Her brothers exchanged grim looks.
Sighing, she took a huge sip of her Diet Pepsi instead of yelling at her brothers. She prayed the caffeine would work fast, because she'd need it if she was to keep her temper under control.
Letting loose with what her brothers called her "icy, freaking scary, bitch mode," sort of like Maleficent in the Disney movie right when she changed from her human form into her dragon one, wouldn't be a good idea. It didn't happen often, because she'd learned to control her temper over the years. But when she did lose control, well, it wasn't pretty, and it most often happened with her brothers when they were being at their asshole best.
Also, she didn't want to scare Price off so early in their relationship. He'd seen a milder version of her temper a time or two when she'd skewered a firefighter who'd done something stupid that endangered him or his crew.
"Tee, we're concerned," Flynn said.
"Considering you've never lived with any of the guys you've dated, maybe you should take a step back and think about this. Don't let all the weird things happening force you into moving in with a guy just for protection," Aidan said.
Tara bristled. She wasn't moving in with Price for protection. She was moving in because she wanted him, mind, body, and soul. She was about to set her brother straight when Price stiffened. Uh-oh. The lazy amusement had vanished in an instant and he now vibrated with repressed temper.
"What the fu-," Price began, then looked at Keely. "Sorry."
"Good catch." Keely angled her head at her baby. "Little ears, remember? But I totally understand, proceed." The blonde gave him and Tara a wink.
"…um, the heck?" he finished.
Biting her lip against a totally inappropriate giggle, Tara returned Keely's wink, then gave Price's hand a squeeze.
"Heck?" Flynn laughed and nudged Calum. "Sounds like a fucking prissy-assed SEAL, doesn't it?"
Tara mentally groaned. Her brothers were macho idiots. She was about to take them to task when Price gently squeezed her hand. Okay, he wanted to handle it. She'd let him.
"There's a baby present. Watch it." Price shot her brothers a bland look, then took a bite of his huevos rancheros. After chewing and swallowing, he looked around the table at their audience and said, "Can you believe these guys?" His tone might've been mild, but the muscles along his jawline were clenching and unclenching.
No one said a word. What could they say?
Her brothers were being pricks and it was obvious. Though, Flynn did redden at Price's reprimand. Of course he might also be flushing because Keely had stared daggers at him and the brothers.
"Price—" Tara touched his forearm. His iron-hard muscles flexed under her fingers. "—ignore them. They're flaming dou-, uh, dummies." She glared at her brothers. "Shut up and eat your breakfast. And watch your mouths. Momma taught us all better."
"We have legitimate concerns, sisttsí." Aidan's nostrils flared and his high cheek bones flushed red with his own formidable temper. His every muscle was rigid. And as always, Calum and Flynn took their cues from their older brother. It had been that way all their lives, three against one. "After Miller—"
"Are you comparing me to that—" Price finished his question under his breath so only she and maybe Trey heard him. "—cowardly fucking pecker-headed douchebag rapist?"
As the tensions increased between Price and her brothers, she could practically smell the testosterone in the air. Her píítaa snarled, a sound that made every hair on her body come to attention. He sounded like the angry mountain lion she'd once come across as it had been protecting its kill from anyone daring to try to take it.
Shit, her píítaa had a freaking scary temper, too, and it had surfaced because her boneheaded brothers were poking at what he saw as his—she didn't like the analogy, but it was apt—his property. Her.
Ren, Tweeter, and Trey were watching the warring parties with wary eyes. Keely had pulled Riley closer to her and distracted him with some grapes. DJ, like the SSI men, was alert, but seemed okay with the tensions heating the atmosphere.
Fee, on the other hand, shrank back in her chair, the action drawing both Price's and Trey's notice. Trey put his arm around his wife's shoulders and whispered something in her ear that had her smiling.
Even in the midst of his anger at her brothers, Price had zeroed in on his sister's fear and Trey's response. He muttered "thank fuck." She concurred. Fee wasn't like her, Keely, or DJ, who like Tara could take names and kick butt right alongside their men. After what had happened just over a month ago, Tara also felt very protective of Fee.
