Page 76 of Solid as Steele
Did he know how he was looking at her? It was the same look he’d given her a few times since the injury. Was he interested in something with her? At some point, she’d have to figure that all out and how she felt about it, but not tonight when her arm ached so badly. It was all she could do to pretend she wasn’t in serious agony.
She took a moment to go to her bedroom and change her shirt then came back to sit on the sofa by Ryan.
She faced him. “Have you had a chance to look at where we’re going tomorrow?”
Ryan nodded. “And in the light of your attack, I think I better get my brothers to go with us. We would benefit from some overwatch.”
“You’re that worried?” Mackenzie asked.
“He has a reason to be.” Owen stepped into the space but didn’t sit. “I would rest easier if we had additional support too.”
“Then it’s settled.” Ryan got out his phone. “I’m sure they can drop whatever they’re doing and get here by morning.”
Ryan stepped to the far side of the room to make his call, and Owen dropped onto the sofa, his gaze alert and watchful. He was more worried for their safety than she’d been, but her concern was growing by leaps and bounds now.
“I’m gonna look up Tovar’s address. See if it tells me anything about him.” He got out the piece of paper from Urban and typed the address into his phone.
She doubted just looking at Tovar’s property would tell them anything, but she appreciated that he was distracted from fully focusing on her. She felt helpless sitting there, and she didn’t want free time to think about the pain either. When the kettle whistled she went to tend to it.
Owen lurched to his feet. “Hey, I got that.”
She waved her hand. “Go ahead and keep looking at Tovar’s place. I want to pick out my tea anyway.”
In the kitchen, she opened the canister and located a bag of chamomile. She didn’t need caffeine, and chamomile was soothing, plus she really liked it. She turned off the stove, poured the water over the teabag, and the calming aroma filled the air. After the water turned a rich color, she discarded the bag, went to sit with Owen, and set her mug on the table to cool.
She heard Ryan say goodbye to his brothers, and he returned to the living room. He dropped into a leather easy chair. “They’ll be here by nine.”
Owen shook his head. “Just like that? No questions asked and they come running?”
Ryan nodded. “That’s what brothers are for.”
“I always wanted a brother,” Owen said. “Cassie is my only sibling. Correctionwasmy only sibling.” His voice broke.
Mackenzie had to fight not to take his hand. But she wouldn’t do anything in front of Ryan to make him think she and Owen were more than associates working an investigation. There was no way she wanted to point the focus on them when the emphasis needed be on their trip to the wilderness tomorrow and on praying that Leach wasn’t planning an ambush.
16
Mackenzie approached Ryan and his older brothers Russ and Reid, making sure not to show any pain from her gunshot wound even though it throbbed like the drumbeat of a marching band. The men stood near the house in the morning sunshine, organizing packs when Mackenzie and Owen stepped outside. Ryan and the middle brother, Russ, both had dishwater blond hair, but Reid’s hair was dark as the desert nights. Russ was the biggest of the three men, really built. Reid and Ryan were of similar muscular yet more wiry builds.
She introduced Owen and watched as the men sized each other up. Having grown up with mostly girls, she’d had a lot to learn about men. Her eyes had been opened in law enforcement where sizing up of the other guy was commonplace.
Reid was the first to break free and look at Mackenzie. “Good to see you again, Mac. How long has it been since you and your family were regular campers?”
“I refuse to answer on the grounds that it would make me sound really old.” She laughed.
Reid and Ryan laughed with her, but Russ barely cracked a smile. He’d always been the serious one. Ryan was the joker. Reid had a good balance of both. Seemed as if that hadn’t changed.
“Are you ready to get going?” Russ asked.
Ryan rolled his eyes. “To the point as always.”
Russ eyed his brother. “Something wrong with that?”
“Nope. Just saying.”
“Let me grab my bag and then I’m ready,” Mackenzie said.
“Ditto,” Owen said.
