“Sometimes we depress the shit out of me,” Heath said. “So let me get this straight. Sheriff Cobb is still after our asses, we’re setting ourselves up to be attacked by a serial killer who is killing family members of law-enforcement-type people, and now we have a mystery hacker who knows who we are.”
“Yep,” Denver said.
“We’re fucked.” Heath shoved to his feet, his concerned gaze on Ryker. “At least we have each other, right? I mean, you’re back amongst us and plan to stick around and be sober for a bit?” No judgment, only acceptance, was in his tone.
“I’m fine now,” Ryker said. “Drank the demons away this time.”
Denver grimaced and kept typing. “Your lady?”
Ryker rubbed the center of his chest. He wanted her to remain his lady. If being casual was what it would take, he could do that…except for whoever had hit her. A threat to her couldn’t exist or he couldn’t concentrate. “Didn’t go great. Do you have time to do some digging? Check into her financials, her schedule at work, anything you can find.”
Denver’s dark eyebrows rose. He cut a look at Heath and then back. “Full background?”
Ryker swallowed but kept his face stoic. “Yeah, everything. Especially anything that sets up red flags about her safety.”
Heath paused by the doorway. “You’re investigating the woman you’re dating. While I appreciate the new approach for you, this can’t be a good idea.”
“New approach?” Ryker snapped.
Denver snorted.
Heath paused. “Yeah. You meet somebody, have short-term sex, and move on. You avoid letting anybody but us in…because if not, you’d have a whole houseful of people you’d be protecting all the time. You can’t do halfway with people. I get it. I really do. But right now we have no time for any distractions, and investigating a casual, ah, friend can’t be a good idea.”
Was Heath a shrink all of a sudden? “It isn’t a good idea,” Ryker returned, knowing his brother was right. “But I can’t sleep until I make sure she’s safe. Then I’ll go back to distant and cold.”
“Right.” Heath eyed him as if studying a specimen on a slide. “It’s okay if you want more with her, you know,” he said quietly.
Ryker scoffed. “I don’t bring home broken-winged creatures, Heath. You do.” Which was one of the things he’d always admired in his brother. “Besides, Zara isn’t broken. She just might be in danger. I have to know.”
“All right,” Heath said, dropping it.
“Thanks,” Ryker said, knowing Heath had let up because Ryker needed him to. “Denver?”
Denver drew out a legal pad and started to jot down notes. “Another lover?”
“No. I asked her, and she said she wasn’t seeing anybody else.” Ryker stood.
Heath winced. “Women lie, brother. If your instincts are telling you something is up, then you’re probably right.”
Zara wasn’t a woman who lied, but if anybody could lie to him, it might be her. While he could usually tell if somebody was lying, when his feelings were involved, he lost the edge. “I’m sure she’s not seeing anyone, but if you find anything in her financials, let me know.”
“You asked for it,” Denver said, his gaze concerned.
“Fine. I’ll go contact the FBI and see if the luscious Special Agent Jackson is desperate enough to work with us yet.” Heath shook his head and then left the room, muttering about stubborn bastards all the way through the building.
Ryker headed for the doorway and then stopped. “Check Zara’s medical records, too. Anything out of the ordinary…any injuries that seem suspicious.” Had he missed something in the times they’d been together?
“Injuries?”
“Yeah. She had a bruise on her face and wouldn’t tell me where she got it.”
Denver shook his head. “Not good, brother.”
“Why not?” Ryker already knew why not, but if Denver wanted to weigh in, he needed to keep using complete sentences.
Denver rolled his eyes. “If she’s protecting some douche bag who hit her, then she’s seeing somebody else. Prepare yourself, because I can’t dig you out of the booze train again so soon.”
“She’s not.” Ryker slapped a hand against the sturdy doorjamb. Zara wasn’t a woman who lied or cheated. Yeah, he might have her on a pedestal, but if anybody belonged there, it was her. “Did you happen to order furniture for the apartments upstairs?”