After heaving a sigh of relief that Fee was visibly less stressed, Tara noted her own temper had decreased from DEFCON 2 and imminent destructive force to DEFCON 5 and mere irritation.
That was odd. Normally, alpha-male posturing like Price's and her brothers' would've exacerbated her temper, but it hadn't. She was well aware that last night's danger to her and her resulting injury had propelled Price into protection mode. Add her brothers to the mix and his current attitude was totally justified.
She loved Price for the man he was—which was an alpha male and thus territorial. It was just as much a part of him as his hair color and his height. The sooner she got used to his need to defend her, the better. Apparently she was already getting used to the idea.
That Price was the only man from whom she'd ever accept such macho, chest-thumping behavior only confirmed how deeply she was already committed to him.
As for her brothers' attitude? They should know better. Tara and promiscuity didn't even dwell in the same universe. They wanted to pick a fight with Price, because there was nothing more her big brothers liked than a good knock-down-drag-out dirty fight.
Tara had lost quite a few potential suitors in high school because of her big brothers, which was why she hadn't lost her virginity until she'd entered the Air Force.
Her brothers, being hard-ass Marines, figured they had the upper hand today. She snorted. She loved her brothers, yes, even when they were being pricks, but she'd put her money on Price any day.
Tara shot a deathly glare at each brother in turn. "I will repeat…whose bed I may or may not have spent the night in is not your concern."
"But—" Calum started.
"No. Do not go there." She jabbed a finger at each of her brothers. "Get this now, all of you. Miller has nothing to do with Price. Price is nothing like Miller. And for that matter, he isn't like any of the men I've dated in the past. He's different. He's special. He's my choice. The sooner you three accept that fact, the better. If you insult him, you insult me."
She took a calming sip of her soda, then added, "I know you want to help protect me, but if you can't accept my relationship with Price, then go the he-um, heck home. Price and his SSI friends will take care of me just fine."
Keely gave her a double thumbs up. DJ grinned. And Fee, tears shining in her eyes, smiled at her.
"Probably better," muttered Price, but her brothers heard him and bristled.
Tara turned to the man with whom she intended to spend the rest of her life, the gods willing. "Price…don't misunderstand the situation, please? My brothers did their best to protect me. But no one knew what Miller was really like. Yes, he was an asshole to me when I refused to date him." And he'd given her the creeps. "But for the most part, he was a chameleon, just one of the guys."
"He fooled everyone," Aidan said. "No one suspected a thing until sisttsí escaped and exposed him."
"The ba-," Flynn shot a glance at an eagle-eyed Keely, "um, bad guy even helped organize the search teams sent out to find Tee, the two-faced so-and-so."
Tara leaned into Price's side, letting his scent and warmth center her. Just talking about Miller set her nerves on edge. "I'm not telling my brothers to leave because they didn't protect me in the past. I'm telling them to leave if they can't work with you and your friends to protect me now."
"Understood, sweetheart." Price tipped her face up and kissed her lips. "I merely want them to lose t
he attitude. You don't need that."
She smiled and kissed him back. "Thanks, píítaa."
"Well, now that the air is cleared, how long do you guys plan on staying?" Ren addressed her brothers.
Aidan stared at her and Price for a few seconds, then nodded as if he'd come to a conclusion. He turned to Ren. "We've applied for a temporary transfer to the Grangeville smokejumpers' unit. We can work fires out of this area just as easily as Missoula."
Smokejumper units were located regionally, but went wherever the fires were. The Grangeville and Missoula smokejumpers backed each other up in their own regions and often worked major fires together.
"You're welcome to stay in the Lodge," Ren said.
That was nice of Ren, but Tara would prefer her brothers weren't within walking distance of Price's home. They'd drop in unexpectedly since that's just how they were. She wanted the freedom to explore this relationship without that kind of interference.
"No. They can stay at my cabin outside of Elk City," Tara said. "It's paid up through the end of the year and since I'll be living with Price, it'll be empty."
