Dangerous to Know (34 page)

“You don't have to put up with him, sis.”

She jerked her head away from Mercer and found Bram standing in the doorway that connected the kitchen with the rest of the house.

“This team is staying right here, Magnus.” Saxon's voice came through from the living room. Saxon was hunkered down on an edge of a pub highboy table, looking at the screen of a laptop. It was slightly ridiculous, given that she'd always seen him in a command center.

“Welcome to the new place,” Bram said softly. “We sort of had to relocate you.”

“Oh.” She blinked and looked back at her brother, realizing she was missing what was important. “You're home.”

She was suddenly hugging him, trying to crush him against her.

“I'm home,” Bram said as he set her back a pace and considered her with a critical eye. “And none too soon, either.”

The tone of his voice sparked a memory. “Wait. Did you know about all this?” She waved a hand around the room at Saxon and Mercer.

Bram let out a low sigh.

“What the…” She bit back the word of profanity as she recalled Harley was in the room. “Just:
What?
”

“I didn't know they were going to be utilizing the means they did.” Bram scowled at Mercer.

“Too bad,” Mercer shot back. “Here's another news flash for you. I'm not leaving.”

“This is my family,” Bram declared. “At least until my father gets back. Until then, I'll show you to the door if I want to.”

“I think Zoe will be making the call on that.”

Mercer stepped up and Bram met him happily. The pair of them glowered at each other as the tension in the room tightened.

“I don't think so.”

She was likely off her rocker but she stepped right between them, flattening her hands on each of them and shoving them back.

“You…” She pointed at Bram. “Are really late to the party. So stand back and wait for me to tell you how it's going to go down.”

“And you…” Mercer had just started to smirk at Bram when she turned on him—but she felt her brain go blank, because he was still sinfully amazing to look at. Awareness was rippling through her, like a treasured memory or a song that just started up in her head.

“Did you say something about breakfast?”

It was a delay tactic. A cover-up for her lack of ability to think.

Liar.

I don't want to think.

Later, she sat over her finished breakfast plate and nursed her coffee mug. She felt the gazes of the men in the house, Mercer's most of all. She'd longed for him to be something she could respect, and fate had delivered just that.

So now what the fuck was she going to do?

Don't I mean, what is Mercer planning to do?

Yes. That was exactly what she was afraid of discovering.

*   *   *

“You had to move, too?”

Roni offered her a dry chuckle. “That Agent Hale is mighty sure the only opinion that matters is his.”

“Oh yeah,” Zoe replied as she watched Roni through the screen on the tablet. “I've discovered that.”

“For what it's worth,” Roni continued, “I appreciate you flipping him off and showing up to save me.”

“I'm really sorry about that, Roni.”

“Sorry for what?” Roni demanded. “I rather enjoyed seeing Tim get what was coming to him. Turd showed up, tracked mud across my living room, and taped me to a chair. Glad you dumped his tail into the fire. As for the condo, I've found another place. Special Agent Hale hooked me up with a good job, so all I need now is to pick out some new furniture.” Roni smiled. “That's the fun part.”

“So what's the name?”

“Le Cross.” Roni rolled it off her tongue. “Debra Le Cross.”

*   *   *

“Sis?”

Bram caught her investigating the kitchen. There were rosebushes beneath the kitchen window that had yellow roses on them. She'd been leaning over the large, farmhouse-style sink to look at them and enjoying the warm sun on her nose.

“Hope you like the house. I wanted to have it ready for you,” Bram said.

She turned around and leaned against the countertop. “A house is nothing without family. I'm just glad you're home in one piece. I could have dealt with moving.”

“You handled enough.”

Bram had gotten their father's blue eyes. A deep blue, like a Caribbean lagoon.

“I'm fine.” Her brother's attention settled on her shoulder. “It's not that bad, Bram. You aren't the only member of this family who can take one for the team.”

“You weren't on the team, Zoe,” Bram argued. “That's what's pissing me off. This guy…”

“Mercer.” She supplied.

