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He tightened his grip on his gun, preparing to confront the intruder head on. No one would hurt Grace. Not while he was here.
“Caleb?”
Adrenalin dissipated as quickly as it had surged. “Wyatt?” He lowered his gun, stepping into the kitchen to find his brother standing in front of the open fridge, a bottle of water in his hand. “Wyatt? What the fuck are you doing here?”
Wyatt rolled his eyes. “Oh, I don’t know, maybe because I fucking live here? The real question is, what are you doing here?” His gaze dropped to the gun in Caleb’s hand. “Aside from trying to shoot me, of course?”
Caleb tucked the gun into his waistband. “It’s a long story. I didn’t think you’d be back so soon.” Several bags were lined up against the kitchen counter. Wyatt was home to stay. “It’s my weekend off.”
Wyatt closed the fridge and swigged some water. One dark eyebrow arched as he fixed Caleb with an inscrutable look. “And you chose to spend your precious time off at my place?” Several inches taller than Caleb, Wyatt cut an imposing figure. His eyes held a guarded intensity that many found intimidating. But his brother was a good man.
Caleb lifted one shoulder. “What can I say? You have excellent coffee and one of those fancy machines.” He made an exaggerated pinching motion with his fingers. “You know, the ones with the teeny-tiny pods that make teeny-tiny cups of overpriced joe.”
Wyatt snorted, snatching the cloth Grace had folded at the sink and tossed it at Caleb’s head with unerring accuracy. “Fuck you.”
Caleb dodged the cloth. “I thought you were still with mom and dad. Figured it’d be safe to crash here for a bit.”
Wyatt rolled his eyes. “I was. But I’m meeting with the base commander.” His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly, a muscle ticking in his cheek.
Caleb shook his head. “Suspension not sitting well?”
A mirthless smile stretched across Wyatt’s face. “That obvious?”
“No, I just know you too well.” Caleb’s tone softened. “Miss the water? Miss us?”
“The ocean yes. You? No.”
Caleb took a stool at the counter.. He looked over his shoulder to where Dolly was still curled up on the couch. “Some guard dog you are.”
Dolly yawned and rested her head on her paws, her face turning sad.
“The old girl came and said hello.” Wyatt leaned one hip against his gleaming hob. “So. I have time. What’s the story? Or should I say tell me a little more about Grace?”
Crap. “Sarah?”
Wyatt fixed him with a pointed look. “Mom mentioned she hasn’t seen you in ages. You know how she worries.” Silence took a beat between them. “So Sarah’s been giving her updates.”
Caleb stilled. “Updates? On what?” As if he didn’t know.
“Your new woman, of course.” Wyatt’s gaze bored into him.
Caleb shook his head. “Doesn’t Sarah have actual crimes to be solving or something? Pretty sure that’s what we pay her for.”
“You know what she’s like when she and mom get together.” Wyatt’s tone was equal parts amused and exasperated. “It’s like the Spanish Inquisition, only with more baked goods.”
“I’m just helping her out.” The words sounded hollow even to his own ears but he forced himself to meet Wyatt’s analytical gaze. “She doesn’t have anyone else right now, and there’s a psycho ex, Hudson, after her. Based on what’s happened so far, he’s a crazy bastard. His men stormed my cabin, and they were fucking relentless. This was the closest safe bolthole.” Caleb waved a hand at Wyatt’s gleaming fortress, the state-of-the-art security system blinking in the background. “No one has secure shit like you do.”
Wyatt raised an eyebrow, a glint in his eye. “That shit is necessary,” he drawled, propping one elbow on the counter. “So, what’s the plan?”
“Mitch is fixing up her car. The plan was for her to get back on the road, but...” Caleb trailed off, a bitter taste flooding his mouth.
“But?” Wyatt prompted.
Caleb curled his hands into fists on the countertop. “But I’m no longer sure about letting her leave on her own. It feels like she’ll be too vulnerable out there.” He swallowed hard, a dull ache blooming behind his breastbone. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep at night, knowing she’s alone and unprotected.”
“Sounds like you’re in deep.” Wyatt let out a low whistle.
Caleb laced his fingers together, the knuckles turning white with the force of his grip. So fucking deep. His life before Grace had been a flat, colorless thing compared to how the last few days had felt with her.
