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“I don’t let anyone tear down people I care about, and that includes when they are doing it to themselves like you are now. Understand?”
She blinked. “You care about me, Dylan?”
Damn it. How did I let that slip out? “Go back to sleep, Erica. This is a long drive.”
She nodded and then closed her eyes. It wasn’t long before her breathing slowed, letting him know she’d dozed off again. His emotions for her were pegging the needle, which was so unfamiliar to him. Balance was his norm. Reason. Logic. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to rein in his mind. With her head still on his shoulder and her sweet scent wafting up into his nostrils, it didn’t work. Couldn’t work.
Get a grip on yourself, agent.
He couldn’t stop sneaking a peek away from the road ahead to the gorgeous woman between him and Cam. He wanted her. Really wanted her. Had for a very long time, just like Cam.
The pro side of the list on why he should pursue Erica was long.
She brought out something buried deep in him that he’d thought would never see the light of day. Hope. Erica could look at him and he would feel the hardness around his heart soften. She would speak to him and the rage clawing at his soul would weaken. Her touch made the darkness inside him lighten. He had no doubt the sex would be fucking amazing. Her body had the curves, the softness he would enjoy conquering. Erica was from Destiny. She’d been trained as a submissive at the club. Her family had been poly, too, just like his and Cam’s. She fit perfectly into what kind of woman he and Cam could love and share. And there were even more pros down the list.
But the con side was just as long.
Most of the cons were images that floated in his head. The visions that haunted him were the faces of targets he’d successfully taken out during his time at the Agency. He was a killer, and a damn good one. He would still be killing at the CIA had it not been for his last mission. His gut tightened, recalling that failure.
“You okay, Dylan?” Cam’s question helped him break free of that fateful night.
“Good,” he said in a hushed tone. “She’s fallen back to sleep.”
“I see that. You want me to drive so you can get some rest?”
He shook head. “I got this.”
“Wrong,” Cam’s tone sharpened. “We got this. You and me.”
He knew his brother was trying to get him to open up, to share his feelings, but he couldn’t. Not about Erica. Not now. “You did good tonight, bro.”
“Fuck, Dylan. Stop changing the subject. Erica needs us. Not just for now but for a long time. You do see that, don’t you?”
“This isn’t the time to repeat your diatribe about why Erica Coleman is for us, Cam.”
“When is the right time? Tomorrow? The next day? The day after that? Next week? Next month?”
Once again, his emotions were bubbling up to the surface, and all of them about Erica. “Don’t give me your lawyer closing argument. I’m not a judge or jury or client.”
“Wrong again. You get to decide if Erica is worth fighting for.”
“What the hell do you mean? We won the fight. The bad guys lost. She’s safe.”
“You’ve got to stop pushing everyone away that you care about. You deserve happiness as much as anyone. So do I. And so does she.” Cam looked at Erica, his eyes full of caring. “She’s suffered so much.”
“I know,” he said, hating the pain she carried. Yes, she and Cam deserved happiness, deserved each other. Dylan wanted to tell his brother why he didn’t, but those details were classified.
“You and I can help her,” Cam continued, trying to persuade him. God, he loved his brother. “She needs us. We can build a real family with her.”
“I agree.” And I need her. He mentally added that to the list. It fit in both the pro and con columns for different reasons. “Let’s get back to Destiny and take things one step at a time, okay?”
“You’re willing to take some steps for her?” Cam asked, the excitement in his voice obvious.
“Patience, bro. I’m willing to help her.” A plan formed in his mind, a plan that would give two of the most important people in his life a chance at happiness. He’d never lied to Cameron. If it means happiness for him and Erica, then I’ll do it no matter how guilty it makes me feel. No matter the heartbreak I’ll have to suffer.
Chapter Four
4:03 a.m., Sunday – Blue’s Diner, Destiny, Colorado
