by Lara Swann
“As a guy?”
“Eh, maybe…more as your mother’s fiance.”
I wasn’t really sure what I was looking for, but the way his light gray eyes turned stormy told me I’d hit on something. He looked at me long enough that the air turned thick in an almost-familiar way.
“As my stepfather? Well, he’s a damn sight better than any I’ve had so far…except for this one overwhelming disadvantage, which I’m not particularly inclined to forgive.”
The emphasis on that last part had my heart thumping hard against my chest, sudden desire coiling through me and making me glad I was already sitting down. There was something in the controlled ferocity there, a power that could beguile any girl when it was so obviously down to her.
Damn. Maybe he’s not quite as over it as I thought then.
I didn’t quite dare to respond to that, letting the music playing in the background take over as I looked back out the window and waited for the intensity to fade. It didn’t feel safe to engage when everything was so tight and close between us, but I had no idea how to stop it from happening - ignoring it seemed the best course of action.
He seemed content to leave it at that as well, and after a little while the silence turned companionable again. Finding a bag of peanuts helped too, and we started attacking them together as we got closer to our destination. I’d forgotten how good a road trip could be for clearing the mind, and Seth interrupted my thoughts just as they were heading in the direction of his question.
“So, you going to tell me why we’re heading to San Francisco?”
I felt the beginnings of a flush and tried to ignore how hard it was to admit my plans to anyone. Somehow, it always came out sounding silly - the misguided pursuit of someone who didn’t quite know what she was doing.
But at least you’re trying, now.
“I found a few internship opportunities here, and wanted to get a feeling of the place - whether I might like to live here for a bit.”
My voice came out more defiant than I would have liked, especially since he just glanced at me and nodded, but I persevered anyway.
“I’ve got some addresses for work placements, potential housing areas…”
I bit my lip as it occurred to me that he probably hadn’t pictured this trip as an opportunity to taxi me around to the random places I wanted to visit - simply getting me here was more than I’d really expected. But there was plenty to do in San Francisco, so at least he wouldn’t be bored.
“You could just drop me somewhere and we could meet later in the evening for the return trip?”
This time he raised an eyebrow with one sharp shake of his head.
“No way, babe. I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
The protective vibe I caught there had me pausing for a moment, but I continued on.
“None of that stuff is going to be very interesting, Seth.”
“You think I’m going to let you wander around a large city alone, going who-knows-where without any way to assure your safety?”
Irritation flared at being treated like a child.
“I am twenty-one, you know! I can take care of myself.”
“Not if you think that’s a good idea, you can’t.”
Before I could object, he reached over to the papers I’d started looking through again on my lap, pulling them forward and scanning the addresses.
“Tenderloin…the Mission district? Seriously…not leaving this truck without me.”
I grit my teeth as his comments mirrored the concerns I’d been ignoring. My annoyance at his attitude was only compounded by the way I felt secretly relieved that he had no intention of leaving me.
“Fine. If you must. Just don’t get in my way.”
His breath huffed out as he deposited the papers back on my lap and we turned off towards the center.
“Babe, you seriously need to work on how to say ‘thank you’.”
I grumbled back at him, but the idea of having my own Navy SEAL protection was more appealing than I wanted to admit. Unfortunately, so was spending some more time with my infuriating stepbrother.
Chapter Eight
Bella
It was all perfect until we got to the housing.
We’d found the couple of places I was considering for internships without too many problems, just a few missed turns and exchanged curses from navigating the unfamiliar city. The curses were more directed to each other than the road, too - Seth seemed a frustratingly calm driver…unless I riled him up, anyway. I guessed if you were used to driving while getting shot at, crazy traffic didn’t seem such a big deal.
Since this trip had been completely unplanned, I hadn’t had a chance to contact anyone from the labs to ask to discuss the positions in further detail - and I didn’t even know whether they would’ve let me do that - but it gave me a picture and idea of the type of places I could be working in, and I couldn’t help getting excited at the idea, however premature it might be.
Kaylee would be thrilled at the whole trip - after she got over not being invited - randomly turning up on the doorstep of somewhere I was considering living and working had that romantic feeling she loved. I’d smiled at the thought of regaling her with the possibilities of a new city, and not even Seth’s arrogant guidance could distract from my enthusiasm.
At one of the crime labs, I managed to work up the nerve to go in and inquire, and although the receptionist couldn’t help me much, a couple of guys on their way out for lunch were more than happy to take me with them and let me pepper them with questions. They didn’t work with the area that was offering the internship, but their fun stories about the place were enough to make the trip worth it even without visiting anywhere else. After so long studying, the thought of doing something real appealed to me even more than I’d imagined.
True to his word, Seth stuck with me the whole time, and any inclination I might have had to feel bad about that was eclipsed by his tendency to provoke and tease, keeping me in that frustrating state where either hitting or kissing him would feel appropriate. And there was only one of those my too-easily-wound-up body was fixated on. Still, my exciting future was more than enough to keep that thought at bay, and I figured I’d get over it eventually.
All this time with him was bound to get boring, right?
But then we got to looking at a few of the housing blocks I’d highlighted on the map, and everything started going wrong.