“No. Order your own. I did the offices.” Denver turned back toward the computer screen, the words seeming to come easier with practice. “I’ll start investigating your woman after shoring up our defenses against our mystery hacker. He’s not getting back into our files.”
“Great. Thanks.”
“Ryker?” Denver asked.
Ryker lifted an eyebrow.
“I know you. While I’m digging up dirt behind her back, what’s your plan?”
Ryker headed out of the office. “I’ll be in her face.”
Chapter
5
Zara clipped in sexy black heels through the law firm hallways in the midafternoon, trying to move her hips to get the black G-string out of her butt. What had she been thinking, wearing it? Yeah, she’d wanted to prove that the underwear was for her and not just some pathetic attempt to be a femme fatale with Ryker.
Now she had floss up her ass, damn it.
A low whistle stopped her, and she turned around to see Brock Hurst, one of the junior attorneys, digging through a file cabinet. “Don’t sue me for harassment, but you look good.” He smiled, perfect teeth in a charming face.
Okay. So she might’ve worn a pin-striped pencil skirt with a shimmering red top in an effort to make herself feel better about the odd night with Ryker and the thoughts of whether or not they should break up. Feeling sexy should help. “Thanks.” She kept moving down the hall to her small office next to the two attorneys she assisted. Although, did casual affairs just break up? Probably not. They probably just ended.
She’d just settled into her chair and booted up her computer when a shadow crossed her doorway. She glanced up and her breathing hitched. “Ryker.”
He strode into the room and slid a fragrant pumpkin-spice latte across the desk, planting it right next to a picture of Grams Rollerblading the previous spring. “You missed breakfast and lunch, I believe.”
Her mouth watered, and not just from the coffee. Today he wore a deep green T-shirt that only enhanced his wild eyes, faded jeans, and those tough boots. “What are you doing here?” she asked, even though he had said he’d see her later. She’d thought it was just an expression.
He dropped into one of her two pin-striped guest chairs, overwhelming the room with the sense of male. “I figured we should talk.”
“I’m not ready to talk.” Her fingers itched to grab that coffee.
“That’s unfortunate.” He leaned back, his gaze roaming the red shirt. “I’d love to see the everyday bra and panty set.” He grinned. “You know, to compare with my sets.”
She’d forgotten about throwing the sexy underwear at his head last week. The other sets weren’t his. They were hers, darn it. She gave in and reached for the coffee. “You’ve already seen this set.”
His eyes flared. “Oh?”
“Yeah.” She took a deep drink and hummed as the spice exploded across her tongue. “Black satin, red bows, another stupid G-string.”
“That’s one of my favorites.” His voice rumbled dark and low.
That tone. That damn tone had the ability to tighten her entire body with need. Her attempt to mess with his head was definitely backfiring. She tried to focus. “I’ll launder it and send it to you.”
“I’d rather take it off you with my teeth.” His eyes smoldered.
God. How did he do that? Butterflies winged through her abdomen, and her breath quickened. She forced herself to look bored. “I have work to do, so thanks for the coffee, but you need to go.”
“No.” He cocked his head to the side, pinning her i
n place.
She frowned. “Yes.”
“That’s not how we’re doing this, baby.”
Baby. He called her baby in bed…usually when he was telling her what to do in that dark commanding voice. She shivered and discreetly crossed her legs. “I’m pretty sure we’re deciding to take a step back or end things, so there is no ‘this.’”
“Who hit you, Zara?”
“Keep your voice down,” she hissed, panic rippling through her desire. Man, she thought he’d let that whole situation go.
He lifted an eyebrow and casually reached over his shoulder to push the door closed. “Who are you protecting?”
“Myself.” She played with the coffee cup. “I was somewhere I shouldn’t have been, I did something I could get in trouble for, and you need to drop it right now.”
“Trouble?” He leaned forward, his elbows on his worn jeans. “What kind of trouble?”
