HIS Desire: An H.I.S. Novel (H.I.S. series Book 1) (13 page)

He released the woman from the hug, put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her tight against him. “Kate, this is my baby sister Emily. Em, this is Kate Ross.”

What an idiot. Of course it was his sister. They were at her house. But she wasn’t what Kate had expected. She looked nothing like her brothers. She was petite, had shoulder-length platinum hair and baby blue eyes. She’d never seen a photo of their mother, but she guessed Emily looked like her since the men took after their father.

“Emily, it’s nice to meet you.” She extended her left hand.

Emily smiled and awkwardly shook it. “The same goes here.” She gave Jesse a sly smile. “Come on in but keep it down. Amber’s taking a much needed nap.”

They followed Emily into the living room where Reagan had papers and crayons scattered on a white children’s table in the center of the room. Jesse pulled out one of the tiny pink chairs and attempted to sit, garnering giggles from his daughter when he purposely fell to the floor.

“Silly, you’re too big for that chair.”

“Silly, huh?” He moved to his daughter and tickled her.

A child’s laughter, especially while being tickled, was one of the most uplifting sounds in the world. The contagiousness of it had Kate chuckling at Jesse’s antics. She’d never expected him to be so playful, so carefree. He behaved like a different person. A father who made a fool of himself for his daughter. The more she learned about the man, the deeper her feelings became.

When he stopped, Reagan talked between catching breaths, “Again, Daddy.”

He didn’t disappoint her.

Kate’s heart expanded as she watched the interaction between father and daughter. She’d had a great life with the Ross’ but had always wondered what her life would have been like had her parents lived. Would her father have played with her like Jesse did with his daughter?

Emily lightly touched her arm. “Come on. I was about to make Reagan a snack. This could go on for a while.”

The twins sat on the pale red couch and turned their attention to the sports channel on the television. “Don’t forget us. We need a snack, too. We’re growing boys.” Brad winked at Kate.

Emily put her hands on her hips. “Well then, get your asses up and get something. You know where the kitchen is. And quit trying to flirt with your brother’s girlfriend.”

Kate looked around. Did they really think she was Jesse’s girlfriend? Surely, he’d explained the situation and her appearance at his sister’s house. “Um, I’m not, um Jesse’s girlfriend.”

The looks that passed between the twins and Emily told her they thought differently.

“Really, he’s just trying to protect me.”

Brad stepped forward and raised his eyebrows. “Well, then, how about we change out bodyguards?”

Kate didn’t know how to respond. Earlier she’d thought of having AJ find a replacement for Jesse, but she wasn’t sure how to take Brad.

Emily laughed. “I’m glad to see something has taken away your surliness, brother, but you’re wasting your breath. He’s not even paying attention.” She turned to Kate and motioned her to a compact kitchen. “I know it’s a bit small, but it’s all Amber and I need while I’m going to school.”

“It’s cozy.”

Emily shrugged. “It’s a rental.” She reached into the refrigerator and pulled out a bag of grapes, a block of cheese and two apples. “Are you able to pull grapes off the stem?”

This one-handed thing annoyed her. “I think I can manage.”

As they prepared a small three-sectioned princess plate for Reagan, ensuring nothing touched, and a platter for the men, Kate’s curiosity got the best of her. “What happened to Reagan’s mother?”

Emily stilled. “Did Jesse not tell you?”

Kate shook her head. “I didn’t ask him.”

“I think you need to ask him. Now, let’s bring this to my guests.”

* * * * *

Jesse stood frozen outside the kitchen. He’d never discussed how his wife died with anyone outside his family, except to say it had been a robbery gone wrong. The blame he piled upon himself couldn’t be shared. And he didn’t need people adding more blame to him because he should’ve been there to save her and not bullshitting with his brother. He should’ve known something had been wrong when she’d taken so long.

Kate would see him as a failure. If she knew about his culpability in his wife’s death, she’d make him leave because she couldn’t depend on him. He wouldn’t let that happen. She needed him, and he would be there.

He cared about her, and his focus should be on keeping her close for protection, not for lovemaking. Without trying, she’d innocently turned him inside out.

Kate’s eyes widened when she saw him, knowing he’d heard her.

He forced a smile and reached out for Reagan’s plate. “Here, I’ll take that.”

