“I’m not going to apologize either.”
“I know.”
Eris rested her head on Rob’s shoulder and watched as Nate took a wild hit to the kidneys from Zach. “I hope you enjoyed the dinner, it can get crazy when we’re all together.”
“Dinner was great, especially the mashed potatoes.”
“Thanks, I made those.”
“I know, your mother told me three times.”
“I should have known.” Eris tried to sit up but Rob wrapped his fingers around her arm, stopping her. When she relaxed back against him, his hand dropped to her thigh.
“Your mother wanted to make sure I knew you made them.”
“I’m so sorry. She’s usually not quite so blatant about things.”
Rob’s fingers traced a pattern on her thigh before trailing upward to toy with the hem of her shorts. “It’s okay.”
Eris watched as Rob’s fingers stilled on her leg and he stared off into space. They stayed that way for several minutes and she knew he was lost in his own world. “Where are you, Rob?”
“I was remembering another evening that was similar to this one.”
“Is it a good memory?”
“Yeah.”
“Then tell me.”
“It’s not important.”
“It is to me. I know some of your not-so-good stories, now I want to hear a make-me-smile story.”
“Fine, but remember my happy stories aren’t your standard vanilla.”
Eris moved her hand to where his rested on her leg and twined their fingers together. “I know your tales are more from the dark side and that’s perfectly fine with me.”
He turned his head and studied her for so long she began to wonder if he was going to talk again this evening or not.
Then she heard a deep, resigned sigh. “It was early July, the summer between fourth and fifth grades, so I guess I was ten. My mother was going through one of her bad spells, and I was spending most of my time anywhere other than the apartment where we were currently living. Most days I hung out down at the docks. Kids weren’t allowed in the area but some of the dockworkers took pity on me and would often send me on errands, allowing me to earn a couple of bucks legally. It was there on the docks I met LD. He and I started hanging out together and getting into trouble.”
“In other words, typical ten-year-olds.”
“LD maybe…me, no. When I was around LD, I tried to be normal. I didn’t pocket anything that wasn’t paid for. Even at ten LD was observant, so he wasn’t fooled for long. Anyway, about two weeks after meeting LD, he talked me into going home with him one evening. If I hadn’t been half-starved from living off garbage-can leftovers for the last five days, I’d never have agreed. I remember reaching his back door and freezing.”
“What caused you to stop?”
“Through the screen door, I watched as LD’s mother pulled cookies from the oven. She stood in her kitchen looking like one of those women you see on TV with her hair all done up, makeup, jewelry and perfectly dressed. I was sure she’d never let me into her house. Lord knows I’d been kicked out and told not to come back from homes that didn’t hold a candle to theirs. I tried to back away, but LD reached around me, opened the door and shoved me in. Before I knew what was happening, LD was introducing me to his mother and shoving cookies into my hands.”
Eris noticed how Rob ran his free hand up and down his thigh. It was the first nervous gesture she’d seen him perform. “You must have been terrified.”
“I was so scared my knees were knocking. I was filthy, I smelled and all I had on was a pair of ragged cutoff shorts. I figured I was going to be told to leave; instead she invited me to dinner. We had fried chicken, corn on the cob and mashed potatoes. It was the best meal I’d ever eaten in my life. Later she suggested I spend the night. To this day I still find it hard to believe that Linda didn’t kick me back out that door.”
Her voice caught in her throat for the young, scared boy he must have once been. With her free hand, she turned his face toward her. “She looked into your eyes and saw the good person within. Linda Carmouche is a smart woman, she knows better than to judge a person by what’s on the outside.”
And that’s the man I see. Those words never made it out as her lips touched his.
Eris moved and her sprained ankle collided with Rob’s leg and she pulled back, breaking the kiss. She reached down and rubbed her throbbing ankle. It was better but it wasn’t healed.
“How’s the ankle?” Rob’s words were still rough from the kiss and she liked that sound more than she should have.
“Not bad for the way I abused it today.”
He patted his leg. “Prop it up here and let me have a look.”
She considered protesting but figured the ensuing battle wasn’t worth fighting. It would be obvious once she tried to walk exactly how bad her ankle was. Ever-so gently she lifted her foot and rested it on his thigh.
His fingers probed the tender, swollen flesh until she couldn’t stand it any longer. “Please stop. It hurts. It really, really hurts.”
He removed his hand and leaned back. “I don’t like the look of that ankle at all. We should have gotten you to a doctor today. Tomorrow, first thing, we’re going to a doctor.”
“I don’t need a doctor, just some crutches so I can hobble around.”
“You might have torn tendons or broken a bone. It needs to be looked at.”
“I know, but we have too much going on right now. I was hoping to get back to the alley in the morning to see if I could pick up any traces.”
“Eris…”
She ignored the edginess that was developing in his voice. “The longer we wait, the weaker the aura becomes and we didn’t make it back today.”
“Your ankle is more important than the investigation right now.”
“To hell with my ankle. I can have surgery done on it later if need be.”
“Be reasonable, princess. If you aren’t at one hundred percent then you can’t give the same to this investigation. That makes you a liability.”