“The kind that gets me fired.” She sighed. “Trust me that I handled the situation, and please drop it.”
“No.” His voice remained matter-of-fact.
Her mouth dropped open. “Listen, Ryker. I’m giving you an easy out here. Take it,” she snapped.
“I don’t want out.”
Her head jerked. “Casual sex doesn’t work for me any longer.”
“There ain’t nothin’ casual about our sex, and you know it.”
A quick knock sounded on the door. The door opened, and Brock poked his head in. “You busy?”
“Yes,” Ryker answered for her.
She turned to Brock. “What’s up?”
Brock glanced from Ryker back to her, red tingeing his cheeks. “We received discovery on the Pentley case. Want to discuss it over dinner?” Curiosity glimmered in his gaze.
“We just made dinner plans,” Ryker said quietly, his focus remaining on her.
Her temper simmered hotter, but she didn’t want a scene in front of her boss’s son. “Brock, I do have dinner plans, but I’m free this afternoon to go over the documents.”
Brock nodded, studying her. “All right. I have a meeting at two but should be finished within the hour. We’ll meet in the conference room. It’s nice to see you, Ryker.” He shut the door behind himself.
“Knock it off,” she said, crossing her arms, her jaw aching from clenching it so tight.
“He’s interested in you,” Ryker said evenly, his chin lowering.
She rolled her eyes. “If he is, it’s none of your business.”
“Boy, do you have that wrong.” Ryker shook his head. “I can feel that you’re scared, and I can tell that your stress level is at an all-time high. Are you frightened of me?” He rubbed a hand across his sharp jaw. “I mean, after last night? I don’t usually drink like that.” Vulnerability flashed through his eyes to be banished by the steady strength.
She sat back, wanting nothing more than to delve into the vulnerability and then burrow into his strength again. “I’m not afraid of you.”
“Good. Are you scared of whoever put that bruise on your pretty face?”
She blinked and tried to give him the truth without revealing the entire situation. “I’m, ah, concerned about the situation, not the idiot who hit me.”
“I can protect you.” The words were determined and the tone absolute.
“If I needed protection, I’d call you.” She wasn’t stupid, for pete’s sake. “I got into the middle of a domestic situation, and my face was in the wrong place at the wrong time.” It was the truth. Speaking of which, she glanced at the time on her computer. Julie should be calling soon, so she needed to get Ryker out of her office. “I have to work.”
His gaze narrowed until she wanted to squirm. “Was the domestic situation part of a case you’re working on?”
“Yes.”
“Divorce?”
“Yes.” She unfolded her arms and reached for her warm coffee cup. “I can’t discuss a case with you, and you know it. Privilege applies.”
“Hire me as a consultant again. Then privilege extends to me.” He glanced at the stack of files on her desk.
She fought the urge to put her hand over the files. “I don’t need a private investigator on the case, but thank you.” What she needed was for him to get out of her office so she could breathe again. He was throwing her off balance, and she had to be quick on her feet today. “I believe you have your own cases to worry about. We’re finished now.”
“No. We are nowhere near finished.” He stood. “I’m glad you’re not in danger, and that definitely eases my mind. However, I still want the name of the guy who hit you.”
“Why?” she snapped.
Ryker’s eyebrows drew down. “So I can beat the ever livin’ shit out of him, darlin’, and make sure it never happens again. Anybody who’d hit you is a bully, and a bully needs to be knocked down completely so he doesn’t do it again. That’s what happens now.”
His tone spoke of knowledge and old hurts. How could he be so calm talking about hitting people? “That’s illegal, Ryker. I’m not in danger and don’t need defending, so if you go batter some moron, you’ll end up in jail.”
“I don’t think he’ll press charges,” Ryker drawled.
Yeah, Mayor Jay Pentley was exactly the type of guy who’d press charges. “You going after this guy would get me into trouble, so it can’t happen.” Although somebody should beat the heck out of Jay, considering he’d been smacking his wife around for years.
