Leverage (The Brannock Siblings)

by Wilde, Jessica

  Her father had ripped Con and Gus a new one and told them that if they interfered in their sister's life again, he would personally see to an ass whooping. Then he turned to Lucas and told him the last thing he wanted to hear.

  "She's leaving. Thanks to you, my daughter is leaving me and I have no choice but to let her go. I don't know whether to kick your ass for not loving her back or kick your ass for making her fall in love with you in the first place."

  Thankfully, he had waited to tell him this after he already sent his sons outside to chop firewood for their punishment. It was punishment because they had a gas fireplace. He had been saved from the beating they would have given him at the very idea that he may or may not have hurt her.

  Lucas wanted to talk to Ash, but wasn't ever able to catch up with her. She left two days later.

  He would never forget the look on her face when she waved goodbye to her dad at the airport. He had not so subtly gotten her flight out of her brothers and didn't think he would actually make it in time to tell her goodbye. He did make it, but never did anything other than watch her go.

  After seeing the smile she gave her dad and giving him her famous kiss on the cheek that the captain lived for, he couldn't risk ruining it for her. She was finally living her life. Seeing him and remembering how he acted that night would have taken her smile away. He deserved it, too.

  He had laughed with her brothers. Teased her about how she felt, knowing exactly what he was doing.

  He was breaking her heart and wanted to kick his own ass, but her brothers didn't expect anything else. They wouldn't allow anything else and he would have rather made himself look like an asshole to her than lose the opportunity to know how she was doing while she was away and they would have made sure to keep it from him.

  When she had disappeared through the sliding doors that led into the terminal, he saw her dad do the impossible. Watch her go, all while holding back the emotions he was actually feeling. Then he had looked over at Lucas. Found him so easily it was as if he knew the boy had been watching the whole time. Then, he nodded, a thank you for not interfering that day. For letting him watch his little girl walk away with a smile on her face, excited about the life she would live.

  They never spoke about it, but Captain William Brannock knew everything. Lucas had no doubt he was aware of the feelings he had for Aislinn, but he never said anything. Never did anything about it. He just kept him updated on how she was doing and left it at that.

  Con and Gus had kept in touch with him, too. They had gone their own way shortly after their mother passed, giving Ash a little bit of a reprieve, but they had always come back frequently. Enough that it was like they were never far away in the first place.

  After Aislinn left that day, they came to visit their dad more often, playing it off as wanting to see their old friends, but really being there to make sure their father wasn't as lonely as they thought he was. They contacted her just as frequently and made sure they discussed her while Lucas was around. He would never let on how desperate he actually was for that, but he had a feeling it was pretty obvious.

  There was nothing he could do about it anyway. They knew that, too.

  "Hey, Shade!"

  He looked up from his desk, quickly wiping away the memories Ash's arrival had conjured up so he could focus on the day at hand. Detective Justin Rains, the one guy who knew how often he actually thought about Ash and the only man in the department who was actually willing to be partners with him, was propping himself up against his desk that sat across from Lucas and frowning at him. The man may have looked like a kid, but he was several years older than Lucas and had experience up his sleeve, however, he usually let Lucas lead the way.

  "What's up, Rains?"

  "You look like you've been through the ringer this morning. Rough weekend?"

  "Nah, just got a lot to think about before the meeting."

  "Right."

  Lucas looked down at the files spread out on his desk and avoided his partner's knowing eyes. "I want to catch this guy. Before he does any more damage. Damage that may hit closer to home."

  The smirk on Rains' face disappeared. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about. We got something this morning that will do nothing more than piss everyone off."

  "What is it?" Lucas asked impatiently. The Banetti case had already become a complete clusterfuck for the city of Oakland. Drugs, guns, and most recently, women, had been the business Banetti made his fortune off of. Too many men had been lost in the last month, too many wives had lost their husbands. Good cops, good men. He was desperate to take the bastard down before more lives were lost and before more women were kidnapped and sold to the highest bidder.

  "A threat. To the captain."

  Lucas' heart pounded deep in his chest and his stomach rolled. "What kind of threat?" he asked dangerously. Any threat was to be taken seriously, any threat was going to cause a whole lot of chaos in his head, but any threat that would touch Aislinn in any way was going to cause a war. He wouldn't allow it.

  "Why don't you come down to evidence with me? It showed up on the captain's desk early this morning and everyone is having a fit. Theresa found it when she was picking up the evaluations. Said it had looked so out of place from the usual crap on his desk that she didn't hesitate to tell someone to check it out."

  He stood quickly to follow Justin down to evidence and pulled out his cell phone, dialing the captain's number. It was two rings before he answered and Lucas waved Justin ahead of him. He didn't want anyone listening to his conversation, one of the many things he took from William Brannock's many lessons over the years, keep what you know close and covered until you have no doubt it's safe. Aislinn's face kept flashing before his eyes and he knew the captain would agree with what he was about to propose.

  "Shade? I'm almost to the station."

