“OD. She was extremely sick.” I sigh, pressing my lips together. “She was thirty-one, like Mom.” Like me.
The women in my family don’t live past their early thirties. My mother’s mom died at thirty-two of cancer. It’s creepy to know that the end is near, but I try to be ready for the inevitable. Still, I don’t want to go until I know the guy who took away Mom from us is behind bars.
“What if this puts you in danger?” he counters.
“If it were up to my father, I’d be inside a bubble. His ideal job for me is from home as a housewife. Dad doesn’t understand that I can die crossing the street,” I point out the obvious.
“I don’t have children, but I have my brothers. It’s natural to worry like that, don’t be too harsh on him.” He rises from his seat and starts picking up the trash. “If you were mine, I’d put you in a bubble too.”
Then, he laughs, throwing me a glare. “But you would just break out of it and punch me for holding you back.”
“I’m glad we understand each other.” I follow behind holding my empty glass and the empty bottle of beer he drank.
“So,” I say, trying not to sound too eager. “Are you going to help me?
Chapter Nineteen
Luna
Harrison doesn’t answer. He stands up and walks to the railing where the view of Central Park is breathtaking.
I wait for him to speak. He leans against the concrete railing and crosses his arms. His dark blue eyes stare at me. His face is masked, and I want to know what he’s thinking.
Is he going to disregard my worries the same way my brothers and father have done each time I ask them to help me with this case?
“I have a concern,” he finally speaks, rubbing the back of his neck.
“What is it?” I ask cautiously, fiddling with the crystal charms on my bracelet. “You can trust me. After all, we are a team.”
He clears his throat. “Are you going to protect me from the big guy?” I look up at him, surprised. “Tiago is going to beat the shit out of me if something happens to you.”
“Aw, is Hawy afraid of big old Tiago?” I can’t help but tease him.
His eyes become slits. “If something happens to you, you can bet your ass that I will be hiding from him for years. That motherfucker goes batshit crazy when someone he loves gets hurt.” Then he releases my hands. “Not that I’d let anything happen to you.”
“Someone he loves got hurt? Did something happen to his mom? Is my brother in love and I don’t know it?” I snap, staring at Harrison.
He stares at me cautiously; I wait for him to answer my questions. We breathe almost in the same rhythm, one waiting for the other to back down. He’s learned how to read some of my reactions, but I have yet to read him the same way–a fact that is particularly irksome at the moment.
He raises his hands, shaking his head. “I don’t know. I meant his brothers, us.”
“You’re lying to me,” I challenge, trying to catch his bluff.
“Certainly not. I have no clue about your brother’s love life. If he is in love, he hasn’t told me. We don’t just sit around, painting each other’s nails and talking about girls.” He smirks at me with a wink, making me blush against my will. “Though, I would do it with you. We can sit down and talk about your love life instead.”
“I don’t have a love life,” I protest.
He cocks his head to the side like a confused puppy for just a moment, then cocks his eyebrow at me. “Rule number five: we work on your love life. It’ll be called ‘an affair to remember.’ Your future boyfriends will have trouble measuring up to me, but I can live with being called The Legend.”
I gape at him, speechless. Luna Santillan, you’ve met your match. Two brothers, dozens of cousins, and years of training hadn’t prepared me for him. I have to restart my brain before I can think of a comeback and even then, it’s weak.
“You’re too cocky and definitely not going to become, ‘The Legend,’ or get close to me at all.” Ugh, that didn’t sound too smart. I drag my hands down my face in frustration, trying to get back the reins of this conversation instead of wondering how he’d be in bed, or against the wall or…
Mom, Mom, Mom, think about your mother, Luna.
“Back to the point, will you really help me with Mom’s case?”
“Yes, you have the right to know what happened. But—” He interrupts himself to grab my shoulders firmly and look into my eyes—“We are doing it as a team. Send me everything you have, and I’ll have my people work on your mother’s case.”
“I can’t pay you,” I frown, already second-guessing this decision.
