by D. C. Stone
Dwayne, Hailey, Dwayne, Hailey.
“Hey,” one of the objects of her thoughts grumbled. “How come the kid gets a compliment five minutes after seeing you again after years? Yet, we’ve known each other, been around each other for years and I get a scowl at best?”
Brooke took a deep breath, turned, and braced for the sight of him. The preparation was useless as his dark—yet petulant angst—looks hit her like a fist.
Surrounded as she was by beautiful men and yet all she had eyes for was this one.
No, no, no!
“Luke gets a compliment,” she began, her voice cracking, “because his eyes truly are one of a kind. The blush was pretty cute, too.” She cocked her head. “It’s amazing what happens when women aren’t falling over someone, huh, Dwayne?” She was such a bitch, but she couldn’t accept this connection between them. The focus had to stay on her daughter.
Instead of coming back with a snappy, off-the-wall rebuttal, his jaw hardened and a ticking pulse in his cheek drew her attention. “Some things aren’t what they seem. You, of all people, should realize that.”
She did. What she did not get was why now, why right at this moment, she wanted to do nothing more than toss her arms around his neck and tell him she loved him.
No! her mind shouted. She gulped, the sound audible not only to her ears but from the widening of Dwayne’s eyes, his too.
She blinked to soothe the prickle and he narrowed his gaze.
“Holy shit, bro,” another deep voice boomed. Brooke snapped her head to the source and found a smiling man, built as all the rest, with long brown hair tied at his nape. Matt Gonzalez.
“Matt,” Dwayne said next to her, “Remember Brooke? Brooke, this is now the famous DEA Agent Matt Gonzalez.”
Matt flashed a grin and tipped some imaginary hat on his head. “Nice to see you again.”
Before she could respond, he turned to Dwayne. “Dude, you all are not only messing with Luke’s boy parts, but you’re sure as shit making me nervous with this entire intense gaze BS. How about you two kiss and make up, put whatever is going on behind you for now?”
Brooke squared her shoulders and shook out of the slump she seemed to be stuck in. In the proverbial sense, she literally had lain in her bed, and now she had to deal with it. She loved him, and it was a fine time to realize it, but more so, she had to remind herself like a mantra that he would never love her back. He’d even said he couldn’t.
She had to be strong for tonight and pretend as if her whole world was not crushing in around her like some central Florida sinkhole.
With a careful breath, she pasted on a bright smile and took a step away from Dwayne. She faced all the brothers, each different down to their blood types, no doubt. Yet, the family bond pulsed around them like an aura, almost visible.
“All right, guys,” she said. “As soon as Charlie and Trent get here, let’s talk about the plan for tonight.”
Five pairs of brows went up and Dwayne cleared his throat. She shifted her attention and forced her face to remain impassive. All she wanted to do, all her body screamed for, was to stomp her feet like some tantrum-throwing five-year-old screaming, I can’t love you! I refuse to, you big, dumb, dillhole!
“You’re not coming, Brooke. It’s too dangerous,” Dwayne rumbled softly, but his voice held command.
His tone brooked no argument, but he had another think coming if he thought she’d just lay down and get run over by some lawnmower.
“Yes,” she responded, the word clear and concise. “I am. You know I’ll go even if you leave me behind. My daughter is going to need me. You have already run down just what I should expect, and from that, there’s no doubt in my mind that in this situation she’ll respond better to her mother than she will anyone else. I will not argue this. What’s it going to be?”
His green eyes turned hard as stone and the pulse in his cheek pumped double-time. Seconds ticked like the countdown to a nuclear explosion. She waited him out. Had to. This was her daughter and her responsibility. If… She shook her head. When they found her, she would want her mother. Refusing to back down, she lifted her chin and put resolve in her expression.
Dwayne must have seen something for in the next moment he cursed.
“Dammit, you will stay by my side. Like my shadow, sweetheart. You hear me?”
The endearment rushed through, a pain in her chest. It unfurled and stuck its tendrils straight through her heart. She drew in a deep breath and held out her hand. Sandalwood and wooden spices filled her lungs.