  "I realize that, sir, but I wanted to talk to you about something. There was a letter on your desk this morning that Theresa found. A threat. I'm about to head down to evidence to take a look at it. Rains suggested it might be connected to Banetti. I wanted to talk to you before you said anything about-"

  "Aislinn. No one, but you knows she is back, right?"

  "That's what she said this morning, sir. I think it would be better if it stayed that way. I have a feeling this threat is personal. We got close last week. You got too close and they know it."

  He sighed and grumbled a few curses under his breath that normally Lucas would laugh about because Liam Brannock had always tried to hide his cursing around Isabelle and Ash, but was never really good at it, especially after the two boys started to swear like sailors in front of everyone.

  "I knew that warehouse was connected. I knew it in my gut from the very beginning. I still should have waited," Liam stated in frustration.

  They had raided a warehouse last week, hoping to find some small players in Banetti's operation that they could break down. Instead, they found it empty with a message left behind.

  They had been tipped off about the raid and they weren't happy about it. Obviously. The captain knew it was going to be a big break in the case and didn't want to wait just in case word got out. Apparently, it didn't matter and the fact that they were tipped off so quickly made everyone nervous. Especially Lucas. He didn't want to think that any one of the men around him were corrupt.

  "Lucas, I need you to go back to the house. Make sure Ash doesn't go anywhere yet. She wanted to spread out some resumes today, but you are right. If anyone knows she is back, they could use it. I can't let that happen. Neither can you. Banetti wants my head and will do whatever it takes at this point."

  "Yes, sir."

  "I'm just parking the car, take a quick look while you are there so you aren't kept in the dark at all. She shouldn't be going anywhere soon so I think we have some time. When you are done, I expect you to get to my home as soon as possible. I'll cover for you in the meeting and make sure you get any more updates."

  "Yes, sir."

 
; Lucas' voice was steady, but the idea of being alone with Aislinn for most of the day was making his insides quake. He wasn't ready to be alone with her. He couldn't let on that he had missed her every day she was gone. It would only make things worse for her. Besides, she seemed like she was on her way to being completely over him even if she gave subtle hints that he still affected her.

  He didn't realize that the captain had hung up on him already and he was still standing in the doorway of an empty conference room. He shoved his phone in his pocket and hurried to the stairwell. The sooner he went over the letter, the sooner he could make sure Aislinn didn't do anything that would be too much of a risk.

  Great, now he was turning into her brothers. Locking her up and leaving her to watch her life pass her by.

  There really was no other choice.

  ***

  Lucas took a deep, cleansing breath before he lifted his hand to the doorbell of the Brannock's home. After seeing the letter and realizing the threat was closer to her than he previously suspected, which was pretty damn close, he couldn't get there fast enough. He needed to calm himself down so he wouldn't scare her. She did stupid things when she was scared, or drunk, or extremely sad. All of which could happen very quickly when she found out what was going on.

  The door opened after a minute of waiting on her porch and the deep breaths that he thought would calm him rushed out in a flurry. She was dressed in a tight black skirt that ended just above her knees and a white form fitting button up sleeveless blouse, all of which showed off the curves she had developed over the years, she looked soft in all the right places. Her hair was pinned up into a messy twist with small tendrils falling around her face. But none of that prepared him for what he would find when his eyes moved down to her feet.

  Already expecting to see some kind of fancy shoe with heels that said all business, he took his time grazing down her long tan legs, but there weren't any shoes, which was worse.

  She always had the sexiest feet. She painted her toenails every Sunday to be prepared for the week to come and whenever he had been at their house on Sunday, he would anticipate what color she would choose. She usually brought him her two choices and told him to pick one, then she would choose the other one on purpose causing an argument about why she always asked him to pick one when she was never going to use the one he suggested. She would then explain that it had been because it was the one time she could prevent him from getting what he wanted.

  He had loved it.

  He would spend the rest of the next 10 minutes trying not to watch her with her tongue sticking out of the corner of her lips as she concentrated on painting them perfectly. When she was done, she would wiggle her toes and gaze at them contentedly. For some reason, that was something he would never forget. She would never know that seeing her do that every week made it harder and harder for him not to touch her.

  Now, looking down at her bare feet and her bright pink toes, the color he had always picked, it was nearly impossible not to touch her.

  "What's wrong?" she asked as her toes wiggled under his stare.

  He lifted his gaze back to her face and grinned. She must still have feelings for him because she looked embarrassed that she had been caught wearing the pink she always refused to wear for years. Too bad he wasn't going to do anything about it, she was off limits now more than ever before. He would only hurt her and he couldn't stand the thought of that even if it didn't come with the ass kicking of his life once her brothers came for a visit.

  "Nothing. You look nice," he said, his voice breaking on the feeble word.

  She glared at him and he couldn't help but decide that it was the most adorable look she had given him so far.

  "Nice? Thanks, I guess. I was going for professional so I guess that is close enough."