Her brother's eyes narrowed. “Let me kick him to the curb. I can handle looking out for you until this operation is mopped up.”

“Thanks, but I'll look after myself.” She held up a finger when Bram opened his mouth to argue. “You have no idea how much I mean that, Bram. I've spent too much time being looked after. It's my turn to deal with things my way.”

“I'm home, Zoe.”

And clearly feeling guilty. She bit back the first words that came to mind because she was just so damn happy to see her brother. But that didn't mean she was going to roll over.

“I'm fine, Bram,” she said firmly. “And I will be dealing with Mercer.”

“You were an assignment to him.”

She flinched. Just couldn't help it. “Did he tell you that?”

Honestly, it wasn't any of her brother's business. But she needed to know.

“I was read into the operation report,” Bram said.

Her cheeks heated. Report. Great. Just what she needed to know. She could have handled being mad. What made her turn around and head toward her bedroom was the fact that what she felt was hurt.

Deep, burning heartache.

*   *   *

“She doesn't need you.”

Mercer was torn.

The need to follow Zoe was tearing at his insides. Bram's voice, however, raised his hackles. He turned and faced off with Bram.

“It's her call. Not yours,” he said.

“Excuse me, but this happens to be my family,” Bram argued.

Mercer stepped up closer to Bram. He caught a glimpse of Saxon moving in, just in case things got ugly.

“Your sister would be very dead by now without me,” Bram growled.

Mercer closed the gap even more so that they were almost nose-to-nose. “I won't kiss anyone's ass over my actions. My dedication runs as deep as yours, Captain. There was a job to do and it wasn't pretty. I stepped up because of duty but it was the best damn assignment I ever got. Because it brought me here.”

“So take your pat on the shoulder, your glowing commendation, and pack out,” Bram snapped.

“Like hell. I'm not going anywhere,” Mercer bit back. “I might have gotten here by less-than-gentlemanly means but that doesn't mean I don't see what a gem your sister is. The reaction we have to each other is more than lust. I'm going to crawl on my knees if I have to but Zoe is going to listen to me.”

Bram's face tightened. Mercer could see the man fighting back his temper. He suddenly turned and rammed his fist into the wall. The drywall didn't have a chance of holding. He cussed as he laid his forehead on the wall and pulled his fist free.

“Fine.” He shook his head, still fighting his temper. “But what Zoe says, goes.”

Bram looked through the doorway at Saxon. “And why are you still here?”

Saxon offered him a lazy shrug. “I could give you a half-assed answer or just admit I'm making sure my man gets his day.”

Mercer looked at his team leader in surprise. Saxon offered him a half grin. “I might be guilty of having a stick up my ass, as Vitus claims, but I'm not a hundred percent dick.”

“Never would have guessed it,” Mercer said.

Saxon shrugged. “I know. Don't let my secret out.” He pointed toward the bedroom Zoe had gone into. “Be a pal and get on with it. I really need a day off. Kagan's impressed by our performance, which means he's going to find some other case to stick us on.”

“You might have to count me off.”

Saxon nodded. “Another reason I'm hanging around.”

Mercer started down the hallway as Bram faced off with Saxon.

“I'm not unreasonable. I would have let them make their own choices,” Bram said, defending himself.

“You're her big brother who hasn't accepted the fact that she's not nineteen anymore. I'd threaten to kick your ass if it was my sister, just on principle.”

“Don't threaten me with a good time if you're not going to step up,” Bram growled.

A prickle of concern went through him but Mercer never faltered. His mission objective was ahead of him.

And he didn't intend to fail.

*   *   *

Mercer rapped on the door and gave her three seconds before he pushed it in. Zoe didn't have to turn around to see that it was him.

She knew it was him.

She felt it ripple across her skin. The awareness was like a sixth sense, there whether or not she wanted it to be. She was hardwired to notice him, to feel her knees go weak the second he entered the room.