“How?”
“Can’t tell you.”
“Won’t tell me.” Ryker stood by the door. “You’re forgetting what I do for a living.”
She wiped a hand across her eyes. “Ryker, I’m asking you to leave this alone.” He was the best at what he did, and he’d discover every little secret she had if he set his mind to it. Why was he acting like they were more than they were? Was it just ego? “Please. I took care of the situation.”
“How?”
She huffed and tried to keep from yelling at him. “I kicked the bastard in the balls and ran.” After getting Julie Pentley into the car and to safety.
Ryker’s lips twitched. “Actually not the most effective move, and we’ll work on that later. What I don’t understand is that if this guy hit you, and he’s on the other side of a domestic case, why not use that information in the divorce? Why not get his ass arrested and help your client in the process?”
“You’re right. You don’t understand. So let it go.” Ryker would have it figured out by dinnertime if she didn’t get him to back off. She stood and moved around the desk toward the door. “It has been good to see you, but after last night, I think we should cool things a little.” She reached for the doorknob.
His hand enfolded hers. “You don’t like our relationship being taken out of the little box where you put it, now, do you?”
Heat from his body washed over her, but she lifted her head to meet his gaze. “We don’t have a relationship.”
He smiled then, and the curve of his lips held more determination than amusement. “I’m not letting you run, and I’m certainly not letting you hide, baby. Although neither of us has been in this for the long haul, I’m staying in Wyoming for the moment. The first thing that’s going to happen is I’m going to figure out who dared put a hand on you and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
For the first time, she saw a side of him that gave her true pause. In the long haul, he’d be unbearably possessive. Why did that give her an intriguing sense of safety? “Knock it off,” she snapped in his face. “Get out of my business.”
That quickly, she found her back against the door and her front pinned by hard male. His hands planted on either side of her neck, his thumbs at her jaw, forcing her to look at him. “Something you need to understand and pretty damn quick is that your business is my business right now.” His thumb swept up and over the offensive bruise on her face.
“Step back.” Her voice trembled.
He ignored the very calm order. “No. You don’t want to t
ell me who did this? Fine. I’ll find out on my own, and I’ll have the name by the time I pick you up for supper. What you don’t want to do is deal with him or his case until I have that name. Kicking him in the balls might’ve just pissed him off more, and now you’ve let a bully stew on it for a while, which might be dangerous for you. Got it?”
“You have no right to interfere,” she whispered.
“Baby, I’ve been fuckin’ you for months. That gives me every right.” Anger glowed dark in his eyes.
“We’re done. Get out.”
His eyes softened. “You shouldn’t make statements you can’t back up.”
She shoved against his ripped abs.
He didn’t move a millimeter.
And then he did.
His head dipped, and his mouth found her neck and wandered up to her ear. His teeth scraped, and then his tongue licked the slight wound.
Of its own volition, her body did a full tremble.
He leaned back. “That.”
Her mind fuzzed.
His mouth slammed down on hers. She knew his kiss—often dreamed about it. Not soft and sweet…not even lustful. It was dangerous. From day one, she’d tasted danger on his tongue, and it burned her hotter than she’d ever been.
Never had she dated a bad boy, but after living her desired routine-driven life for years, she’d craved adventure, and he filled that need. He drew out a wildness she hadn’t realized she possessed.
He held her flush against the door, kissing her hard, sending a craving along her nerves that almost hurt. His tongue went to work, his left hand keeping her jaw open for him. His right hand found her hip and dragged her against the obvious bulge in his jeans. By the time he released her, she’d stopped thinking completely.
“What time are you finished today?” he asked, his breath heating her face.
“Fi-five,” she stuttered.
He leaned back and gently put her to the side. “Stay in the office until I come for you at five, Zara.” He ran his thumb across her bottom lip. “Cross me on this, baby, and I ain’t gonna be gentle.” He had already shut the door behind himself before she could take a whole breath.