The sun was sinking down in the sky as his relatively unobtrusive shadowing became increasingly uncomfortable. His eyes scanned the shadows of every road and alley we passed and his whole body vibrated with a high-alert tension that started making me nervous. When we’d been in school, he’d been cocky and confident most of the time I’d seen him, but this was different - a fierce predator poised ready for action. Confidence didn’t come close. Dangerous might fit better.
Part of me was fascinated by the change, and the small insight into the life he led outside of these unassuming civilian clothes - but mostly I was irritated at his increasingly abrupt comments and unnecessary concerns.
“Time to head back, Bella - it’s getting late.”
I looked around at the rather dismal looking building facades, the occasional gatherings of homeless people we passed adding to my nerves, but I shrugged it off.
“It’s fine. I just want to look at a couple on the road down here…”
The gathering twilight was making it hard to read the street signs, and I’d gotten turned around a little, but I was almost there now - I was sure of it.
“You’re not living here. You’re not even walking any further down this street. It’s dangerous.”
The implacable command in his voice rubbed me the wrong way and I turned to glare at him.
“Don’t be ridiculous - plenty of people walk this street all the time. It’s fine.”
“Rich girls with fancy jewelery don’t.”
His eyes didn’t even meet mine, too focused on a narrow alleyway in front of u
s, and I felt my stomach clench. I hadn’t even thought about the matching gold-and-emerald necklace and earrings I wore - or my mother’s signet ring. I glanced down at the designer handbag I’d grabbed without thinking when I left the house and bit my lip.
Was I really that naive?
Or maybe he was just being an ass again…
“One more place. Then we go.”
Even if the advice was worth considering, I wasn’t going to respond to demands and orders. Leaving soon was probably a good idea - on my terms, and after I’d seen at least something I’d come for.
With that, I strode forward, ignoring his curse behind me.
“Fuck, Bella - you’re not living here.”
My reply was cut off as he jerked towards me a moment too late to snatch me from the hand that wrapped around my wrist, yanking me into the alleyway I’d stopped in front of. My scream was cut off almost immediately by a hard slap against my cheek, then I was spun around until I was facing Seth again, a sharp object pressing against my throat. I cut off the crazy simultaneous urges to scream, cry, laugh, run, as my mind exploded in chaos.
“Gimme everything.”
I could barely breathe, didn’t even know what he was referring to until my wild eyes finally caught - and held - Seth’s deadly calm gaze.
“Do what he says, Bella.”
Seth’s steady voice gave me an ounce of calm, enough to stop me breaking down in hysterics, anyway.
Oh god, oh god, oh god…it’s going to be alright, right? He knows what he’s doing. He’s done this before. Surely he’s done this before…
The knife pressed harder against my throat and I couldn’t stop the small cry.
“You betta listen to your boyfriend, girlie.”
“He’s not my…”
Seth’s expression turned incredulous for a moment, and I almost laughed.
Okay, not the time to debate semantics.
Instead I slowly shrugged the handbag off my shoulder, my other hand reaching up to fiddle with my earrings until I had them off, putting them both in one of the pockets before hesitantly reaching up to the necklace to do the same. The knife was in my way and as I paused, the guy appeared to realize my predicament - reaching around to the front and yanking it off hard. I shuddered and bit my lip as his fingers brushed against my skin before the clasp broke and he quickly pocketed it. Obviously not impressed by my speed, he reached forward to force my ring off my hand, and my stomach twisted at the idea of losing one of my few mementos from my mother.
“Please…”
One glance at Seth steeled me again, and I let him take it without any fuss, the knife terrifying me as I fought to remain calm.
“You too.”
The guy grunted towards Seth, and my stepbrother-to-be reached for the wallet he kept in his back pocket, keeping his movements slow as he threw it over towards our feet. I couldn’t believe how still and calm he’d become, especially as I was fighting not to shake where I stood.
The guy took me down with him to pick up the wallet, then grabbed my handbag and took a step back, forcing me with him as he cast a wary glance in Seth’s direction.
“Go.”
The intent command from Seth confused me for an instant, but combined with the carefully controlled danger in his expression, the guy behind me paused for a moment - then turn and run, pushing me back towards Seth’s warm, firm body. Seth’s arms wrapped around me and I’d never been so glad to feel anything in my life. I gasped for breath, the tightness in my chest suddenly shifting enough for me to absorb oxygen again, and I couldn’t help the way I clung to him.
He scooped me up into his arms in one smooth movement, as if I weighed no more than a feather - and then suddenly we were running forward, down the alley after the mugger. I gasped at him, eyes wide, and he gave me a grim expression as he looked down.
“This goes against every instruction I’ve ever had. But I’m not letting him get away.”
I suddenly recognized the coiled tension in his body, felt the fire coming off him as the almost imperceptible rage that it was. I wanted to tell him that it wasn’t important, that he should stop - if I did, I was pretty sure he would. But I pictured my ring again and held my tongue. It went against everything I’d ever heard too, and I was pretty sure my mother would turn over in her grave if she knew a keepsake was putting us in danger like this, but I couldn’t let it go.