“I didn't say I was choosing you.”

Mercer shut the door firmly. The room instantly shrank. She raised her head, intent on fending off the sense of vulnerability trying to rattle her.

“I was just making sure Bram knows I won't be apologizing to him for making my own sexual decisions,” she said smoothly. “Or you either, for that matter.”

“Glad to hear it.”

He was too damn poised. Just as confident and arrogant as the first time she'd seen him.

And I'm getting just as bothered by it, too …

“No I'm not.”

His dark eyebrows rose. “You're not what, Zoe?”

She cringed as she realized she'd spoken out loud. “I'm … just not.”

His lips twitched, but it wasn't a nice sort of smile.

It was menacing.

So full of the confidence she'd always felt radiating off him. Her insides twisted, her skin heating. “I need some space.”

It was a last-ditch effort to hold on to her composure.

“Not a chance … baby.” He moved closer, the air thickening between them. “We're going to have a discussion. One I've been waiting for you to be ready for.”

“Okay…” She sidestepped, gaining a precious few feet of space. Sure, she was hedging.

Which wasn't retreating.

Oh right …

“Let's get married.”

Her jaw dropped. She snapped it shut, trying not to look like an idiot. “I don't think that's … necessary.”

He took a step toward her and a shiver shot down her spine.

Part of her felt it was very necessary.

“Besides…” she stuttered out when he started to close the gap between them again. “I thought you had trust issues with me giving you my word.”

His expression tightened. “Don't pick a fight to avoid facing the personal relationship between us. I'm mad about you going off to meet Tim without me. That's a fact. It rips me up to think of you in any sort of situation that carries danger. The sight of you bleeding is branded into my memory, and that's exactly why I know I'll regret it for the rest of my life if I walk out of here. You're different. I don't know what the hell that means but I know being near you is like a punch in the gut.”

She was backed up against the wall. “But…” She put her hands out as she struggled to make sense of the riot of emotions surging through her. As usual, her thoughts were crumbling, her body coming to life. Everything she thought was making way for what she craved from him.

“My brain stops working when you're this close.”

“I know the problem.” He cupped her jaw, raising her face so that their gazes met. Her belly twisted, her core heating with need so gripping, she trembled with it. “Do you think it's any easier for me?”

His question surprised her. “Actually, you've always struck me as being confident as hell. Cocky. Smug. And what frustrates me is that for the first time in my life, I can see those words being compliments when applied to you.”

He chuckled at her, slipping his hand into her hair and gripping it. “Another point in favor of getting married. You understand me, Zoe.”

He was so close, the scent of his skin filled her senses, intoxicating her, sending her speeding toward the high that would make it acceptable to yield to him.

“No, I don't,” she said. “None of it makes any sense.”

Actually, she wasn't making much sense. But he slowly grinned, leaning down until their lips were so close, his breath hit the sensitive surface of her mouth. She shivered and he massaged the back of her head in response.

“No, it doesn't,” he agreed. “I hear that's the way love is.”

“This isn't love.”

She tried to wiggle away. He captured her hands and pulled them above her head, pinning them to the wall. It stunned her. The abrupt change in mood. The sudden tightening in tension. It made her gasp and started a pounding in her clit.

“I've had a lot of sex,” he said bluntly, his eyes narrowing with the frank statement. “Good sex. Okay sex. Boring sex. Drunk—”

“I get it,” she snapped and tried to yank free. The idea of him with other women was driving her insane. He held her in place and pressed his knee between her thighs. It felt like something snapped inside her. That pressure against her clit sent a shower of red-hot sparks up her core.

“Do you, baby?” he leaned down and whispered against her ear, his chest rubbing against her breasts. “Do you get how different you are? How the scent of your pussy is driving me insane right now? I've never wanted to get into a woman so bad. Never really noticed the way they smell.” He lifted his head so she could see his face again before he pressed his hips against her, giving her proof of just how hard his cock was.