“My services are free.” He smirks at me and waggles his eyebrows obnoxiously, his seriousness from a moment ago already forgotten. “But if you insist on paying, we can come up with an arrangement.”
“I just want justice for Mom,” I say, ignoring his last comment.
“We’ll solve this, Luna. I have a good feeling about our partnership.” Harrison’s smiling face gives me a sense of security, some hope. I reach out, take the hope he offers, and tuck it under my heart as he reaches for my hand.
“So, we’re partners.” I fight the hold he has on my hands, but he doesn’t let them go. “Partners don’t touch. They certainly don’t kiss.”
He winks at me. “You know, as you talked about your mom, I was thinking. What the hell is this woman doing spending time with the FBI?”
“This woman works for them. I like what I do,” I respond, trying to get my heart to slow its thundering beat. It’s not allowed to answer to Harrison’s touch like our world has been forever changed.
“I understand that. What I mean is that the FBI isn’t for you.”
A lump of anger lodges in my throat. He’s just like my father. Like my brothers. They don’t think I’m capable of doing my job. What would he suggest? Being a teacher, a housewife…those aren’t easy jobs either though. And I. Can. Do. My. Job.
“You’re passionate, strong, caring, and smart. They are wasting your talent,” he continues, and my eyes sting at his praise. “I want to hire you.”
Hire me?
I consider the proposal for about two seconds. Then I remember what he does and what he stands for. “No.”
“Keep my offer on the back burner. We can come back to it later,” Harrison says. “You need a little more room to spread your wings and achieve what you really want to.”
“And you think you know what I want?” I ask, dismissing his tone and his offer. “You barely know me.”
“I’ve been watching you since we met. Also, I researched what you do for the Bureau.” He doesn’t let the subject go easily. “Luna, I’m offering you more than what the FBI will ever give you. If you work for us, you can help us with what you do for the agency. Profiling and run our human trafficking division.” He might not know me, but he’s saying all the right things.
“You will have an entire team at your disposal, technology that the FBI has no idea even exists. And during some of the undercover operations, you might be able to join me. Most of all, you’ll have more assets to bring people home or find justice.”
“Why only some undercover operations?” I ask, ignoring the part where he presents himself like a prize to be won.
“With your experience and knowledge, I doubt that Bradley will have you do fieldwork. You’re more like A team material, and we aren’t sent in the field as often.”
I don’t want to give him more reactions, but I can’t help my gasp at the offer dangled in front of me. It’s too good to be true, I’m sure he’s just luring me in to get my yes. I refuse to give any confirmation when there’s always the possibility they can go back on their promises.
“Who do you work for?”
He runs a hand through his hair. “We work for agencies like the FBI, governments, and private parties. We also take pro bono cases.”
I frown. “Who pays when you do that?”
“That’s why we overcharge those w
ho can pay,” he answers without remorse.
He smiles at me, and I feel like he’s offering me the sun and the moon. He’s waiting for me to take it, but I know that impulse is not the right way to make this decision.
“What do you say, Luna?”
“I’ll take it into consideration.” I answer honestly.
Am I crazy for even considering working for him? I’ve criticized Tiago for working with these men. The day he told us that he had bought part of the company, I ranted nonstop about his lack of honor. He’s a mercenary. A rent-a-cop. A cold-blooded killer. But maybe he’s not.
You have no idea what you’re talking about, Luna, he would retort, not fighting me. He never released too much information.
“That’s all I’m asking for. Now, can we talk about our other deal?” Harrison releases my hands, but his corded arms loop around my waist and he pulls me in, his face only inches away from mine. I can feel the warmth of his breath caressing my lips.
“There is no deal,” I say, breathless.
“Oh, but there can be if you want to,” he states, his eyes finding mine.
My breath hitches.
“I want to continue that kiss we started at the yoga studio. I’ll kiss you so thoroughly that you’ll forget your name.” His eyes don’t leave mine, he’s too close but he doesn’t kiss me.
