Sworn to Protect (3 page)

For the briefest moment, relief flared in those Mediterranean blue eyes. God, those eyes. She wore a soft-looking pale blue sweater that made her eyes seem even brighter against the hue of her skin. Even though it was February it seemed she had a sun-kissed look all year. He wanted to run his hands over all her soft curves, pull her close and devour her mouth. Damn it, he needed to get his thoughts under control. He’d already fucked up with her before, he didn’t need to sport a hard-on right now. That’d go over real well.

“She seems really nice,” Athena murmured, taking a step into the hallway and away from him.

It took a second for it to register what she was saying as he was mentally ordering his dick to stay down. What. The. Hell. He’d always been in control of his body. Always. Being around Athena again reminded him of why he’d run. Well part of the reason. The virginity thing had been an excuse he’d used to convince himself to end things. Because he’d known that after her, he’d be turning in his bachelor card forever. There was something so sensual and raw about her that called to him on the most primal level he’d just known she could be
it
for him. Quinn hadn’t thought he was ready for anything serious or to settle down.

Seeing her again, he couldn’t believe he’d actually walked away. Over the past two months he’d tried to convince himself he’d built her up in his head. No such luck.

It was clear she wanted to head back to the party and he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable so he tilted his head toward the end of the hallway. “Want to grab a drink?”

“That sounds good.” A real smile touched her lips then, fleeting, but long enough for him to feel the effects of it through his entire body. “It was kind of a jolt to see you out there,” she said softly as they headed down the hallway.

Something eased inside him at the slight shift in her tone. “Yeah, no kidding. You look like Belle, I can see the resemblance now.” She was a little shorter than her cousin, but they were both knockouts.

She lifted her shoulders, no awkwardness there now. “Our fathers are brothers.”

“On Monday I’d like to take you to lunch,” he blurted. They’d reached the end of the hallway and he knew his time with her was limited. He didn’t think she’d want to stand around talking with him much longer even if she did seem more relaxed. “Since it’s your first day,” he tacked on, even if it was a lie. He’d make it seem casual even if that was the last thing he felt.

A tactician by nature, he was going to play things right this time. Or give it his best shot.

“Ah…” She trailed off as they reached the end of the hallway.

It emptied into the oversized foyer where Grant, Belle and Carlito Duarte, a detective for the Miami PD, were talking.

Carlito—good-looking bastard—smiled at Athena with a familiarity that grated against Quinn’s nerves. “Hey, Quinn. Athena, I didn’t know you’d be here,” he said, moving in to give Athena a hug like he had every right in the world to do so.

For all Quinn knew, the guy did. Athena didn’t spare Quinn a glance as Carlito hustled her off toward the kitchen where the sounds of the loud partygoers filled the air.

“Who died?” Belle asked, drawing his attention to her.

Blinking, he looked at Belle and Grant to find her watching him curiously and Grant with an almost knowing expression on his face. “What…oh, I just need a drink.”

There was a loud knock on the door, making Belle push out a laughing breath. “I’ll get it,” she said nudging Grant with her hip. “Go find a drink for Quinn and get me one too while you’re at it.”

Grant dropped a quick kiss on her mouth before clapping Quinn on the back. “I recognize that look,” he said as they entered the half-full kitchen.

Quinn decided to play dumb as he made his way to an ice bucket filled with beers. He grabbed two, handed one to Grant. “What look is that?”

Grant just snorted as he took the beer then set it on the nearest counter. “She’s my wife’s cousin and a new employee. Tread carefully.” There was an unexpected warning bite to his friend’s statement as he pulled a half-empty champagne bottle from the same bucket and began to pour a glass, presumably for Belle.

Maybe the tone shouldn’t be unexpected. Grant would consider Athena family. “I will.”

“Good. Then we won’t have a problem.”

Quinn took a long swig of his beer, surveying his friends and co-workers talking, eating, laughing. It was good to see everyone having such a good time. Which was the whole point of this party. He’d heard that it had been Belle’s idea even though she didn’t work for Red Stone. She’d told Grant they needed to have another party to welcome some new employees and to let everyone get together away from work. Various people from work had barbeques often enough but this was different, more organized.

“Where’s your dad?” Quinn was going to circle back to the topic of Athena—who must have gone outside with Carlito—but wanted to ease into it.

Grant snorted and leaned against the counter, picking his beer back up. “Watching his grandson—with his girlfriend.”

Quinn joined him against the counter. “Keith’s dating someone?” He’d known Grant’s dad a lot longer than the last six years he’d been with Red Stone. He and Harrison went back all the way to their Marine Corps days and he’d met Keith during a leave.

Grant nodded, amusement on his scarred face. It was good to see him so happy and relaxed. “Lana Gonzalez.”

“From the community center?” Keith would have about fifteen years on her but yeah, Quinn could see it.

“Yep. I think he’s gonna propose.”

That was definitely a surprise but it made Quinn smile. “She’s good people.”

“Hell yeah.” Then Grant lifted his shoulders. “Besides, she makes him happy and he deserves it.”

“Anyone who puts up with you and your brothers definitely deserves it.”

Grant just laughed in agreement before taking a sip of his beer.

Screw it, Quinn needed to know what he was up against. “So, Athena and Carlito? They together?”

Grant glanced at him, beer halfway to his mouth, which split into a huge grin. “I was wondering how long it would take you to come back to that.”

Quinn gritted his teeth. “So?”

“I should make you sweat it, but they’re not together. I heard her tell Belle he’s too pretty and too much of a player.”

A bark of laughter escaped. “That sounds like something she’d say,” he muttered. As soon as the words were out, he inwardly cringed.

Grant’s eyes narrowed a fraction as he took another pull from his beer. “How would you know?”

