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She didn’t say a word. She couldn’t.
Staring back at Dawg, she racked her brain, trying to make sense of what he was saying.
“There has to be a misunderstanding. ” She finally forced the words past her lips. “He’s an arrogant son of a bitch, Dawg, but Brogan Campbell’s no traitor. ”
He wiped one hand over his face, behind his neck, then turned away from her and paced to the wide window across the room. Standing there for long seconds, he finally drew in a deep breath before turning back to her. The look on his face wasn’t comforting.
“When he’s caught—and he will be caught,” Dawg stated quietly, “everyone he’s associated with will be stained by his guilt, Eve. Business associates, employers, friends. ” He paused, his jaw tightening again. “Lovers. ”
“We’re not lovers, Dawg. ” Eve rose to her feet, anger and nervous energy refusing to allow her to sit in one place now.
The only reason they weren’t lovers was the fact that she feared that first broken heart. It hadn’t happened yet, and she didn’t want it to happen with Brogan.
“Not yet. ” He sighed, rubbing at the back of his neck again. “But it’s in the air, Eve. I didn’t believe it when I heard the talk that he was interested in you. I figured you’d send him packing like you do every other man whose reputation is less than perfect. Instead, what I saw this morning was a man and a woman who couldn’t wait to find a bed. ”
Eve felt heat fill her face as the words passing his lips sent embarrassment racing through her. She didn’t drop her gaze, though. She had nothing to be ashamed of, and she wasn’t going to act as though she did. If he was waiting for the shame, then he was going to be waiting a damned long time.
His jaw flexed; the fact that he was grinding his teeth was more than obvious.
“Are you waiting for an apology?” she asked as she cocked her hip and faced him curiously. “Because if you are, you’re going to be waiting awhile, Dawg. ”
“I don’t want a damned apology,” he bit out. “I want you to find someone else to mesmerize you; that’s what I want. ”
Her brow lifted. “He’s no traitor. ”
“You don’t know that, Eve. ”
“I can feel it, Dawg,” she argued fiercely, her desperation to prove he wasn’t tightening inside her. “You told me once that you’ve lived by your instincts most of your life; well, I have, too. I’ve had no other choice, any more than you did. And my instincts tell me he’s no traitor. ”
“Those aren’t your instincts, Eve. They’re your hormones. And trust me, your hormones will lie to you and have a hell of a time doing it. And when your hormones have betrayed you, you’ll find yourself sleeping with a traitor, under investigation for collusion, and your mother and sisters suspects as well. ” His shoulders flexed, shifting beneath the well-pressed shirt he wore. “Listen to me, Eve; I wouldn’t lie to you, honey. And God knows it would kill me to watch you have to go through that. ”
Eve could only shake her head as her chest tightened with fear, regret, and an aching need she couldn’t deny.
“Eve, he will be caught,” he warned her again as he moved to her, reaching out to grip her shoulders gently, staring down at her, understanding and anger filling his gaze. “I’ve never asked anything of you. I’ve done all I could to protect you, your mother, and your sisters. But I’m begging you now: Don’t let him destroy you. Don’t let him do what I can see him getting ready to do to you. ”
This was truly the only thing he had ever asked of her, Eve realized as she felt her heart cracking with the pain of the choice he was giving her.
How could she ignore him? He’d never ignored her, her mother, or her sisters. He’d taken care of them. He’d seen that they were fed, educated, and their futures provided for, and all he asked was that she stay away from one man.
A man she was so hungry for it was eating her alive.
She nodded slowly. “I’ll try, Dawg. ”
He pulled her to him, hugging her fiercely as she returned the embrace weakly.
“That’s all I ask, Eve,” he said, kissing the top of her head gently. “That’s all I ask. ”
THREE
Brogan glared at Timothy Cranston as he watched the monitor. The television and game room had a small warning plaque just inside the door. Notice: This room could be monitored by both video and audio surveillance. A small smile played at the agent’s lips, but his brown eyes were narrowed, his expression thoughtful as he watched Dawg Mackay hug his sister fondly.
Of course it was fondly. The son of a bitch had just played the brother card and forced her to promise to stay away from the big, bad Brogan.
Bastard!
Hell, the ironic part was that he actually liked Dawg.
The Mackay cousins weren’t known for their polite society ways, or their ability to soothe ruffled feathers. They were known for quite the opposite, actually.