  Professional? She looked like a walking fantasy and it was completely inappropriate to go around and hand out resumes to guys who wouldn't be able to keep their eyes off of her. He didn't want anyone else to see every curve that had been emphasized by her choice of clothing.

  Every touchable curve.

  Taunting him.

  He cleared his throat and tried to remember the real reason he was there in the first place. Spending alone time with her was really going to test his control. "Your dad wanted me to keep an eye on you today. Something came up and we both thought it would be best if your return wasn't announced for a few days."

  "What do you mean?"

  He gestured to the inside of the house, "Do you mind if I come inside?"

  She blinked a few times before stepping aside just enough to let him pass. She never knew that he always took his own opportunity to inhale as he brushed passed her. He was just better at hiding it. She had always smelled so incredible, like vanilla and cinnamon. Nothing had changed about that.

  She led him over to the plush leather sofa in the living room and sat facing him, ensuring that her skirt didn't ride up as she sunk into the cushion. He sat on the other end, as far away as possible, and hoped that the skirt stayed in place long enough for him to tell her what was going on.

  "What's going on, Lucas?"

  She always called him Lucas. Her brothers and everyone else usually called him Luke, but not her and it felt… special somehow.

  God, he loved everything about her still. So why did he continue to torture himself?

  "I'm just going to get right to it. I don't think it is a good idea to keep anything from you since it could only be more dangerous." He heard her breath hitch, but didn't hesitate. "Your father received a threat this morning. It was on his desk which means that whoever is responsible for it is close by. It was personal, Ash. We are really close to taking down a huge operation that could destroy a lot of the drug trafficking going on through the port. He has been more involved than a captain normally is and has been a key player in getting a lot of these guys behind bars. They know it, Ash, and they want him gone."

  She nodded nervously and took a deep breath before wringing her hands together. He wanted to reach out and clasp her small hands in his, but he resisted. He couldn't comfort her without getting too close.

  "What do you need me to do?" she asked and raised her chin to show him she wasn't going to fight him.

  He was a little surprised, but then what else could he expect from her but full cooperation. She grew up with cops surrounding her and instilling in her mind that when it came down to it, she needed to obey without question.

  "Your father and I think it would be best if you stayed out of sight until we can sort this out. If they know his daughter is back, they could use you against him."

  She nodded in understanding and he couldn't imagine the scenarios that were running through her head. Even though she had always wanted excitement in her life, this wasn't the kind of thing she ever asked for.

  "I can do that. I haven't contacted anyone. Haven't left the house since I got here late last night. The only person who knows I'm back is you… and my brothers."

  "Good. I hate to ask you to lock yourself up, but it's for your own safety."

  "I understand, Lucas. I won't complain, I promise."

  He nodded and shifted in his seat. He wasn't sure if he could do this. He needed to be working on the case, finding the bad guys and getting rid of them, but he was the only one the captain trusted to take care of his daughter when he couldn't be here himself and the risk was too high to let anyone else do it. Until they found the leak.

  Hell, he wasn't even sure if he could trust his own partner. Justin Rains was a good man as far as he could tell, but he knew people were capable of anything. He would have to do a little digging if he was going to continue working with Rains on this one. He would have to do a lot of digging on everyone.

  "Are you going back to the station then? You need to make sure he is safe, Lucas."

  He met her eyes and the worry in them made his stomach roll. He didn't like seeing her worried or scared. Hell, he didn't like seeing her upset about what her douche of an ex-boyfr
iend did to her, but at least she could joke about it and she was taking care of it. She couldn't do that now. Her father was in danger. Her hero. Nothing would make her feel better about that.

  "No, Ash. I'm not going back today. Your dad is safe as long as he is there. I'm going to stay here with you until he can get back. Then, we are going to figure out what to do from here."

  "Should I leave? Go back to Ohio maybe. Then I won't be an issue at all."

  He had already thought about that. He couldn't let her leave, though. If not for the fact that there was a possibility someone had already found out she was back and her being alone anywhere wasn't safe, then for the fact that he couldn't let her go again.

  What could he say? He was selfish, even when it would only make him more miserable.

  "You need to stay. Just in case they already know. I - we - don't want anything to happen to you when we aren't close by to protect you."

  She nodded and looked away again. "Well then, I will need you to go to the store. I'm making a lasagna tonight and need a few things and since I can't be seen…"

  His stomach rumbled at the thought of her lasagna and his eyebrows raised to his hairline.

  She chuckled weakly. "Seems fitting I guess. Need something to cheer us all up."

  "You're taking this well."

  She shrugged, "Do I have a choice? No point in fighting it."

  He smiled at her and she smiled back.

  The air between them sizzled and suddenly his tie felt like a noose around his neck. They gazed at each other a little longer, neither really wanting to look away first. Warmth spread through him and his fingers itched to reach out to her. To take what he always wanted to be his.

  But he couldn't. He wouldn't. Not right now.

  He stood quickly and ran a hand through his hair. "If you'll write down what you need. I'll hurry and get it. I hate to leave you alone, but just keep the doors locked and be vigilant until I get back, okay?"