Emily swatted playfully at his arm and he acted wounded. “Of course, I do all the work, and you reap all the rewards.”

He chuckled and preceded them into the living room. The twins both reached for the platter before Kate could set it down.

“Devon’s here.” Brad put an apple slice in his mouth.

A minute later, deep male laughter floated into the room. At least now he could focus on the case instead of on Kate’s lush body.

His brother and two men entered, and he introduced them to Kate. He watched her reaction to Devon. Without being conceited, he knew he and his brothers were considered handsome men. But, much to AJ’s dismay, Devon was the most fawned over. Women said he had a sensual appeal about him. Whatever the hell that meant.

Jesse relaxed when she didn’t react any differently to Devon than when she’d met his other brothers.

“Uncle Dev! Uncle Dev!” Reagan reached her arms up in the child signal to pick-me-up.

Devon did just that and gave her a tight hug. “Hey, pip-squeak.”

She pulled back and wrinkled her nose. “I’m not a pip-squeak. Aunt Em says I’m a big girl.”

He tweaked her nose. “What’s my
angel
been doing today? Have you been good for Aunt Em?”

He loved how great his brothers were with his daughter. They’d been his salvation after he’d lost Jen. None of them knew what to do with a two-month old but were determined to give her all the love they had. Until he’d hired someone to help, Emily, as a teenager, stepped forward and had taken charge. She required the men to change diapers and burp Reagan in no time.

“Of course I’ve been good. And I drawed today, Uncle Dev. I did a picture just for you.” She squirmed in his arms. “Put me down so I can show you.”

Devon chuckled and set her down. He ruffled the hair on top of her. “Go get it so I can see your masterpiece.”

“Hi, Mr. Joe and Mr. Steve.” She skipped off.

Six grown men stood transfixed by the little girl, broad smiles spread across their faces.

“She gets cuter every day.” Devon turned to Jesse.

Jesse stood taller, prouder. “She does. And more damn independent, too.” She was at the ‘I’ll-do-it-myself’ stage and refused to let Jesse help her. It gave him mixed feelings. On one hand, he had pride in her new found independence. On the other hand, it disappointed him that she no longer needed him all of the time.

While they’d chatted with Reagan, fawning over her pictures, Emily, Joe and Steve moved chairs from the dining table to the living room for more seating. Emily herded Jesse’s daughter out of the room, trying to convince the little girl that she should nap like Amber. Reagan refused to leave the room until the men promised they’d be there when she woke up.

Jesse grabbed a chair and moved it beside where Kate sat. He’d heard Brad flirting with her and had wanted to punch him in the face. His brothers would learn that she was off-limits to them. She was his and his alone. That possessive thought startled him.

Jesse nodded at Devon. “Got anything new?”

Devon tossed a grape in his mouth and shook his head. “Not much. We’ve gone through your cases and nothing stands out. We don’t know how the Facilitator lost someone he loves so that’s making it difficult.”

Jesse nodded.

“Thankfully, Joe and Steve have shortened the list of possible suspects, but it’s still going to take some time.”

Time worried him. Knowing there would be a second attack, but not knowing how or when, wore on the brothers. Without knowing who to look for, the killer could walk right up to any of them, and it’d be too late.

“We can’t keep them under lock and key forever.” Matt looked up as Emily returned to the room.

“Amen.” She put her hands on her hips. “I want to take Amber to the park.”

“Em…” The guilt weighed on Jesse. Some psycho had possibly targeted her or Amber because of him. For something he’d inadvertently done. He’d keep them protected, even if it meant a temporary change in their world.

Emily cut him off, “I know. It’s okay. I just want it to be over.”

Devon looked at Jesse then nervously looked at Kate.

“Spit it out, Dev.”

Devon cleared his throat. “We’re still working on the other list.”

Kate sat straighter. “What other list?”

Jesse turned to her and picked up her hand, happy she didn’t pull away. “We’re, um, checking out women I dated, to see if one of their significant others blames me for anything.”

She snatched her hand back and that hurt him, not physically. “You mean you sleep with married women.”

“Of course not. Not knowingly, anyway.” The only way he’d ended up in bed with a married woman was if she’d lied to him. He strongly believed in fidelity.