She stared at her brothers, daring them to disagree. She nodded when they remained silent. Maybe, just maybe, they were coming to accept her need to be with Price. Time would tell.
"Now that's taken care of," she said. "What are we going to do about Miller?"
* * * *
Price hadn't been pleased that Tara's brothers had insulted her in such a public way. He'd be having a word with them later on that topic. No one insulted his woman. He was happy with how Tara had handled them, though. He appreciated her temper and her control over it.
It was obvious Tara was used to them trying to take over her life. He expected the discussion with them was going to turn into a come-to-Jesus talk. Backup might be warranted, but if a SEAL couldn't handle three Marines, he might as well give back his Budweiser pin.
Bottom line, as long as they stayed out of his and Tara's private life, he was fine with her brothers hanging around and helping to protect her from Miller.
Of course, Tara was alerted to the dangers Miller and the unknown sniper presented, so she'd be careful. His woman could definitely kick ass with the best of them, but facts were facts. Miller had gotten the drop on her with a sedative-filled dart. He could do so again. No amount of preparedness or danger awareness could prevent a sneak attack.
So, Tara would need to accept that she couldn't go venturing out on her own as long as Miller was at large. She needed backup at all times. But confronting her with that reality straight off was not the way to get her agreement on common-sense safety measures. His firefly was a stubborn little cuss when riled.
"What do you want to do, sweetheart?" Price massaged her shoulder.
Three identical snorts came from her brothers. Price managed not to laugh.
"Shut it, brothers. You might learn something here. At least Price asked before telling me what he wants me to do."
Price did laugh at her accurate reading of his approach. It boded well for their future that they accepted each other's basic personality traits from the beginning. The month of training and working together as a firefighting team had taught them to trust and respect one another's skill sets.
Tara turned and looked him in the eye. "I'm not hiding, píítaa."
"I know." He shook his head. "You wouldn't be you if you did. So, let's compromise."
She wrinkled her nose. "How?"
"When you go back to work—"
"She can't." Flynn's voice was loud, but a glance at Riley, who looked at Tara's brother with big blue eyes, had the man controlling the volume. "She'll be a sitting duck."
"Price has a compromise, Flynn." She cast her brothers a stern look. "Listen and learn. Price wants to protect me as much as you do. Plus, you don't really know me anymore."
"We know you, sisttsí," Aidan insisted.
"No, you know the little girl who tagged behind her older brothers on the rez. You know the shy teenager who didn't fit in with any of the social groups at the public school. Life has changed that girl. Price has seen me in action. None of you have. All you saw after I came back from the military was the odd workout at the smokejumping school and then the aftermath of Miller's abduction of me. After which, you smothered me with protection. So I left."
Price suspected she left for other reasons, such as leaving the scene of the crime and the constant reminder of her ordeal. Her brothers had made a mistake and hadn't helped her cope so she could stay near her family. He wouldn't make the same mistake. He'd back her up, be there when she fell, and replace bad memories with good ones.
Aidan grunted. Calum and Flynn frowned.
"What's your compromise, píítaa?"
"When you go back to work, either I or one of your brothers or one of the SSI operatives will partner you." Price tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "We'll shadow you on your daily patrol. No trying to dump us or avoid us. We'll cover your ass while you trot it out there to lure Miller out."
"Partner? How? He could shoot you, then dart me." She shuddered and her vision went gray. She started to shake and then swayed.
Damn, she was having a flashback.
He cupped her face. "Sweetheart, look at me and breathe." When she still didn't focus, he massaged her tense jaw. "Come back, Tara. Breathe for me, baby."
Heaving a gasping breath, Tara nodded and looked into his eyes. Her breathing hitched, but at least she was getting air.
"That's my girl." He picked up her drink and held it to her mouth.
She'd hate being the center of all eyes, so Price turned to Keely and nodded toward Riley. "Your son just grabbed your knife, Keely."