“None of those lines are going to convince me. That kiss was a small slip,” I say, trying to strengthen my weak knees. He’s so close, too close, and if he comes closer I swear…
“Don’t fight it,” he whispers. “I know you feel at least some of the heat. The way you kissed me back told me that I’m not the only one wanting this.”
He leans in and kisses me.
It’s a simple kiss.
It’s his kiss.
Everything in this moment becomes him and me. We are one. He’s underneath my skin. His breathing becomes mine. We share one beat and one breath. All I can taste in this moment is him. All I can feel is the warmth of his skin, the fire underneath us burning. The heat suddenly becomes unbearable, but I want more. I want to be consumed.
“Is anybody here?” The voice of my brother rings loud and clear, startling me into jumping out of Harrison’s arms.
“Everhart!”
“The big guy is going to kill me, but my death will be worth it.” Harrison’s stupid grin doesn’t falter. “Have I mentioned that your kisses taste like honey and heaven?” He runs a shaky hand through his hair and asks. His eyes burn like two blue flames. Harrison is as affected as I am. Is his heart threatening to jump out of his chest too?
I gasp for breath, trying to control the fervent heat that’s blazing through my body.
“Are you okay?” He has trouble controlling his breathing too.
I nod slightly. He has left me numb, speechless, and needy. I swallow, unable to respond. Am I okay? A tornado just swooped me inside of its vortex while I was catching fire. I fan my face with my hand. New rule, no kisses. Harrison Everhart isn’t allowed to kiss me like he’s trying to swallow my heart and own my soul in just one bite.
But what if I let him give me just one more kiss?
I stop my fantasy when my brother steps outside the balcony glaring at us. What is he doing here?
Chapter Twenty
Luna
I’m flushed, still trying to get myself together when my brother says, “Luna, what a surprise.”
Tiago looks from Harrison to me a couple of times before stepping between us, pushing Harrison, and shooting him a murderous glance. “Everhart, you’re too close to my little sister.”
I want to tell him no, that Harrison is too far away, that I can see my desire reflected in his blue eyes, and all I want is his body against mine. Wisely, I stay silent.
“Close? I didn’t know we had set parameters on how many inches of space we needed between us,” Harrison says, breaking the stare.
“How close do you want me, big guy?” Harrison asks, stepping too close to my brother and serving him with an unapologetic grin. “I need the ground rules, so I remember that the next time I have to carry your useless body across the battlefield.”
Harrison angles his head, our eyes meet. “Do you have any restrictions I should know about, Luna?” He says my name slowly with a smile plastered on his face. “Ten thick inches, maybe?”
I can feel myself blushing when he casually drops the size of his length, and I can’t help but grin at the annoyed growl I hear coming from my brother. I'm between a rock and a hard place. I shake my head, rolling my eyes in amusement at my brother’s obvious annoyance. These two are amusing together. I’ve never seen my brother so worked up and he’s only been here for a few minutes.
“We have rules, Everhart,” Tiago reminds him. Harrison just rolls his eyes.
“What’s with your family and all these fucking rules, T?” He walks toward the kitchen. We follow behind. He opens the refrigerator, takes out a couple of beers, and hands one to my brother. Twisting the cap off, he takes a couple of swigs. His gaze never moves from me.
“I swear, I’ve never seen this tight ass side of you, T.” He says, finally looking away from me to challenge my brother.
“Rules? Are you trying to make a pass on my sister that she has to set you straight?” My brother looks at me, his voice demanding.
Divert, Luna. Divert this conversation.
However, I can’t divert. My body is still sizzling. Every cell of my body is waiting for more. If I don’t find release soon, I might combust. I can’t stop thinking about his hands. His mouth. Him. My cheeks heat up when I picture our mouths exploring our bodies. Those hands…I press my thighs together when I picture the heel of his palm pressing hard against my clit, as his calloused fingers pump inside me, hard…
“Are you okay, Luna? You look a little flushed, should we go inside? I can adjust the air conditioner.”