Crap. “We went on a few dates a couple months back.” Six dates to be exact and he’d been like a man possessed. Right about now, thinking of her outside talking and flirting with Carlito, he wanted to kick his own ass. Being tied to someone like Athena wasn’t a bad thing. But some fears ran deep, especially after his only real relationship died a fiery, bitter death.

Now Grant’s expression morphed to one of amusement and something else Quinn couldn’t define. Shaking his head, a ghost of a smile flickering across Grant’s mouth, he picked up the champagne glass and moved away from the counter. “Watch your junk, man.”

Frowning, Quinn started to ask him what he meant but the back door opened and the sound of Athena’s laughter filled the air, rolling over him and wrapping around him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Grant headed toward Belle but all Quinn’s focus was on Athena. Who was unfortunately still talking with Carlito.

That was okay. Quinn would bide his time. If he could get her to agree to go out with him again, he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. No way in hell.

* * *

Glenn White stared at the most recent email message then closed the program on his phone before tossing it onto his kitchen counter. Another fucking rejection letter. This one generic. At least the company had responded at all. Some never did.

Finding work was hard enough but with his prison record it was proving impossible. Any type of law enforcement or security was out because of the crime he’d been charged with. That thought brought up a wave of rage.

He was lucky he’d had family to watch his finances while he was in prison but his money wouldn’t last forever. He needed a damn job.

And not something menial. Before he’d been put away he’d been respected. Now, most of his former friends wouldn’t talk to him.

They just didn’t understand. Almost no one did. If his slut of a wife hadn’t pushed him, hadn’t talked or looked at other men so often he wouldn’t have had to punish her, keep her in line. It was her fault. She’d sometimes gone out of her way to provoke him. He knew it with utter certainty.

If it wasn’t for her and Quinn Brody he’d never be in this situation.

Glenn’s hands balled into fists as he jerked open the refrigerator door. A beer would take off the edge and after six long years of shitty prison food, he was going to eat and drink whatever the hell he wanted. The only good thing about being locked up was that he’d had a lot of time to work out. He was in better shape now than he’d ever been.

His wife—ex-wife if you wanted to get technical—would never cheat on him again. He’d make sure of it. If he could just find her. It was like she’d fallen off the face of the earth. He’d find her eventually though. He’d never stop searching. At least Quinn wasn’t hiding.

That bastard was just living his life, not a care in the world despite what he’d done. Not for long though. Glenn was going to make Quinn suffer first.

It was Quinn’s fault his wife had left him, pressed charges against him. She’d made him out to be a monster. Glenn knew deep down that she must have been sleeping with Quinn. That bastard had manipulated Suzanne, preyed on her weakness. That had to be the reason she’d turned on Glenn and their marriage vows. It was the only thing that made sense.

Sure he’d had to punish her sometimes but they’d had so many good times. The sex had been amazing. He knew she hadn’t been faking with him, not in the bedroom. If he could just find her, remind her how good they’d been together. He could convince her to come back to him. Make things like the way they were before. He just needed to see her, talk to her. He’d never stopped loving her. And no one would ever love her as much as he did.

His fist clenched around the cold bottle and he realized he’d drank all of it. Blinking, he looked around the empty, sterile kitchen. This place was a hole, but it served its purpose. He just needed a place to rent, to sleep at night. His parole officer could stop by at any time but he wasn’t worried about her.

Glenn wasn’t worried about anyone but Quinn.

Decision made, he knew that the time had come. He needed to take care of Quinn before he could move on. He’d gotten out of prison a month ago and couldn’t find a job, couldn’t focus on anything. It was impossible to move on knowing that bastard was out there enjoying his life. He’d have to be careful about it though because no way in hell was he going back to prison.

And Quinn must know where Suzanne was.

She was too stupid to disappear without help. When Glenn started to think about her living without him for six long years, that red haze descended, making it hard to breathe. He chugged his next beer, enjoying the coolness as it went down. Suzanne hadn’t respected their marriage vows when they’d been together so he was certain she hadn’t respected them since he’d been gone.

It didn’t matter that they were divorced—that she’d divorced him. She belonged to him. Always would.

He grabbed another beer and headed to his bedroom. He opened the bi-fold closet door and arousal swept through him at the sight of Suzanne. On the interior wall of the closet he’d put up a picture of her on their wedding day, looking off into the distance, surrounded by white flowers. She looked so perfect and they’d been so happy then.

Until she’d begun disobeying him, flirting with other men.

His head started to hurt as he tried to figure out where things had gone wrong; when she’d started to change, to provoke him. His gaze shifted to the right of her picture where another picture was positioned.

Of Quinn.

Seeing it reminded Glenn of what had to be done, who had to be destroyed. He refused to go back to prison but he didn’t mind getting his hands dirty with Quinn. Not one bit.

Chapter 3

A buzz of energy hummed through Athena as she stepped out of the elevator onto her floor at Red Stone Security. She hadn’t expected the majority owner, Keith Caldwell, to be at her presentation this morning. People always said he was so intimidating but the truth was, he reminded her of one of her uncles so his presence hadn’t fazed her. It was Harrison Caldwell, his son, who had a sort of edge. Nothing she could really put her finger on but the guy was a teeny bit scary. Or maybe intense was the right word.

Either way, the presentation had gone well. Some of the security stuff for her first event would need to be ironed out because that certainly wasn’t her strong suit. Everything else though; it felt like she’d just fallen into the right position here. And being able to stay in one place—for the most part because she would still travel about fifteen percent of the time—was heaven.

As she neared the end of the short hallway she heard a familiar male voice, followed by the laugh of her assistant. Freaking Quinn. Of course he’d have to stop by on her first day. She’d chatted with him once more on Friday night but had gone out of her way to avoid the sexy man without seeming like she was. It had been easy enough considering how many people had been at the party.