Page 47 of Protect and Serve

“I wasn’t lying. There is an emergency.”

“And what is it?”

“You weren’t answering the bloody phone! And why aren’t you answering the phone?”

“Oh? Did you call? I didn’t hear the phone ring.”

Something deep and dark rumbled over the phone line. “Where are you?”

“At your ranch house.” He bit back his grin, even though he knew Cody couldn’t see. “I thought you knew.”

“You should be able to hear the landline on the second floor.” That sounded like an accusation.

“I was asleep.”

“I’ve been calling for hours. I called Claire’s cell too. No answer. What the hell is going on?”

Charlie glanced over at the woman tangled in the blanket by his side. The skin of her bare shoulder glowed in the lamplight. He couldn’t resist a caress. He loved that it roused her. She rolled over and smiled at him. “Nothing.”

“Nothing! Goddamn it, Charlie—”

There was a tussle on the other end and a new voice chimed in. “Charlie? Charlie? Is that you?”

He sighed. “Yes it is.”

“What’s happening? Is Claire okay?”

“Of course. She’s…sleeping.”

“Why didn’t you call in? We’ve been going crazy.”

Good God. These guys needed to take a chill pill.

“Who is it?” Claire murmured.

She shouldn’t have murmured. The voice on the other end of the line squawked. “Was that her? I thought you said she was sleeping.”

“She was. Someone woke her.” He covered the mouthpiece and whispered, “Your brothers.”

“Charlie…” Cade’s voice went low and solemn. “Are you on the third floor?”

He didn’t like to lie. “Why would I be on the third floor?”

But then Claire went and ruined his prevarication by grabbing the cell phone and saying, in the sweetest voice, “Good night, Cade.”

Charlie heard the yowl from where he sat. But only a bit of it, because Claire ended the call. She sent him an angelic smile and handed him his phone. “You might want to turn the ringer off.”

Too late. The phone rang again.

“Don’t answer it.”

Good advice. But Charlie knew if he didn’t, the Silver brothers would probably turn around and hie on home. He stood up and walked away from the bed before he answered. “Yes?”

“Charlie.” Cody again. “Tell me you’re not sleeping with my sister.”

“I’m not sleeping.”

For some reason that didn’t placate him. “Goddamn it, Charlie. I thought I was clear.”