Heart of Courage by Kat Martin

Tyler Reese. She had given Ty her innocence and wound up regretting it later.
    But part of her argued that this wasn’t at all the same. She wasn’t in love with Thor, just wildly attracted to him. She was older now, a grown woman no longer susceptible to a man’s persuasion.
    Not that Ty had needed to do much of that.
    In truth it had been more her idea than his. Certainly, it was her idea to refuse the offer of marriage he had felt obligated to make. She wasn’t in love with Ty, she had discovered, and she wasn’t ready for marriage.
    Having done his duty, the young viscount was relieved, and in the end, they had remained friends.
    Now, years later, the old curiosity had resurfaced. Kissing Thor had been different than anything she had experienced with Ty or any other man. The hot, mind-numbing sensations, the weakness in the knees, the wild urge to lose herself in the heat and power that vibrated through his big, hard-muscled body was utterly and completely amazing.
    She tried not to wonder what it might be like to make love with a man who could set her blood on fire.
    She tried not to, but she did.
    The bell above the door rang, drawing her attention as the footman, Elias Mack, rushed into the office, bringing gusts of chilly September wind and blowing leaves. Several heads swiveled toward him, but tomorrow the paper went to press and everyone was busy doing his job.
    Elias headed straight for her, and Lindsey came out of her chair. “Good heavens, Elias, what has happened?”
    He was nearly unrecognizable with his battered face, swollen lip, and puffy, blackened eye. She hadn’t seen him since last night, and a pang of guilt washed through her that her actions had resulted in such a terrible beating.
    â€œThe police came to the house, miss. They arrested your brother. They carted him off in a police wagon.”
    â€œOh, my God.”
    â€œWhat has happened?” Thor’s deep voice snagged her attention. For an instant she forgot Elias was there.
    Mentally she shook herself. “Rudy has been arrested. I have to go down to the police station. I have to find a way to make them understand that he couldn’t possibly be the man who killed those women.” Reaching over, she grabbed her reticule off the top of the desk, rose and started for the door.
    â€œI will come with you,” Thor said, catching up to her in a single long stride.
    â€œI don’t need your protection for this. I am going to a police station, for heaven’s sake.”
    â€œYou asked for my help. I am helping. I will come.”
    She sighed and started walking, stopped near the door to gather her cloak and bonnet, then continued outside in search of transportation.
    Elias and Thor followed her out.
    â€œYe want I should come along?” the young footman asked.
    â€œI think you had better go back to the house,” Lindsey told him. “I have gotten you into enough trouble already.”
    Elias nodded. “Whatever ye wish, miss.”
    â€œBy the way, how did you explain what happened to your face?”
    He grinned. “Mostly I told the truth. I went gambling at the Blue Moon and got me purse pinched by a couple of mugs.”
    â€œI feel terrible about the way the evening turned out. I shouldn’t have asked you to take that kind of risk.”
    Elias’s grin broadened. “It were some night, weren’t it, miss? I woulda’ liked to have got in a few more good licks, but I wouldna’ wanted to miss it.” He waved as he started off down the street, back toward her Mount Street home.
    Men, Lindsey thought as he disappeared round the corner. How did a woman ever understand them?
    Which reminded her of her brother and the trouble he was in.
    â€œWhat am I going to do about Rudy?” she said to Thor as they made their way to the corner, not really expecting him to know.
    â€œWe will have to find the men who killed those women.”
    Until he said