"Riley, that's momma's knife," Keely said. "Ren, I blame you. He's fascinated when you guys throw knives."
A conversation about knife throwing and when would it be appropriate to teach Riley about knife safety started up around the table. Even Tara's brothers chimed in with opinions and stories about when they learned to first use knives on the reservation.
"Thank you for distracting them," Tara whispered.
"No thanks necessary, sweetheart." Price touched his forehead to hers. "You okay to continue the earlier conversation, or do you want to out your brothers for telling tall tales about carrying knives when they were toddlers?"
"Not tall tales." Tara giggled and raised her voice. "My brothers did carry knives when they were three years old, or so my mom said. She says all her gray hairs were from when Papa taught the terrible trio how to skin and gut their kills."
"See, Keely?" Tweeter said. "Our dad wasn't all that unusual. We boys learned all about knives by the time we went to kindergarten."
"Nope, not happening." Keely eyed her amused husband. "Ren, just no."
Ren leaned in and kissed his wife. Riley patted both their faces, then went back for the knife, which Ren confiscated. Everyone broke out in laughter.
Price put his arm around Tara. "As for us shadowing you, do you really think I or your brothers or any of the SSI operatives would be so careless as to be seen by Miller or anyone working with him?" He massaged the top of her shoulder with his thumb. "We'll stay hidden and tail you. With the areas you patrol that shouldn't be too hard. We won't be seen until we're needed. I checked out Miller's background. He might've been in the military, but he was never Special Forces. We'll use our training and some cool toys that Tweeter has designed for SSI to surveil you at all times."
"Damn fucking straight," grumbled Aidan.
Calum and Flynn nodded.
"Jesus, Tara," Calum said. "How could we cover your ass effectively if we made ourselves targets?"
"You've never offered to cover my ass before," Tara pointed out, color coming back into her cheeks. "You usually forbid me to do something or make it so the obstacle or danger disappears before I encounter it. At least Price has suggested that capturing Miller would be a partnership with me involved and not a patriarchy with me being the princess locked away in the tower."
&nb
sp; Price snorted and tried not to laugh at the analogy. "Don't get me wrong, sweetheart. I'd like nothing more than to lock you up in that tower and go on the hunt for the bastard. But that isn't practical. Miller has managed to avoid a manhunt since he escaped Thursday, which tells me he has assistance and his helpers know the terrain. There are wilderness areas between here and the Montana-Idaho line where small groups of men could hide out for years and never be found. To end this situation in the quickest way possible, you were right, we have to lure him out of his hole while protecting your sweet ass at the same time."
"Um, could you not mention my sister's sweet anything," Aidan asked. "I want to like you."
Price laughed. "I'll try."
"That's all I ask," Aidan said.
"I want this over." Tara turned to look at her brothers then back to Price. "Okay. When I go back to work, we'll arrange coverage. I definitely don't want to take the chance he'll try to capture me the way he did the last time."
Price could feel the tension in her brothers decrease. Aidan even went so far as to give Price a thumbs up when Tara wasn't looking.
"Of course," Fee piped up, "you won't be going back to work until I release you."
"Fee—" Tara protested. "You're my friend so you have to be on my side."
"I am your friend, but I'm also your doctor. So, no, you aren't going back to your ranger duties until I'm sure your wound is healed." Fee shot Tara a stern look. "You can run your training program at the firefighting school, but are not to participate in any of the weight training or the obstacle courses. Light running is okay, but give it a couple of days before you even try that. If you overdo it, you will face my wrath. Got it?"
Price loved his sister so much right now. She saved him from having to put his foot down about Tara not going back to work right away. A move that would've put Tara's back up again and have her pissed at him.
With any luck, Miller would be caught before Fee released her to work.
"Fine. I'll continue to help Tweeter with mapping Sanctuary's high-risk fire areas. I'll be riding in a helicopter. Is that light enough duty for you?"
Tara had the cutest disgruntled expression on her face. Price restrained himself from kissing her mood away.
Firestorm (Security Specialists International Book 6) Page 14