bastard. What if I had not been alerted? Were you ever going to tell me?”

  I glared into his eyes. To this day I couldn’t handle anyone—not even my brother—in my personal space. Flashes of the prison yard went through my mind in rapid fire: me, bloody and damned near unconscious; L.D. stepping in at the last moment before I became Rex’s bitch; the initiation with my blood, sweat, and tears. Adrenaline roared through my veins as the need to fight—to win at all costs—tried to take hold. I shook my head to clear it and growled, “Back the fuck off. Now.”