Dwayne.
Needing the promise, pushing him to give his word, she gave a pointed glance at her hand and met his questioning gaze.
“Promise me,” she said.
He sighed and wrapped his large palm around hers. Her gut clenched.
“I promise. But you will be my shadow. Don’t forget it.”
“All right, then,” Matt drawled with a clap of his hands. “Let’s kick some ass like the big ’ole happy family we are.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Just after dusk, bass buzzed through the brick building, vibrated through the air, and with each beat, tightened the knot of nerves in Dwayne’s stomach.
He squeezed Brooke’s hand around their interlaced fingers, the only thing holding him from picking her up, tossing her lithe body over his shoulder, and hiding her away where none of this ugliness could touch or harm her. He was used to this scene. The preparation and mind-set just before successfully infiltrating the bad-guy’s domain. This life was a part of his job. He had to face it. Having her innocence in this dank place and her life in danger gave him nothing but apprehension. On one hand, they had to get Hailey. This operation had to work. There were too many young lives affected. Without someone to stand up for these children, they’d be adrift in a vortex of lost memories.
On the other, having Brooke so close to where one wrong move and he’d lose more than her heart, had some protective instinct screaming in alarm. It went against everything he was, the opposite of what he had been trained to do. Protect and serve had no spot in his life tonight. Civic duty was forgotten as a child’s dream.
Bouncers, big stocky men wearing tight red shirts and blue jeans, controlled entry. Two staffed the doors while a third stood off to the side, eyeing waiting patrons in line. Despite the darkness descending, the third wore black sunglasses blocking his eyes. All you could do was guess at what he was seeing, but Dwayne could feel his attention like twin laser beams, a target on his head.
Brooke shifted against his side. Whether out of nerves or sensing his unease, he didn’t know. Clad in denim practically painted along her legs, and a loose low-cut black tank top, she stood out amongst the young crowd. Her long, curling red hair looked softer than down feathers, shinier than the brightest star above. Charlie had given Brooke a gorro cap to try to disguise her a bit, but nothing could really hide her gorgeous hair.
His partner had also gone a bit batty with Brooke’s makeup. Heavy, smoky color brought out the blue of her eyes and her lips were a pale shade of glimmering pink that highlighted what he was sure every other man saw: sexiness, long erotic nights full of pleasure, and a woman who could unwind a man and send blood south with just a glance. Her gaze darted up to his, then away. At the same time, she sent a shaky smile. She couldn’t seem to stand still, and her concentration never centered on any one thing.
He dropped his head to her ear, his attention on the woman in his arms, their safety covered by the circle of his brothers surrounding them.
“Easy, preciosa. You looking like you’re actually searching for someone will raise red flags.” He shifted her in front of him, tucked her back tight into his front, and pretended to nibble on her neck.
“These guys are looking for anything that stands out,” he murmured at her ear. “And as it is, I can feel their gazes on me. When we get up to the door, stay close to my side, don’t speak, and keep your eyes on the ground. Once we’re inside, make sure you become my shadow.
I don’t care if you see Hailey, or if you have every instinct to run, sweetheart. You will be so close to me, you’ll think I’m still inside you.”
She gasped.
Lifting his head, he took in her pink cheeks and smiled. Wrapped around Brooke as he was, he doubted he’d get behind the scenes tonight, but his brothers had his back, all understanding the game, each eager to get their hands on the assholes running this operation. With a few local police undercover officers already inside, and about an army of them outside, he should feel more at ease. But he didn’t. He couldn’t, wouldn’t, leave Brooke’s side. He had to have been kidding himself to think that allowing her to come along wouldn’t cloud his judgment.
They shifted and moved up a few feet in line. Dwayne dropped his head to hers and inhaled. Her scent wrapped its tendrils inside of his lungs and dug thorns into his soul. This woman, one he’d cared about for so long, was a very real and unmistakable part of his heart. He’d put his life down for hers. Hell, he’d do the same for Hailey. And he’d do it without a second’s hesitation.
