His reluctance was freaking her out. “Dex…”
He expelled a breath then slowly rolled out, and when he finally cleared the vehicle and rose to his feet, she gasped and rushed forward.
“What happened?” She set her hands on his chest and winced as she inspected the bruise on his cheek that was all swollen and red. It was almost in the shape of a…fist? Son-of-a…“Gabe?”
“You promised you wouldn’t freak out.”
Rylee hadn’t promised anything. And she was so far beyond “freak out,” she was shaking. “Where is he?” She glanced around, her mind too full of anger to make room for the common sense that would’ve reminded her the jerk hadn’t been in the garage when she’d first walked in.
“It’s okay, Rylee,” Dex said, his voice sounding almost stern. “You need to calm down.”
Why the heck did people think telling her to calm down was going to calm her down. It always did the opposite and pissed her off further. “No way, Dex. I’m good and mad. He had no right to hit you just because we’re seeing each other.” As she talked, she paced, her mind whirling and chest so tight she could barely suck in air. “How’d he find out, anyway?” She turned back to him. “I thought we’d decided to tell him together.”
“We did,” he said evenly, and she couldn’t understand how he could be so damn calm. “I don’t know how he found out. I didn’t tell him. He just showed up out of the blue.”
“And hit you…” Rylee clenched her jaw, unable to say more. Rage was boiling in her now.
“It’s okay,” Dex said again, stepping close to run his hands up and down her arms. “I deserved it.”
She reeled back. “No. That’s stupid. How could you say that?”
“I crossed over the line of the code.” He shrugged. “But it was worth it. I’d take blow after blow if I had to. You’re worth it.”
His words both touched and enraged her. “You shouldn’t have to worry about the big brute. What we do is our business. Not his.”
“I know. And so does he.” Dex cupped her face and held her gaze. “I told him it didn’t matter what he did. It wasn’t going to work. I won’t give you up.”
She sucked in a breath and blinked back a sudden onslaught of tears. “You did?”
He nodded, his gaze softening. “Yes.”
“What did he say?”
“That it was the right answer.”
“What?” She jerked her head back. That made no sense. “You mean…he’s…”
“Okay with us. Yeah.” Dex nodded. Then smiled. Then promptly winced.
She grimaced. “I’m sorry he did this.” She leaned in to gently kiss his face below the bruise.
“I’m not,” he said, gliding his hands down her back to settle by her hips. “You’re worth it.”
“I don’t want you getting beat up over me.”
“I didn’t get beat up. I allowed him one punch.”
“But why?”
“Because I knew he needed to defend your honor. And you deserved your honor defended,” he replied. “And now that Gabe got that out of his system, it’s all good. We’re good.”
Men and their convoluted way of thinking with their fists. She’d never understand it. Sighing, she set her forehead to his chin. “He’d better be good with us, because I’m not giving you up, either.”
She felt his chest rise with his intake of breath.
“Yeah?”
Rylee lifted her head to meet his gaze. “Yeah.”
Then his mouth found hers, softly kissing, drinking, turning all the negative pent-up emotions swirling inside her into hot, frenzied need. But they were at work. And, apparently, he must’ve realized it too because he slowly lifted his mouth off hers.
“Hold that thought,” he said. “We’ll continue this later.”
Her pulse hiccupped at the promise in his gaze and on his lips. “Absolutely,” she said, before stepping out of his arms to pull her phone from her pocket. “But, I’m not good. Not yet.” She jabbed the phone icon on the screen by her brother’s name and waited.
He picked up on the second ring. “Rylee, before—”
“Where are you?” she asked, cutting him off.
His sigh rumbled through the phone. “Work.”
“Till when?”
“Technically, four-thirty, but you know I’m always on-call.”
“Fine. My place at four-thirty,” she said, then ended the call before her mouth got the better of her. What she had to say to him was best said to his face.
Dex let out a low whistle. “Try not to be too hard on him. He loves you.”
