To her complete astonishment, the man in the middle, the one she thought looked so similar to Ethan, took a step forward, pulled her into his arms and hugged her so tightly that she worried she’d suffer broken ribs.
He lifted her off her feet, squeezed a little harder and then kissed her right on the forehead.
“I’d be pissed if he didn’t expect us to help. I’m Garrett, by the way. Nathan’s older brother. This is Sam on my right and Joe to the left. We’ve heard a lot about you, Shea. But you’ll understand if we’re more interested in hearing about you straight from the source.”
“Put her down, moron,” Sam said in a dry tone. “We need to be on our way. We can save the pleasantries for later.”
Garrett put Shea down but then he faced Nathan, staring at his younger brother, his expression giving nothing away. Then, as he’d done with Shea, Garrett pulled Nathan into a tight hug and pounded him on the back.
“You’ve got a hell of a lot of explaining to do, little man.”
Nathan punched Garrett in the gut. “Watch who you call little man.”
Garrett grinned and rubbed his abdomen. “Nice to see you haven’t wussed out on me in the last months. Was afraid you’d turn into a girl or something.”
Shea frowned, sure that there’d been an insult in there somewhere.
Joe still hadn’t said anything. He stared at Nathan like he was waiting. Sam glanced back at the twins and then tucked an arm around Shea’s shoulders. “Come on. We should get you into the SUV. Beavis and Butthead there will come along after they’ve had their come-to-Jesus moment.”
Shea looked back in concern, but Garrett nudged her away. “They’ve got a lot to work out between them. Joe needs to vent his spleen. This has been brewing between them for months now. The sooner they get it out in the open, the sooner things will get back to normal. As normal as things ever get in this family.”
Still she hesitated. She didn’t know these men. Didn’t know the group of men still standing in the background. She didn’t want to intrude on Nathan’s conversation with Joe, but neither was she going to get into a vehicle full of strangers without him.
“I’ll wait for Nathan here,” she said firmly, stopping several feet away from the line of SUVs.
Garrett looked surprised, and then grudging respect flashed in his eyes. He glanced over at the men standing to the side and motioned them over.
“Shea, I’d like you to meet the other members of KGI. I don’t know how much Nathan has told you about us, but we’re a private organization that does jobs no one else can or wants to do.”
“Could you be a little more vague?” she muttered.
He grinned but didn’t respond.
He pointed to a darker-skinned man with longish, unruly black hair and dark eyes. “This is Rio, one of our team leaders.”
Rio flashed her a smile. “Nice to meet you, ma’am.”
Behind him, his team lurked, silent and tense as if ready for anything. Garrett didn’t single them out, which was just as well. She’d never remember all their names and her head was already spinning. Did it matter if she knew who they were? It sounded bitchy and ungrateful, but she was only concerned with Nathan.
Garrett then pointed to a tall man with blond hair and piercing blue eyes. Cold eyes that made her shiver as he stared at her.
“That’s Steele, our other team leader, and that’s his team just behind him.”
Steele didn’t offer a greeting. He just nodded and then took a step back. Which was fine with her, because he unnerved her.
Swanny stepped in next to her. Relieved, she took his hand and clung to it. All these people made her nervous, and she was grateful for Swanny’s comforting presence. Which she supposed didn’t make a whole lot of sense given that she’d only just met him too, but they had a bond through Nathan and she felt at ease around him.
He glanced down in surprise and she thought she had offended him or unnerved him with her gesture, but when she started to pull away, his grip tightened around her hand, and to her further amazement, he offered a smile. A genuine smile. It was the first time she’d seen any emotion, good or bad, on his solemn features.
“They’re a little hard to take all at once,” he whispered down to her.
She smiled and nodded because that was exactly what she’d been thinking.
“But Garrett is right. You should be in the SUV and not in the open. I’ll go with you until Nathan makes it over.”
It was then she realized Garrett hadn’t called his men over for a meet and greet. They’d positioned themselves strategically around her. A protective shield, since she’d balked about getting into the SUV without Nathan.
Feeling like a moron, she nodded and allowed Swanny to guide her toward one of the waiting vehicles. He climbed into the back with her and shut the door. Garrett got into the front passenger seat while some of the others separated to go to the other vehicles. Donovan, Ethan and Sam remained outside at a discreet distance from where Nathan and Joe stood, and Shea realized they were looking out for their brothers.
“Did I cause this?” she asked softly in Garrett’s direction. “This problem between them?”
Garrett turned so he could look at her. His gaze softened and he didn’t look as formidable as he had before.
“No, you didn’t. This is something that has to be worked out between them. They’re very close. They’ve always worked and served together. A lot has changed for both of them, and when Nathan came home to us, Joe just wanted things to be the way they were before. They’ll be fine. You have plenty enough to worry about without being concerned that you’re the cause of a brotherly rift. In this family someone’s always pissed off at someone else, but we get over it real quick,” he added with a grin.
Shea nodded but her gaze remained fixed on the two brothers facing each other a short distance away. It was all she could do not to slip into Nathan’s mind. To offer him support. To know what was being said, but she wouldn’t intrude on his privacy.
She knew all too well how much he loved his family. They’d been all he’d focused on when he was in captivity. Whatever it was keeping the two brothers apart would be resolved. It had to be.
NATHAN stared at his twin in silence. This was a new situation for him, being so unsure of where he stood with the sibling he was closest to. Joe was tense and a little unsure himself. He seemed poised to say many things, but he held back. Maybe he was afraid of making Nathan angry.
Finally Joe broke the silence. “Why, man?”