Shifting forward again, he resisted the urge to lash out at the bouncer watching him. The constant attention wasn’t easing his tension. Staying cool and in control of the situation slowly fell away. At the front door, each of their IDs were handed over and given a brief cursory glance before they were granted access. Inside, the black walls led down a long hall. Numbers and letters flashed in purple, the only source of light leading the way.
Dwayne followed closely behind Brooke, the curve of her rear pressed against him, his arm wrapped around her waist. Getting separated wasn’t an option he felt comfortable with in this dark club. It wasn’t just the circumstances of having her so close to danger that bothered him. It was the thought of losing her because he was doing his job, because he was trying to bring her daughter home. His brothers had always given him shit for giving too much to others, putting his feelings on a back burner to help out those in need.
And if tonight wasn’t a night of revelations, wasn’t this just the time to realize they had been right?
Jake and Matt caught Dwayne’s gaze and nodded toward the bar. He returned the gesture and caught Mike’s retreating back pushing through the crowd, most likely heading off to some dark corner. Having them all together gave him a sense of rightness, a bond only captured through family. Yet even with the six of them standing next to one another, you’d never be able to tell they were brothers. The fact that they’d all been adopted kept their looks from being too familiar, but it was something deeper, that something being that each of them were entirely different. Had separate reactions to situations and ways of dealing with their own problems.
Being able to count on one another was the commonality they could always bet on.
He pulled Brooke tighter against his hips and turned to catch Luke’s gaze. His younger brother stared back with a look Dwayne hadn’t seen before, one that had a hint of unease skittering up his spine. His almond-shaped eyes pulled down in a silent apology, and he drew his bottom lip into his mouth before uttering a harsh, “I need you to ignore anything you see tonight,” and walking off.
What the fuck was that?
Dwayne almost went after him but drew up short, remembering Brooke in his care, his responsibility, his to keep safe. Whatever was going on with Luke, whatever kind of warning he’d been given, was something he’d have to deal with another day.
Trent brushed by, caught Dwayne’s gaze and nodded toward the dance floor. Turning in that direction, he scanned the crowd, taking in sweaty, gyrating bodies pressed too close to one another, replicating acts that stated clearly it’d be considered an X-rated event had their clothes suddenly disappeared. A Latin beat with some guy singing along pulsed through the room. The singer’s raspy voice spoke of hips moving, parts of the body touching, tasting, smelling, licking…all of it adding to the very sexual atmosphere, something no doubt the owners were trying to achieve.
He slipped his arm from Brooke’s waist and stepped around her, grabbed her wrist as he passed, and tugged forward. She resisted the pull, and he looked back, inquiring. Her gaze jumped from the floor to him, both lips turned inside her mouth, pursed with a frown. He had to laugh. The sight just did him in. Clearly, as he well remembered, Brooke wasn’t the most enthusiastic—or greatest—dancer, and the fear was written all over her face. He tugged her forward with a quick yank, and she tumbled into his arms.
Pressing his mouth to her temple, he spoke loud enough that he hoped she could hear. “We need to blend in, preciosa. Standing here won’t do it.”
She lifted on her toes and the length of her body pressed to his. It was innocent enough, but he had to fight a groan at the feel of her curves. “Won’t we be better hiding in the shadows or something? Keeping a look out?”
He shook his head. “Trust me when I say if you hide in the shadows someone is going to notice. Brooke, sweetheart, you draw attention just being in the room.” He pulled his chest from hers but kept their hips pressed together and rubbed his lower body back and forth, letting her feel his desire.
Pink bloomed on her cheeks, and he smiled.
“Come on.” He pulled her onto the floor as the song morphed into a new one. Trent and Charlie were already on the dance floor, grinding against one another, lost in their own little world, yet aware. And from the looks of both of their eyes, very much in tune with their surroundings.
He shifted his hips, flowed to the rhythm, and let his body do what he’d been doing for as long as he could remember—dance.