She exhaled, long and slow. “I’m so sick of hearing that as an excuse.” It was no longer acceptable. “It’s time Gabe and I had a talk. Time I laid down some rules of my own.”
Chapter Eleven
Four-thirty-five, there was a knock at Rylee’s door. She stopped pacing her kitchen, inhaled, then marched across the floor. Mac had allowed her to leave a half hour early, which was good, since her mind had been shot the rest of the day. She’d tried to get back to her investigation, but even that wasn’t possible today.
Setting her shoulders, she twisted the knob, opened the door then stood back to let her frowning brother in. It wasn’t often she saw worry cloud Gabe’s eyes. Good. He should be worried.
“Rylee, I—”
She held up a hand to cut him off. Too many times in the past she’d allowed him to pull the wind out of her sails with his words of caring when she’d tried to protest something.
Not this time.
“You know I love you, right?” she started with a good point, because things were going to go downhill from there.
“Yeah.”
“Good.” She moved to the other side of the island because her anger was starting to resurface, and she needed the barrier between them. “Then you need to know how much you hurt me today.”
He frowned and opened his mouth, but she held her hand up again.
“No. I’m going to talk this time, and you’re going to listen.” She waited for his nod before she continued. “I know the spiel. You care about me. You’re doing it for my own good. And all these years, I let you use those excuses to do your bidding. But not anymore, Gabe. Do you hear me? It stops today.”
“They aren’t excuses, Ry. They’re fact.”
“They’re irrelevant today,” she said. “Gabe…hitting Dex? You crossed the line today, and I’m not sure you can get back.”
He opened his mouth as if to say something, then blew out a breath instead.
“Yes, Dex and I are seeing each other. Is that any of your business? No. I mean, come on…he’s been your good friend for years. Someone you fought with. You had each other’s backs. You know him. You know his intentions are good. He did not deserve your fist.”
“You mentioned crossing lines. Well, he crossed mine. It had consequences. He paid them. Now we’re good.”
“Just like that?”
“Yes.” He nodded.
“Well, you and I aren’t good.” She watched him wince but pushed down the compassion inside her to keep on task. “I’m no longer an underage invalid. It’s been almost twelve years since that accident. Let go of the injured teenager and let me live my twenty-seven year old life. Am I going to make mistakes? Yes. But they are mine to make.”
“We almost lost you, Ry,” he said quietly, his tone rough with emotion. “You flat-lined twice. I swore if you made it through, I’d keep you safe and never let you get hurt again.”
She swallowed past the lump in her throat. “The thing is, Gabe…I’m still flat-lining. I’m not living. Every time I try, you pull the plug.” She straightened her spine and tapped the counter with her pointer finger. “That stops today.” Her chest was tight. She loved her brother dearly and knew he loved her, but she couldn’t go on living under his thumb. “If you ever interfere with my love life again. Lift a hand to Dex. Hurt him.” She swallowed and blinked to keep her emotions in check. “Then I will take
a step back from you. You will not be welcome in my house. Or in my life. I don’t want you thinking you can get away with what you did today.”
Instead of the tirade she half expected, Gabe nodded. “Understood. Dex and I are good.” He smiled. “So that’s how it is, huh? Good. I’m happy for you. I’m glad you two finally got together.”
“What?” She jerked her head back, her jaw dropping as he, once again, manage to suck the wind from her sails. “Who are you and what have you done with Gabe? You know, my stubborn, jerk of a brother?”
A smile pulled at Gabe’s lips. “He’s right here, and he understands. What happened between Dex and me was about Dex and me. Not you. I promise.” He walked over to her side and dipped down, so they were eye-level. “I promise. The last thing I want to do is hurt you.”
“Then you’ve got to let me live. Stop smothering me.”
He inhaled then blew out the breath. “Okay. I’ll try. It’ll be hard at first, though. You might have to remind me.”
She nodded. “Okay.” A smile tugged her lips. “You’re really okay with Dex and me?”