I wave away my hand. “I’m fine. Water, do you have any water?”
Harrison nods, opening the cupboard, getting a glass and filling it. Once he hands me a glass of water I drink it all without a pause.
“Are you getting sick?” My brother rubs his brow, studying me.
“I didn’t know you were in town. We could’ve done something,” I say to Tiago, trying to change the subject. I place the glass in the sink. Then, I turn around and draw my eyebrows together in an effort to fake annoyance, but I know it’s not working. All I can think about is Harrison and that kiss.
His mouth.
My brother raises an eyebrow, shooting a glance at Harrison who just shrugs one shoulder. “You’re shitty at taking care of her. I’m not sure if I should head back to Seattle.”
“How’s Kevin?” Harrison leans his hip against the counter. He smirks at my brother, changing the conversation.
Who is Kevin?
“I was thinking about visiting him soon.”—the smirk widens into a mischievous grin that makes Tiago’s angry glare go away—“to get a tattoo.”
A tattoo? I jump into that subject. “I want a tattoo too,” I say, unable to hide the excitement. This is perfect, I was hoping that I could do it soon. “Are they good?”
Harrison nods.
“They’re the best,” Tiago confirms.
“Can I come with you? I’ve chosen these quotes from Mom’s journals that will go great right around here.” I touch under my right breast.
Tiago’s hand raises, his finger points at me. “Are you reading that shit again?” He sighs loudly. “Dad is right, isn’t he? You’re here looking for trouble.”
“Mom’s journals aren’t shit. And I’m looking for justice, not trouble.” I cross my arms, tilting my chin in Tiago’s direction. “I’m doing it the smart way. Harrison is helping me.”
“What the fuck, Everhart?” Tiago turns to Harrison, clearly pissed—again.
“Thank you, beautiful,” Harrison mutters, tilting his head toward the railing. Maybe afraid my brother is going to push him off the building. “Being close to you reminds me
how precious and short life can be.”
Harrison touches his index finger as he begins to count. “First, you tried to kill me.”
“You broke into my place,” I remind him, clenching my teeth.
“That doesn’t erase the near-death experience.” His attention goes back to his fingers. “Then, you threaten me for calling you babe.”
“Because I hate that term.” I poke his chest twice. “So, don’t call me babe.”
“Duly noted,” he acknowledges, scribbling something in the air. “And now you throw me under the fucking bus.”
He tosses his hands up in the air. “Your family is lethal, T. I’ve almost died a few times because of you, and now your little sister is pushing me on the train tracks.”
Harrison shoots me a stern look. “What’s next? Are you going to tell him about all the times I’ve kissed you senseless? I guess I’m lucky that he can’t outrun me.” And then he takes off from the kitchen at a dead sprint.
“I told you not to touch her. You’re going to regret being born, Everhart,” Tiago yells, charging after him.
I grab his shirt. “Stop, Santiago Federico Santillan-Cordero, or you’ll be the one who is sorry.”
Harrison stares at him and shakes his head. “It’s like I don’t know you, big guy. That’s a long-ass name.”
“Is everything okay?” Scott steps into the kitchen, Hazel right behind him.
“This isn’t a good time, Hazel,” Harrison protests as she pulls him with her.
“Don’t be such a baby. I’m sure I can protect you against any spider you might’ve found in the kitchen.” Hazel halts when she sees me. “Oh good, a strong woman is here to protect you. See? There’s nothing to fear.”
“What are you doing here?” Harrison asks when he’s finally released from her hold.
“I’m helping you,” Hazel responds. “We didn’t go through your schedule for the upcoming week. I scored us an invite for a gala on Saturday night. That’s a great place for Luna to meet and greet. I tried to call you, but neither one of you answered your phone. Since Scott has to pack a bag, we came hoping to catch some action.” She ends the fast talk with an innocent grin, one the turns a little predatory as she finally spots Tiago.
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