“Excuse me! I’ve never in my entire life been a burden to anyone. I am financially independent, self-sufficient and I don’t require another person to take care of me. You should be glad I don’t have two good feet, because if I did, I’d be kicking you right out the door.”
“You are going to the doctor in the morning, even if I have to hogtie you and drag you there myself!”
“Give me a call in the morning if it looks like that’s going to happen,” a new voice spoke up. “Zane, Caleb, Trever and I would pay to see it.”
Eris looked over to see Lance leaning against a porch post—looking fierce and mean as usual.
“Doubt I’d have to, you’ll hear the shrieking,” Rob answered as the two men chuckled.
She glared at them. “That’s not funny.”
“Yeah it is,” Lance stated as he continued to lean against the post.
“I didn’t think you were going to be able to make it to the party.”
“Zane called me about your ankle after he spoke with you this morning and asked that I come take care of it.” Lance directed the answer to her but turned his gaze to Rob.
Having four brothers, Eris understood Lance was letting Rob know she wasn’t a toy to be played with. Brothers. What a pain, she thought as she opened her mouth to tell Lance to mind his own business.
The words died on her lips as Rob placed a large, warm hand on her leg. He caressed her, but she could feel the tension building in him.
“I’ve already told Caleb I would take care of Eris. There’s no need for the family to worry about her.”
Warmth unfurled in the pit of her stomach and slowly spread through her. Before the feeling of splendor could blur her vision and make her start thinking in terms of “us” and “we”, she reminded herself that this relationship, if that’s what she and Rob had going, wasn’t long-term.
“I’m not questioning your ability to protect my sister. If
I had any doubts you’d already have been tossed out the front door by Caleb.”
If standing quickly wouldn’t have caused Eris pain, Rob would have been on his feet and tossing the brash young man off the porch. Instead he gently lifted Eris’ foot from his thigh and placed it back on the stool. He then stood to his full height and stared the younger man in the eyes. “If you’re here to toss out idle threats, your brothers have already beaten you to it.”
Lance gave a slight shrug of the shoulders but never broke eye contact with Rob as they stood facing each other. “I figured they had.”
Rob couldn’t help but be impressed by the man’s physical presence. He was tall, wide-shouldered and slender built. He was obviously athletic, the type of person the FBI would love to get a hold of. “Then why are you here, because I’m guessing you didn’t come over for a friendly conversation?”
“I’ve come to take a look at my sister’s ankle to see if I can help her.”
“You’re a doctor?”
Lance gave a slightly bitter laugh. “Not in the traditional sense.”
“I’m afraid to ask what that means, but knowing your family, I’m sure I’m about to find out.”
Lance cocked one eyebrow at him. “Afraid you’re about to be disappointed, old man. I left my chicken bones and shrunken heads at home.”
Rob was ready to let Lance know that age and experience counted for a lot more than youthfulness alone when suddenly Lance yelped and jumped back.
Lance rubbed the outside of his denim-clad thigh and glared at his sister. “What is it with you and Mom and the pinching? I think you took a hunk out of my leg!”
“It gets your attention. Now if you don’t behave, I’ll remove a matching piece from the other side. Tell me, is there something in the air making my brothers act like overbearing jackasses?”
Lance backed away from his sister and rolled his shoulders. “Sorry, it’s him.”
“Rob?”
Rob was glad Eris vocalized his question because the males in her family were getting a little hard to tolerate.
“Spill the beans, Lance, what gives?”
Eris’ tone was hard and unyielding, causing the younger sibling to squirm. It took a great deal of effort on Rob’s part not to visibly show his delight in Lance’s discomfort.
Lance lifted his head and looked at Rob then turned to his sister. “For years we’ve…and now he’s here…Dad told us to drop it but…”
“What in the world are you talking about, Lance?”
The pained look on Lance’s face was enough that Rob stepped in to help out. “I think your brothers are having a hard time dealing with the fact you don’t need them anymore. You’ve got someone else to watch out for you.”
Eris gave a slight shake of her head. “First of all, I can take care of myself. Secondly, think about it. Rob’s presence is only temporary. Once this case is solved, he’ll be gone. Then things will be back to normal.”
“That’s not what Caleb—” Lance clamped his mouth closed.
Eris frowned at her brother and attempted to stand. Rob immediately wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close for added support then loosened his hold when he realized how tight he was holding her. Her assessment of their relationship was the same as his, for once they agreed on something. And it bothered him beyond reason that she could be so flippant about it.
“What exactly did Caleb say?”
Good question, Rob thought as he waited for the answer. Lance glared at Rob.
“He told me he was overbearing and overprotective and extremely territorial.”
“Is that all?” Eris questioned her brother.
“Yeah, that’s all.”
Eris snorted her disbelief but Lance didn’t blink at her reaction. The man had a great poker face, Rob thought as he helped Eris across the small patio and into the house.
* * * * *
Two hours later, Rob watched in amazement as Eris slowly walked around the living room of her apartment with only a slight limp. If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn’t have believed it. Of course, he wasn’t sure he understood it anyway.
“How does it feel?” Lance’s words didn’t hold the sharp edge they had earlier at the DuBose house.