“Yes.” Gabe grinned. “He’s the only man I’ve ever met that’s worthy of you.”
“So why did you hit him?”
“It’s a brotherhood thing. We live by codes. Unspoken promises. Rules. He broke a big one. A big trust.”
“But I was the one who propositioned him.”
He inhaled and held up a hand. “Okay. I don’t need to hear any more. That’s between you two. Like I said, Dex and I are good. So…are we good?”
She held his gaze for a beat. “As long as you stay on your side of the line.”
“Deal.”
She smiled and moved in to give him a hug. “Then we’re good.”
And for the first time in a long time, Rylee’s life felt right. There was no invisible weight on her shoulders. No one suffocating her. “Keeping her safe.” No hidden agendas.
She was cutting potatoes when Dex showed up an hour after Gabe left. Rylee couldn’t keep the smile from her lips, or her lips off Dex.
She was happy, and God, she felt unhindered.
He groaned and crushed her close, as she slid her tongue past his lips and brushed the roof of his mouth. With dinner prep forgotten, she gave herself permission to take and give. One kiss turned into many and after their clothes hit the floor and he carried her to her bed, Rylee realized she was starting to fall, big time, for Dex.
There was so much feeling and raw need in the amazing man setting her gently back against the pillows, placing soft, feather-light kisses to her forehead, eyes, nose, and corner of her mouth, before tenderly brushing her lips with his, that tears silently slipped from her eyes while she shook from the force of the emotion in his touch.
“You’re so beautiful, Rylee,” he whispered against her mouth, then proceeded to steal her breath with long, lazy, drugging kisses.
He’d already stolen her heart.
Her feelings for this man had started out as friends, then grew rocky, then strong. And now, she didn’t ever want him out of her life. When she’d thought Gabe was going to threaten that, she’d nearly gone out of her mind. She’d stood up to her brother because she loved Dex.
The revelation was a shock, and yet, it wasn’t. It made sense. It explained why she’d always had such a strong reaction to him.
His mouth and hands continued to worship her body from head to toe. “So beautiful,” he murmured against her skin, kissing, licking, nipping every inch.
By the time he rolled on a condom, she’d climaxed twice and was still shuddering from the afterglow, when he settled onto his back.
She set her hand on his shoulder. “I want to lay under you.”
God, how she wanted to feel the weight of his magnificent body on top of her.
She knew her taking top was his way of saying he had no issues with her scars. But she enjoyed bottom, and wanted to experience that position with him again.
“Okay.” He waited until she settled back down, his gaze darkening as he watched her breasts bounce. Then he dipped to kiss each one, working his way to her mouth, where he slowly swept his tongue inside.
She moaned and gripped his biceps, while their tongues tangled. She was so hot and hungry to have him inside her, that she ached. He broke the kiss to blaze a trail down her neck before he sank his teeth in the spot behind her ear.
“Dex,” she whispered on a hitched breath.
He stilled and drew back, and her heart clutched at the raw, stark emotion in his brown depths.
She reached up to touch his cheek. “Why’d you stop?”
“I love the way you say my name,” he told her, his voice low and husky. “I’ll never grow tired of it.”
“I love the way you make me say it.” She arched into him. “Dex…”
His nostrils flared, and something primal entered his gaze. “Say it again.”
“Dex.”
He kissed her then, a little crazy, a lot hot, and deliciously thorough. The man took her out of herself. Shattered her and put her back whole. New. Being with him made her want to stay with him.
Plain and simple.
By the time Dex positioned himself between her legs, Rylee could barely breathe. Anticipation and need gripped so damn tight.
With his gaze holding hers, he slowly pushed inside. A sexy, low sound ripped from his chest, and she cried out, nearly coming undone from the sheer bliss of the long-awaited joining. The incredible man zapped every last thought from her head until only their connection existed. Still holding her gaze, he entwined their fingers on either side of her head and lowered his body until they were eye to eye, chest to chest. Flesh to delicious flesh.
