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4
Decker
She smells my shirt, and every hair on my body rises. Those wide eyes slay me, or maybe it’s the perfect body I couldn’t steal my gaze from moments ago.
“I’ll check to see if there’s any food in the cupboards.” My voice is deep, the pitch an unintentional Darth Vader imitation. The only thing missing is the heavy breathing.
“Okay…” She nods. Swallows. Looks entirely flustered. “I’ll be out in a minute. I need to fix my hair.”
I stalk from the bathroom, snatching my suit jacket off the floor along the way, shoving my arms in the holes as I escape down the hall. I clench my fists. Clamp my teeth. I try hard to ignore the multiplication of my perverted thoughts when I usually allow those fuckers free rein.
She just survived a shooting, less than two weeks after her uncle escaped a warranted assassination attempt in the form of a hit and run. And here I am, drilling holes through my pants like I’m a perverted teen.
Seems my dick has a death wish, too.
If only Hunter could see me now. That prick would be laughing his ass off. Torian’s reaction wouldn’t be as fu
I palm my cell and play phone-a-friend to get my thoughts back on track. Hunter answers on the first ring.
“You safe?” he asks.
“Yeah. I think we’re in the clear. We got out of Portland.”
“Good. The cops are chasing their tails here. We’re going to be stuck at the scene for a while.”
I walk into the open living area and head for the kitchen. “What was the end tally?”
“None for none. All the bullets lodged in the roof. Nothing came close to striking distance.”
“You sure?” I frown. “Keira was splattered with blood.”
“That shit is everywhere because of the shattered glass. If you took a look at the scene, you’d think those stupid fucks were rolling around in it for all the mess they’ve left on the floor. But no, no bullet injuries.”
I start opening cupboards above the counter. The first is empty. The second and third, too. Then the fourth holds ca
“Or it was a warning.”
“For what?”
“Who knows. It could be anything. But once Torian finds out, heads will roll.”
“How’s he handling the drama?”
“He’s an angry fuck at the moment,” Hunter grates. “He’s got a lot going on, and I’m sure I don’t know the half of it. But one of the biggest issues is the cops. They got here too quick. Either the informant is handing out information like flyers on a street corner, or the pigs heard something was going down and decided to leave us out as bait.”
My pulse rises, my anger building. “Do you think they’d leave women in the firing line and not give us a heads up?” Kids had been at that party earlier in the night. Keira’s niece, for one. “I don’t think the authorities would be that callous. They can’t be.”
Hunter scoffs. “You got a sweet spot for the men in blue all of a sudden?”
“Oh, yeah, baby. You know me.” I open a fifth cupboard—the holy grail. The two shelves are filled with liquor bottles begging to be consumed. “I’d roll over in a heartbeat for a Taser and a pair of cuffs.”
“You’d roll over for half a bagel and a used cigarette, asshole.”
“Yeah. I guess.” Although, I haven’t smoked in a lifetime. Not since I started working with Hunter and my potential lifespan shortened by a fuckton. “So, what’s the plan from here? What does the bossman want me to do with Keira?”
“Hold tight for a while. With her sister in the hospital along with her uncle, we’re already too vulnerable.”
“Her sister?” My pulse hammers.
“It’s nothing serious. She got caught up in the glass. But we don’t want anyone knowing another Torian has temporarily been affected.”
Shit. “Keira will lose her mind.” Again. “What’s the damage?”
“Nothing major. A few stitches to the side of her face, and some in her arms.”
Great, relaying the third-hand information is going to be super fun. “And I guess I’m supposed to babysit until this blows over?”
“Yep,” Hunter quips. “Enjoy.”
“Thanks.” I pull a scotch bottle from the cupboard, stroke the frosted glass with reverence, then put the treasure back because there’s no way I can succumb to my hearty thirst until this bullshit blows over. “Keep me updated.”
“Same. I’ll call you later.”
I close the cupboard, disco
“I don’t need a babysitter,” she mutters.
I sigh and stare at the fifth cupboard, eyeing the door, wishing I could crawl in among the goodness. “I know.” I turn to face her. “I was playing the macho card, hoping to make myself seem tougher than I really am. Did it work?”
I force myself to hold her gaze. I can’t lower my attention. I fucking won’t, no matter how much exposed thigh taunts me.
“I’m not joking, Decker. If you want to leave, then leave. I’m safe here.”
I lean back against the counter, cross my feet at the ankles and my arms over my chest. “One minute you’re ogling my body like a starved beast, the next you’re kicking me to the curb? That hurts, shortie.”
She rolls her eyes. “Don’t even start. Who was on the phone?”
“Hunter.”
“What did he say?”
I pause, pondering my answer. It would be easy to keep her in the dark, just like her brother does. Or I could earn her trust. “Not much.”
Her chin hitches. “Decker, please.”
The plea on those rosy lips is a test to all my senses. She’s too gorgeous for her own good. Possibly the perfect weapon in her brother’s arsenal, if the guy understood her potential.
My gaze lowers without permission, taking in every inch of the seductress. My shirt clings to her chest, the damp patches over her breasts making her bra visible. Then there’s her legs. Those fucking tempting thighs with their perfectly ta
“You were right,” I admit. She hates being kept in the dark, and I’m going to brighten her surroundings a little. “Layla didn’t get out before us.”
Her eyes widen. Her lips part. “Is she okay?”
I nod. “She got into a fight with some shattered glass and came out second best. But it’s nothing to worry about.”
Her gasp splits the air, a shaky hand moving toward her mouth before she stops and drops it to her side. She gains control, reclaiming her strength, even though the fractures still show.
“Don’t panic. Hunter told me she’s already stitched up.”
She steels herself, her shoulders straightening. “Do you promise?”
“I’m not lying. I swear.” I paint an imaginary cross over my non-existent heart. “You can try calling her again if you like.”
“She won’t answer. Cole would have her on lockdown. No communication in or out apart from directly through him until he has the situation under control.”
I bite my tongue, determined not to pit brother against sister. It’s not in my best interests to fuck with Torian. “He’s trying to protect you.”
“From what?” She scoffs and pads toward the dining table, grabbing the back of a wooden chair in a tight grip. “Ignorance is no way to shield someone.”
“Being in the dark is for the best. He deals with some pretty heavy shit.”
“Believe me, I know. I watch the news. I read the papers. And as if that wasn’t enough, I hear the whispers, too.”