She studied him her gaze softened. “You’re right. It makes sense to check them out, too.” She sounded like the FBI agent he’d worked beside.

He breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at her full lips and wanted to kiss them, to thank her for believing in him.

“We also checked out your ex, Kate. He says he was with you when most of the murders occurred,” Devon added.

She nodded. “That’s true. I got the call on more than one occasion when we were out.”

“What about other men?” Did he really want to know about her past sex life?

Kate thought for a moment then shook her head. “No. There’s no one I dated long enough to fit the profile. Besides, if it was, they wouldn’t have waited until I was with you. They’d have come after Mark since we dated so long. But, I’ll think back through them.”

For the next hour they discussed Jesse’s cases. Five overlapped with Kate and AJ’s investigation.

Jesse looked at her. “What do you think about these men?”

“Every one of them had an alibi, but I didn’t trust any of them to be true. I didn’t have time to investigate them, and I’m not sure AJ will either. Especially now.”

Joe nodded. “Steve and I have them on the top of our list. We’ll dig deep into their alibis. If they’re false, we’ll find out.”

Jesse had faith in the FBI, but he knew H.I.S. would get to the truth faster because their family’s lives were at risk, plus they had no constraints. He reached over and covered Kate’s hand with his. “Keep Kate and I updated. We’re in this together.”

The way her face lit up told him he’d finally said the right thing.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“Daddy, why can’t I go with you?” Reagan fought to keep her eyes open.

Jesse sat on the edge of the bed. She’d insisted that her uncles and Kate come in to tuck her in and say good night.

When she’d hugged Kate, she’d whispered, loud enough for everyone to hear, to remember girls’ night. She told the men that boys weren’t allowed on girls’ night.

Yep. She had them wrapped around her little finger.

“Oh, pumpkin. I need you to stay here so I can do my job and protect Miss Kate.” Jesse spoke in a soft, almost apologetic voice. The difficulty of the situation, his leaving his daughter’s safety to someone else to protect her, left knots in Kate’s stomach.

“How come Uncle Brad and Uncle Matt are protecting me and not you?”

Jesse looked sharply at Brad who shrugged. He brushed a dark curl from her face. “Don’t you like staying with Aunt Em and Amber?”

She sighed. “Of course, I do, Daddy. It’s not the same. I miss you.”

“I miss you too, pumpkin. But we get to see each other on Skype every day, and you know you can call me if you want to talk. How about I come over one day soon, and we’ll do a daddy-daughter night?”

She perked up. “Can I paint your toes again?”

The twins burst out laughing. Jesse threw an evil glare their way. “Sure, pumpkin.”

She giggled. “Remember when I painted up your leg.”

“I do.” He kissed her forehead.

That made everything better. “Okay. Night, Daddy.” She turned over, hugged a worn teddy bear and closed her eyes.

Jesse stood, looked at his daughter and smiled. “Are you ready to go, Kate?”

She hated the thought of leaving the comfort of this house, this family. But, this wasn’t her family. It would never be her family. However, she could see herself loving them all, especially Jesse and Reagan. “Sure, if you are.”

After they exited the bedroom, Jesse stopped Brad. “Did you tell her she was being protected?”

“Hell no! She overheard us talking with Em. You know how she is. She quickly put it together. She’s too smart for her own damn good.”

Jesse nodded and grinned. “Yeah, she is. I’d rather she hadn’t known.”

“So, painted toes? Any preferential color? Pink, maybe?” Matt joked.

“Probably that sissy pink,” Brad joined in, grinning.

“Fuck you, both.”

The twins burst out laughing, but immediately quieted when Emily chided them for being too loud with the girls sleeping. Watching these big, strong men being ruled by a five-year old and a young, petite woman struck Kate as humorous.

Kate and Ariana had been close growing up, but there hadn’t been the playfulness she observed amongst the Hamilton family. Things had been a little more formal growing up with the Rosses. She’d expected they would have also been at the Hamilton’s since their father was a senator. Their relationships surprised her and made her envious.

“Take care of them.” Jesse turned and led Kate to the front porch where Ken and Danny waited.

“Did our little Rea-Rea finally drop off?” Danny didn’t have his mirrored shades on, but it was too dark to make out his eye color.