Brooke stood like a statue, her hands just above her shoulders and, after his encouragement, gave a little shimmy.
His lips twitched, but he fought against the grin.
He pushed her to move more into his body and urged her to follow along to his rhythm. She did—or at least tried to. He adored her, he really did, and even understanding he could actually love her wasn’t something that surprised him. She was gorgeous, caring, funny, and loyal to almost a fault. But dance, that she couldn’t do.
Brooke, now opening to dancing more, jerked and convulsed as if she were having a seizure. There was no rhyme or reason in her steps, and nothing about the way she moved said she had any beat in her head. It was so unlike her, so completely unsexy, that he burst out laughing.
She stopped and scowled. Chuckling, he drew her closer. She still tried to pull away.
“I’m not a good dancer,” she hissed.
“I’m getting that,” he said through hilarity. “Relax.” He turned her until her back was to his front. With her hips settled to his groin, he set one hand on the curve of her waist and the other to her belly.
Then he began to move. Slightly, at first, but still keeping the beat.
“Brooke,” he murmured with a brush of his lips at her temple. “Relax. Feel the beat. Let it move you, don’t try to move it.”
She growled and let out a little sound of frustration. “This isn’t going to work.”
He pressed her closer to him.
“Follow me,” he said. “Let my body move for you. Feel it…”
He rocked their hips stronger, putting pressure on her stomach until the crowd around didn’t exist. It was all a blur, she, his entire focus. That’s what she did to him every time. She took the thoughts from his mind and caused his brain to stop working until all that continued, all that he smelled, tasted, or knew was Brooke.
She swayed against him and pressed her bottom to his groin. Their bodies were in sync, two beings becoming one. A few seconds passed and she brought one hand up to curve behind his neck. Her body arched and just like that, the exuberance she gave to him, the way she let him lead her, the way she gave him her all, caused a jolt of desire to tighten his groin.
Lost in his world of her, he blinked as another female stepped up to Brooke. She stiffened against him but relaxed once Charlie came into view. The desire, the calm, and his elation at having Brooke in his arms disappeared with a snap. Both Charlie and Trent’s faces were hard,
worried, and sent alarms pinging through his head.
Charlie pressed against Brooke, but she lifted her head so she could speak to Dwayne. Trent continued to look over the crowd, his front to Charlie’s back.
“Luke,” Charlie hissed and pulled her head back. Her focus shifted over to the corner, and Dwayne followed her gaze.
Standing off to the side of the room under a blue light was Luke with two women. The females kissed each other and Luke’s gaze was hard, hot, and more than a little dark. It wasn’t something such as two women kissing that drew his attention. Dwayne tightened his jaw. It was more. Those women looked young, too young, actually. And they were stiff in each other’s arms like they didn’t want to be there. Dwayne watched as his youngest brother dipped his head toward the two girls and said something that caused them to look at him in fear. Luke leaned back, took a sip of beer and lifted a hand as if to say, “Go on.”
One girl turned and leaned against Luke, her back to his front, and pulled the other into her arms. Even at this distance, Dwayne saw her hands shake. She played with the silver strap on the brunette’s tank top. Her head dipped and she touched her mouth to revealed skin.
“What is he doing?” Brooke hissed.
Dwayne looked down to find Brooke watching the action, too.
“I don’t know,” he answered and remembered Luke’s warning earlier. Shit! Shit, they didn’t need this. Whatever his brother was doing was bound to fuck the entire operation to hell. He didn’t think…no, he knew Luke realized how important Hailey was to him. He couldn’t believe that his brother would toss it out there and fuck around with little girls, women who didn’t look older than seventeen, all for a piece, or two pieces, of ass.
Just then, a shadow stepped under the blue light and the four of them stiffened as Jaxon’s face came into view. With a mischievous look on his face, he stepped right up to Luke.
Luke didn’t move away from the girls but turned his head toward the newcomer.
“Jaxon,” Brooke said with a low warning and went to move away.