And somehow it didn’t even feel like danger - not with Seth here.
I nodded at him, and glanced down the alley we were rushing through, seeing only the guy running headlong into a dead-end. That had me puzzled - until he jumped onto a dumpster, then sprung for a drainage pipe hanging at an angle from the nearby building. The move spoke of long practice and I looked up at Seth uncertainly. He grunted and swung me down, glancing between the dumpster and me until I pushed him away.
“Go. Quickly.”
That decided it, and then he was away - moving with a grace I don’t think I’ve ever seen, powerful muscles flexing under his tight t-shirt as he repeated the move perfectly and landed on the rooftop above. Instead of heading down into whatever alley the guy had retreated to, I saw him running along the rooftops for a few heartbeats before he was out of sight and I was suddenly alone again. It was what I had insisted on, of course, but that didn’t help the creeping sense of panic and I glanced wildly around. The alley was empty now, but I hunkered down against the wall anyway, assuming Seth wasn’t going to spend more than a few minutes in the chase if it was pointless.
You’re a complete idiot. The worst kind of fool.
The inner voice didn’t quite assuage my guilt at ignoring all of the warnings Seth had given, at putting him in danger now.
What if something happened to him?
I couldn’t even think about it, and when I heard a couple of grunts and the thud of flesh-on-flesh a few moments later, my heart jumped into my mouth.
Then he was back, jumping lightly down from the roof above my head, and I was pretty sure the endless wait had in reality been only moments. I stumbled into his arms again and this time I did break down, gasping and choking a little in the aftermath of the adrenaline. He pressed me close and didn’t say anything, strong hands running up and down my back as his large body sheltered mine completely. My petite frame had always felt small when in his arms, but now that he was a solid wall of muscle and strength, it was so much more powerful. I was barely even supporting myself as those arms held me up without any effort, letting me rest my head against his shoulder and fight back the sobs.
“It’s alright, baby. You’re safe. I’ve got you.”
I was surprised just how gentle his tone was, but somehow that just made it worse.
“I’m…sorry…”
I choked out the words but he shook his head firmly, one hand cupped against my cheek. I winced automatically at that, and his brow creased, tilting my head up to see my cheek starting to swell.
“Shit, baby girl…”
His muttered oath was replaced by the soft brush of his lips against the bruised area, and another kind of shudder went through me. It occurred to me briefly that it was slightly absurd I was turning to him for comfort and safety, but it didn’t feel that way. The whole day, he’d been almost possessively protective, and I hadn’t been quite sure what to make of it - until now. Now I couldn’t be anything other than grateful.
Just don’t think about what it means.
But I wasn’t capable of thinking about anything else anyway, and I just let myself be held as I came down from the emotional ravages still sweeping through me.
“Ughh…is this what it always feels like?”
I spoke without thinking and he cocked his head at me.
“What?”
“These situations.”
He gave a small chuckle and shook his head.
“Nah, it’s different if you know what you’re doing, and though you never quite get used to it…you get better at dealing with it.”
The de
ep rumble from his chest was reassuring, and it felt like he could have said anything and it would have made me slowly relax.
“You did well though, babe. You kept your cool when it came to it.”
“I almost got us killed.”
His soft laugh would have irritated me if I hadn’t felt slightly inclined to let him have whatever he wanted right now. One finger caressed the side of my face as he brought my eyes up to his again - lighter gray now, more relaxed, but with a hint of the stormy depths they’d been only moments ago. I swore they changed based on his mood. It made me feel like I could get lost in them for hours—
“Well next time, you do as I say.”
“There’s going to be a next time?”
I wasn’t sure whether the thought of that excited or terrified me.
“No.”
He didn’t clarify that contradiction, and I didn’t ask him to, shivering instead as I finally became aware of the cool of the evening. He glanced at me with concern, then shrugged out of his jacket and wrapped it around my bare shoulders. I had enough spark left to raise an eyebrow.
“Look at you, the gentleman.”
“Yeah, just don’t tell anyone, babe.”
But his voice was distracted as he tilted my head and looked at my eyes from several angles.
“Was your head hit anywhere else?”
“No, just my cheek - no risk of concussion or anything like that.”
But I shivered again, pulling the jacket closer and not quite being able to resist inhaling the warm, masculine scent of it. He only grunted and turned us around.
“Let’s get you something warm to eat, and then head home.”
He kept me close this time, refusing to let go of my hand in a way that quietly relieved me. It seemed ridiculous, the two of us walking out of these back alleys and into the light of one of the main roads holding hands like any other couple, but there was no way in hell I was breaking that contact.
After a couple of blocks, he steered us into a diner and we sat in an out of the way corner. He flagged service down pretty quickly, his handsome rugged looks turning a few eyes, but the initial flirting of the waitress died the moment she got a glimpse of me. I flushed slightly as I caught the speculative look she gave Seth, and some part of me tensed at the idea of what she was wondering. I had the irrational desire to yell at her for the thought, but Seth’s hand closed over mine, the look in his eyes saying he read me too well. Instead, he just turned to her and grunted.
