Page 32

“None of this would even be happening if⁠—”

Just when I was about to see if I could get away, a gentle hand fell on my shoulder, startling me. I spun around to find the tall, dark-haired man standing before me. His blue eyes were as cold as Cade’s, but in a different way. More lifeless. Calculating. He had a scar running from his temple in a diagonal line that sliced through his brow to the bridge of his nose.

He smiled at me, but it didn’t feel like a kind smile. It was knowing, as if he knew all my secrets, down to the ugliest ones. It was incredibly unsettling.

“So glad you’re feeling better, we were worried about you,” he said. “I’m Vincent.” His voice was soft and lilting, with a distinguished cadence. “If there’s anything you need, just let us know.”

“Thanks,” I said. He just nodded and sat back down at the table next to the other guy, who wasn’t paying attention to what was happening in the room.

A hand wrapped around the nape of my neck, and I stiffened. Court’s voice in my ear was a little unsteady. “If he ever tries something if I’m not around, you tell me.” He was breathing hard, and when I turned my head to see his twin, Cade was sitting on the bed with a bloodied nose and a very satisfied smile on his face.

I really didn’t want to be here anymore. Was that just normal, everyday brotherly ribbing? Or had that been a serious fight? I didn’t fucking know.

“Brooks,” Court called, and the man whose attention was glued to his laptop didn’t respond.

“Brooks.”

“Just a second,” the man said, his eyes still on his screen.

Court sighed. “That’s Brooks.” He squeezed my hand. When had he grabbed it? “Sit, Whitney. There’s something we have to show you.”

He let go of my hand and placed his palm on my lower back, nudging me in the direction of the table that Vincent and Brooks were seated at. When I pulled out a chair, Brooks raised his head, his warm brown eyes looking from me to Court, settling on me. “Hi,” he said, almost shyly. From this close, I could see the freckles scattered over the entirety of his face. He had a boyish, innocent appearance, but if he was with these guys, I doubted he was innocent.

“Hi,” I said, offering him a smile as I sat. The instant flare of pain that fanned out from my ass had me sucking in a breath and remembering Court’s punishment all over again.

A warm hand curved over the nape of my neck. When Court started to brush his thumb back and forth over my skin, all the fine hairs on my body stood on end. “Get off me,” I whisper-hissed, glaring up at him.

The intensity of his gaze froze me. He leaned down and pressed his cheek to mine. When he spoke, a chill skated down my spine. “Smile at him like that again. I dare you, Whitney.”

A smattering of goosebumps erupted at the implacable tone of his deep, silky voice.

Cade brushed past me, his arm bumping mine, and I was pretty sure it was deliberate. He seated himself in between Court and Brooks.

“Brooks, will you switch seats with me?” I asked. Brooks’ eyes darted to mine, his brows tightly drawn in confusion. I didn’t want to sit next to Court, to feel his body heat blasting me like a furnace, his presence so damn overwhelming.

Brooks pushed his chair back and started to stand, then paused when Court said curtly, “Sit down. She’s fine where she is.”

“Ass,” I grumbled under my breath.

“What was that?”

“I said fine, I’ll pass.”

“You said one word, not three.” The amusement in his voice was back.

I sighed, glancing at Cade. When he caught me looking at him, he winked at me. I had a feeling he was pulling all this shit just to get under Court’s skin, so I glared at him. Fuck that, I wasn’t going to be used as a pawn. He’d be getting no more attention from me.

“Cut it out, Cade.” Court’s voice rumbled over me, a sharp warning in his tone. “You don’t have to be here right now, you know that, right?”

“Oh, but I want to be.” Cade smiled at his brother.

Court decided to ignore him. “We’ve already talked this to death, but I wanted Whitney to know what she’s up against. What we’re dealing with and why it’s not safe for her out there anymore. So…” He rubbed his face, and there was a tension in his shoulders that hadn’t been there a moment ago. “Brooks.”

I glanced at all the men around me, their solemn expressions freaking me the fuck out.

Brooks typed something on his laptop, then swung it around to face me.

“Before we play that—” Court angled his body toward me, those green eyes serious as they met mine. “You should know that in order to case Thorne’s stores, we’ve been hacking into his security camera feeds and going through all his records. Everything. And because he hired a woman—you, Whitney—we had to keep a closer eye on the Marion store. Which means we’ve kept a closer eye on you.”