Eris stopped, propped her foot on the coffee table and traced the area below her ankle. “This part is still tender.”
“Come here and I’ll work on it some more.” Rob watched as Lance pushed himself to a seated position on the couch.
“No.” Eris put her foot down and walked back toward Rob. “I worry about you healing people. We have no idea how this is going to affect you.”
“It makes me tired and gives me a headache but that’s it. None of those symptoms are life-threatening.” Lance rubbed his temple absently as he watched his sister.
Eris made her way to Rob and plopped down beside him on the sofa. “Go take a nap, baby brother, I’ll wake you in an hour and then you can head back to Mom and Dad’s.”
Rob was surprised when Lance pushed off the couch and made his way toward her bedroom. He could have sworn he heard the guy mumble something about not watching the lovebirds before closing the door.
“I worry about him. It takes more out of him then he ever tells us.”
“Let me see your ankle.”
“You don’t believe in healers, do you?”
She propped her foot up on his lap and he examined the once-damaged ankle.
“Up until a couple of hours ago, I would have said no. Can he heal anything?”
“Minor injuries but not broken bones. He can’t do anything about diseases. He’s tried without any luck.”
“You really don’t like him doing this do you?”
“No. It scares me to death.”
“Why?”
“The first time he ever healed anyone, it was me. I was five and had grabbed a butcher knife my father was using by the blade. I can still see the blood pouring out of my hand. It wouldn’t stop no matter what Mom or Dad did.”
Rob took the hand she was absently rubbing and traced a faint scar with his fingers. “Is this the cut?”
“Yeah. Dad tossed all the other kids into the back of the Buick station wagon we had at the time. Mom held a towel around my hand in the backseat as Dad raced toward the hospital.”
Eris paused and Rob looked up to see a haunted look in her eyes. Instinctively he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her next to him, all the while caressing her palm. “You both came out of it okay.”
“We did. But I remember watching my blood soak the towel and thinking, ‘This isn’t good’. Anyway, Lance crawled into the seat with us and took hold of my hand. Instantly it started feeling all prickly and warm. I started to scream and cry even harder. Mom and I both tried to get my hand away from Lance but no matter what we did, his grip held. Finally his eyes rolled back into his head and he passed out.”
“That must have freaked your mother out.”
Eris laughed and laid her head on his shoulder. The fact that she felt comfortable enough around him to do that made him relax.
“That’s putting it mildly. When we pulled up to the local emergency room, Mom started yelling I was bleeding to death and Lance was having some type of seizure. They got me in the examining room and unwrapped the bloody towel from my hand and all they saw was a small red line across my palm.”
“I bet the hospital staff thought your mother was crazy.”
“They thought both Mom and Dad were certifiable, since Lance woke up as they were getting me out of the car.”
Rob continued to trace the tiny ridge across her palm. “Today, they would have been calling CPS.”
“I think they did but my grandfather came to the rescue once again.”
“Sounds like your grandfather was trying to protect those he cared about. Tell me more about him.” Rob felt Eris stiffen at his words and could have kicked himself for not dropping the topic.
She took a deep breath. “Al Criswell is my gra
ndfather and he always gets his way.”
Rob hesitated a few seconds before answering. “No wonder CPS backed off. I don’t know many who’d want to anger him.”
Eris sat up and tried to pull her hand away. “He’s an old busybody who won’t keep his nose out of other people’s business, that’s what he is. He’s not happy unless he’s giving orders. I’m going to go bake some chocolate chip cookies. Lance craves them after he’s healed someone.”
Rob traced the scar one more time and then gently placed a kiss to her palm. Looking up, he held her gaze as he released her hand. “I’m extremely grateful your brother saved your life all those years ago. Guess I’ll have to be nice to him.”
He watched as she walked away and, for the first time, felt a stab of guilt about deceiving her.
Chapter Ten
Eris’ eyes flew open as she bolted upright in bed. Her heart was pounding ninety to nothing inside her chest and for a moment, she wondered if she was dreaming. The door to her bedroom flew open and Rob stood there in his tighty-whities, brandishing a gun.
No, this was not a dream.
“What the hell are you screaming about?”
If this were one of her fantasies come true, the man would be carrying roses or champagne flutes or chocolate or all three, but not a gun.
Eris blinked a couple of times in the dark as she remembered being ripped from a very erotic dream that starred her and the man standing in her room. She was glad darkness covered her heated blush, even as she remembered what had awakened her.
“She’s here.”
“Who?”
“The killer, she woke me.”
Rob crossed the room so quickly it startled her. “Where?”
Eris stood and crossed to the window. Placing her hand on it, she opened her senses. “Out there.”
“Are you telling me he was on the balcony?” Rob questioned.
Eris stripped off her pajama bottoms and retrieved her discarded shorts from the floor. “No, she wasn’t on the balcony. It was more like a wakeup shout in my dream.”
She watched as he moved around the room, checking behind her oversized chair, inside the closet then finally coming to stand beside her to look out the window. Her eyes traveled over his back and, when she’d taken in all the details of his well-defined back, her gaze slipped lower.
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