Nathan didn’t pretend to misunderstand the question. He drew in a breath, unsure of what to say to his brother. He didn’t fully understand things himself. He was only now starting to feel like he was piecing himself back together and he had Shea to thank for that. He had a hell of a lot to thank her for. She gave him purpose. Purpose he hadn’t had in months.
“Why didn’t you ask me for help?” Joe asked quietly when Nathan continued to be silent. “You had to know I’d understand. You had to know that I wouldn’t have judged you. Hell, even if I thought you were off your fucking rocker, I would have done anything to help you. I hated seeing you like that. I’ve never felt so goddamn helpless in my life, and it pissed me off that you locked me out. You closed yourself off from the rest of the family. Okay, I get that, but not me. I’m not just another member of your family. I’m your twin. We have a bond that goes much deeper than just family.”
Nathan blew out his breath. The raw edge in Joe’s voice cut as deep as any knife wound he’d received. “You’re right. I’m an asshole. I’m sorry. I know it’s not enough but I’m sorry. I was coping the best I could. It’s a sorry excuse but I wasn’t ready to share Shea with anyone. There were days I convinced myself she wasn’t real and that I was an idiot for clinging to the belief that she was. And when she asked for my help and I knew she was in serious trouble, I just couldn’t wait. I had to go. I had to. She risked everything to save me. I couldn’t stand by and allow anything to happen to her.”
Joe studied him in silence for a long moment. “She means that much to you.”
Nathan slowly nodded. “Yeah, she does. I don’t expect you to understand, but she and I have something that I can’t even explain. I need her. And now she needs me.”
Joe jammed his thumbs into the pockets of his jeans. “Don’t pull this shit again, man. Swear to God, I’ll kick your fucking ass, and I don’t give a shit what kind of shape you’re in. You need my help, you goddamn ask for it.”
Nathan pressed his lips together to keep from smiling. “I’m asking now.”
Joe punched him in the shoulder. “Okay then. That’s better. Now let’s get the fuck on the road so you can fill me in on everything. And I mean everything.”
“Not going to hug me?” Nathan mocked.
Joe gave him a look of disgust. “Garrett’s turned into an emotional wuss since he hooked up with Sarah. I’ll let him do all the mamby-pamby shit. Besides, what you need is a swift kick in the ass. If you want a hug, go see Ma.”
Nathan laughed and started toward the SUVs, where Shea waited with the others. Relief was so stark that his knees shook. He was back. God, he was back. Home. With his brothers.
There was no sweeter feeling in the world. It had been a hell of a long journey, most of it of his own doing, but he was back, and with each passing day, he was beginning to feel whole again.
CHAPTER 28
NATHAN slid into the SUV beside Shea and instantly pulled her close to his body. Not resisting, she turned just enough that she could curl into his side and rest her cheek on his shoulder.
He softly kissed her brow. “Tired?”
She nodded.
“How’s your shoulder feeling?”
“It was just a little cut. It doesn’t hurt at all. Barely enough to worry over putting a Band-Aid on.”
The driver’s door opened and Sam got in, glancing in the rearview mirror as he keyed the ignition.
“How far to the safe house?” Nathan asked.
Sam leveled a stare at him. “We’re taking you home.”
Shea raised her head in confusion. Nathan stiffened beside her and shook his head in denial.
Sam held up his hand. “Before you start arguing, this isn’t negotiable. Van and I discussed this before you left Crescent City. We flew you here so that anyone monitoring flights out wouldn’t be led to our back door. It’s not the most expedient route home, but we’re more concerned with no one dogging our steps. I know you didn’t want to bring this to our doorstep, but we built that compound for a reason. We need to avail ourselves of the resources there, not be holed up in some damn safe house with our balls flapping in the wind.”
“Nice of him to let me know,” Nathan muttered.
Sam raised an eyebrow. “And you’ve been so cooperative so far? I told Van to do whatever the hell he had to do to get your asses on that plane. If you want to be pissed at someone, be pissed at me.”
Shea stared anxiously at Nathan. She hadn’t even realized she was squeezing his hand with bloodless fingers until he gently pried them away and then kissed each tip.
I don’t want you to worry, baby. Trust me. If you trust no one else, trust me and believe that I’ll keep you safe. What Sam says makes sense. I trust them with my life. With yours.
She leaned forward, touching her forehead to his shoulder.
It’s not just me I worry about. Or Grace even. I believe that you’ll protect me. That your family, your organization, will try to help Grace—and me. But what of your family? You didn’t want to bring me to them. You’re worried for them. Nothing has changed. If anything, things are more dangerous now. I never wanted to drag others into this mess that Grace and I are in. We just want to be…normal. Free. Free to live a normal life where we can see each other. Laugh and visit together. Be sisters.
How can I feel relief that I’ll be safe when others are risking danger to themselves to ensure that Grace and I are protected?
“That must be one long-ass conversation,” Garrett said.
Shea jerked around guiltily and caught Garrett staring at her and Nathan in avid interest. He’d known that they were communicating telepathically. She watched closely for his reaction but all she saw was curiosity.
“Are you two finished and can we get on the road now?” Sam drawled.
“Yes,” Nathan said.
“No,” Shea said at the exact same time.
“We’ll go with yes,” Garrett muttered and motioned for Sam to drive.
Shea’s lips tightened in irritation, but Nathan put a finger to her jaw and gently turned her back so she faced him.
“Listen to me,” he said in a low voice.
No, please, she begged. Not out loud. I don’t want them to overhear.
His expression softened and he trailed one finger down the side of her cheek. I want you with me. I want you to meet my family. You have to know that’s got to happen at some point. You’re important to me, Shea. Not just some job. I trust my brothers and I know damn well they’d never do anything that would place our family in danger. And Sam’s right. We need the KGI resources. Offense, not defense, remember?