Then he began to move, and the slow slide of their slick bodies and the raw emotion blazing in his open gaze had her whispering his name over and over again. This seemed to spur him on, because he squeezed her hands, and ecstasy tightened his face as he upped their pace.
Rylee felt everything all at once. Utterly lost in him. Her emotions and need mixed with his to form a heady, euphoric rush.
“Dex…”
“I know.” He brushed her lips with his. “I feel it too.”
At his admission, her whole body tightened and tingled until everything inside snapped and burst. She cried out his name one last time and came as he called her name, shuddering in her arms while he followed with his own fierce release.
When Rylee finally returned to earth, she could feel Dex’s breath warm and ragged on her skin. As he nuzzled her neck, she ran her hands down his back and smiled. That was the most incredible experience of her life. She couldn’t wait to do it again.
After feeling returned to her limbs.
Lifting up to stare down at her, he smiled and traced her cheek. “You okay?”
“Much better than okay.” She cupped his tracing hand. “It keeps getting better and better.”
He leaned down. “I agree. You take my breath, Rylee,” he murmured against her lips.
He certainly took hers—like now. It caught in her throat.
“You stole mine.” She winked. “You thief.”
He was smiling as he kissed her again. “I’ll be right back.”
He rolled off her and disappeared into the hall.
Rylee stretched and smiled at her deliciously sore muscles. That was the best way to work out.
Ever.
Even better than yoga.
She reached for her shirt on the floor, and as she slipped it on, her gaze fell to the nightstand.
And her phone. It buzzed with several texts.
She didn’t remember setting it there, but then again, she didn’t remember dropping her shirt on the floor in here either.
When another text rumbled in, she reached for the phone.
“Rylee, wait,” Dex said from the doorway. “I think that’s my phone.”
He was right. It was his. They were the same model, but it was too late. She’d already seen some the Mac’s texts on the s
creen.
Meet us at ESI. Let Rylee there.
Lead on Ross panned out. Got him in custody.
Emotions churned inside, twisting Rylee’s stomach into a tight knot. The one vying for top position was hope. Hope that it was somehow the others who figured out the lead and kept it from her. That was somehow easier to take than the thought of it being him.
She knew it was wishful thinking, especially given the dread draining the blood from Dex’s face as she tapped the call button and put it on speaker. Before either of them had a chance to talk, Mac’s voice boomed through the phone.
“What don’t you understand, buddy? You were supposed to be here a half hour ago. It was your lead. You should’ve been the one to take Ross down.”
Any sliver of hope she’d had for one of the others to have had the lead and kept it from her shriveled to dust.
Beyond angry and utterly bereft, she drew in a ragged breath. “He was busy taking me down.” Her hand shook as she stared at the phone.
“Rylee?”
“Yes, and Dex is here, too. He’s not looking so good.”
His face paled at her pissed of tone, no doubt. He set a dish of sliced apples on the nightstand, along with a bottle of water, then turned to her. “I can explain.”
“Good. You both can,” she said, her voice sounding low and tight in her ears. “I’d love to know why the hell you couldn’t tell me about a lead in the case I was part of. God, Dex. You knew how important this was to me. And this lead? You knew…all this time…you knew about a lead and didn’t think I should be a part of taking Ross down?”
He didn’t have to answer. She could see the guilt clouding his gaze as he began to get dressed.
Pain ripped through Rylee chest, squeezing so tight she could barely breathe. She’d never felt so betrayed or hurt in her life. What he’d done years ago paled compared to this. If her legs weren’t shaking, she’d jump to her feet and leave the damn room. Leave her own damn house.
“Rylee, it wasn’t his fault.” Her foolish boss thought that mattered. “He was following my orders. We didn’t want you to know because Ross was involved in more than identity theft. There was money laundering and it would put you in more danger.”
Dex (HC Heroes Book 3) Page 14