the subject, asking, “Was that a lie about the next Marker being buried in Canada?”
“Yeah. Raine told me that with all the commotion caused by my capture, Saige’s work on the maps has slowed down a bit. She still doesn’t know where the next Marker’s hidden.”
“So you lied to them, and picked such a remote location thinking they won’t be able to get there and finish their search before Friday, right?”
Another sexy, kinda crooked smile touched his mouth. “That’s right. And I hope they freeze their asses off in all that Canadian snow.”
Chloe tried to control the tremor in her voice as she said, “You were purposely goading them.”
He winced, scraping a palm against the auburn bristles covering his jaw. “I’m sorry you had to see that, but I knew they needed someone to pound on or they wouldn’t have been satisfied.”
“Is that why you wanted her to take you upstairs? Because you planned on getting beaten up?”
The corner of his mouth twitched, his expression as wry as his tone. “Well, I wasn’t looking forward to you seeing me get my ass kicked by a girl. I’m trying to build up a big hero reputation, remember?” She choked back a soft laugh, and he added, “Plus, I was hoping to have another look at things upstairs. Raine has given me a good idea of the layout, but it would help to see things with my own eyes.”
“I’ve been upstairs more than Raine,” she told him, sitting down cross-legged in the middle of her cot, careful to keep her shirttails covering her panties. “I can tell you a little about what’s up there.”
“I didn’t think you would remember any of it.”
With a shrug, she admitted, “Just bits and pieces, really. But I’ll tell you what I know.”
Over the next quarter of an hour, he questioned her about the floor plan, where she’d seen guards posted and what kind of weaponry she’d noticed. Chloe told him everything she could remember, then asked, “Is Raine doing okay?”
A shadow of anger darkened his gaze. “As okay as she can be after what she’s been through. The bit of blood I’ve given her has helped with her physical injuries, but psychologically…” He shook his head, obviously reluctant to voice his fear that Raine might never get over the abuse she’d suffered.
Quietly, she said, “I wish there was something I could have done to help her all those times they hurt her.” She tore her gaze away from his mesmerizing eyes, and stared at the spiraling orange glow of the flames in the hearth. “I can’t help thinking that if I were smarter, I’d have figured out a way to stop them.”
“Eff that. What’s happened to Raine is screwed up, but it’s not your fault, Chloe. There’s nothing you could have done to stop those assholes.”
She thought about what he’d said for a few moments, hoping he was right, and then realized that he’d censored his language. “ Eff that?” she snickered, bringing her gaze back to his. “Since when do big alpha types like you use words like eff? ”
“Since a precocious little three-year-old joined the Watchmen, repeating everything we say,” he rumbled with a throaty laugh, his eyes crinkling sexily at the corners. “And if you think I sound funny censoring myself, then you should see Ade. He’s even bigger than I am.”
With a bemused smile, she said, “I honestly can’t believe that.”
“Believe it,” he shot back with a grin, scratching lazily at his chest, and she couldn’t help but watch the hypnotic movement of his long fingers, remembering what it’d felt like when they’d been touching her. Buried inside her, hard and rough and wicked.
Clearing her throat, Chloe forced her mind off sex and back to something neutral. “So, uh…is it really true that Aiden’s talked Olivia into marrying him? Raine told me they were engaged, but I…I don’t think I really believed her.”
And she’d had good reason. Trust didn’t come easily to the Harcourt women, and Olivia
“Yeah. Raine told me that with all the commotion caused by my capture, Saige’s work on the maps has slowed down a bit. She still doesn’t know where the next Marker’s hidden.”
“So you lied to them, and picked such a remote location thinking they won’t be able to get there and finish their search before Friday, right?”
Another sexy, kinda crooked smile touched his mouth. “That’s right. And I hope they freeze their asses off in all that Canadian snow.”
Chloe tried to control the tremor in her voice as she said, “You were purposely goading them.”
He winced, scraping a palm against the auburn bristles covering his jaw. “I’m sorry you had to see that, but I knew they needed someone to pound on or they wouldn’t have been satisfied.”
“Is that why you wanted her to take you upstairs? Because you planned on getting beaten up?”
The corner of his mouth twitched, his expression as wry as his tone. “Well, I wasn’t looking forward to you seeing me get my ass kicked by a girl. I’m trying to build up a big hero reputation, remember?” She choked back a soft laugh, and he added, “Plus, I was hoping to have another look at things upstairs. Raine has given me a good idea of the layout, but it would help to see things with my own eyes.”
“I’ve been upstairs more than Raine,” she told him, sitting down cross-legged in the middle of her cot, careful to keep her shirttails covering her panties. “I can tell you a little about what’s up there.”
“I didn’t think you would remember any of it.”
With a shrug, she admitted, “Just bits and pieces, really. But I’ll tell you what I know.”
Over the next quarter of an hour, he questioned her about the floor plan, where she’d seen guards posted and what kind of weaponry she’d noticed. Chloe told him everything she could remember, then asked, “Is Raine doing okay?”
A shadow of anger darkened his gaze. “As okay as she can be after what she’s been through. The bit of blood I’ve given her has helped with her physical injuries, but psychologically…” He shook his head, obviously reluctant to voice his fear that Raine might never get over the abuse she’d suffered.
Quietly, she said, “I wish there was something I could have done to help her all those times they hurt her.” She tore her gaze away from his mesmerizing eyes, and stared at the spiraling orange glow of the flames in the hearth. “I can’t help thinking that if I were smarter, I’d have figured out a way to stop them.”
“Eff that. What’s happened to Raine is screwed up, but it’s not your fault, Chloe. There’s nothing you could have done to stop those assholes.”
She thought about what he’d said for a few moments, hoping he was right, and then realized that he’d censored his language. “ Eff that?” she snickered, bringing her gaze back to his. “Since when do big alpha types like you use words like eff? ”
“Since a precocious little three-year-old joined the Watchmen, repeating everything we say,” he rumbled with a throaty laugh, his eyes crinkling sexily at the corners. “And if you think I sound funny censoring myself, then you should see Ade. He’s even bigger than I am.”
With a bemused smile, she said, “I honestly can’t believe that.”
“Believe it,” he shot back with a grin, scratching lazily at his chest, and she couldn’t help but watch the hypnotic movement of his long fingers, remembering what it’d felt like when they’d been touching her. Buried inside her, hard and rough and wicked.
Clearing her throat, Chloe forced her mind off sex and back to something neutral. “So, uh…is it really true that Aiden’s talked Olivia into marrying him? Raine told me they were engaged, but I…I don’t think I really believed her.”
And she’d had good reason. Trust didn’t come easily to the Harcourt women, and Olivia
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