Hunting Human - Amanda E. Alvarez [29]
“We don’t know yet.” Chase exploded out of his chair and strode to the window. “His behavior is completely atypical for what we know about him. He’s alone. He’s exercising patience. This guy is dangerous, but if we take him out now, we’ll never know what his endgame is. Or what relationship he has with a woman that’s suddenly become a fixture in your life,” Chase added.
“Just what are you implying?”
“Just that he wasn’t standing outside your loft or your parking garage.” Chase leaned against the wall, his expression guarded.
“So? Maybe he didn’t know where to look,” Caleb interjected.
“Could be.” Chase shrugged, “Or he might not have been waiting for Braden, at all.”
“That’s ridiculous.” Braden took his empty beer bottle to the kitchen. “That lot is the closest public parking to Angie’s. He could have guessed that I’d parked there, especially if he knew I’d been to Angie’s earlier that day.”
“Maybe.” Chase’s surly silence filled the room.
“But what?” Braden snapped.
“It’s a little convenient.” Chase pushed away from the wall and settled into a jerky pace. “Markko shows up and suddenly, out of nowhere, a woman he’s clearly interested in seduces you?”
Braden slammed the lid of the trashcan. “For the love of… Beth is hardly in league with Markko!”
“You can’t know that!” Chase vibrated with anger. “You’ve only just met her!”
“Enough,” Caleb interceded.
Braden forced his jaw shut.
Of all the ridiculous ideas.
“Look, as usual, Chase is being cautious.”
“Paranoid is more like it.”
“Shut up,” Caleb snapped. “Look, Chase, you’re probably overreacting. It’s a stretch to think this woman is involved. I’m sure there’s another explanation.” Braden opened his mouth, but Caleb cut him off. “Don’t. He has a point. How much do you know about her?”
“Enough.” His voice came out rough and far more possessive than he intended, and neither of his brothers failed to notice.
“Alright, alright. We get it. You Tarzan, she Jane. But while you’re busy dragging her back to your place, could you exercise a little caution? It’ll hardly kill you.”
“In the meantime, Chase is right. It’s dangerous to take out Markko when we don’t know what, if any, connection he has with this girl. If there’s even the slightest chance that she’s a threat to the family, we need to know.”
Not sure what irritated him more, his brothers or the fact that he felt so protective of a woman he barely knew, Braden sighed and conceded. “Fine, whatever.” He strode out of the kitchen, “I’m grabbing a shower and going out.”
If he hurried, he could probably catch Beth at the end of her shift. Whether to spite his brothers or ease his own mind he wasn’t sure, but he needed to see her.
***
Beth jumped then smiled when arms slid around her waist and lips brushed a kiss against her neck. She finished ladling the soup into a large mug for herself, then turned in Braden’s arms.
“What are you doing here? I didn’t expect to see you tonight.” Braden plucked the mug from her fingers, set it on the counter and swept her into a possessive kiss. When he finally released her, Beth was flushed and breathless.
“Wow. That was hot!”
Beth groaned when she saw Marianne standing in the doorway.
“Don’t mind me, don’t mind me.” Marianne grabbed the bus bin by the sink. “Pretend I’m not even here.” She winked and backed out into the main part of the café.
Ten seconds of complete silence passed between them before they both broke out in laughter. “Why do I suddenly feel like I’m sixteen again?” Braden asked.
“Get caught making out in Angie’s kitchen a lot as a teenager?” Beth tried to glare, but felt the corners of her lips pulling up against her will.
“Nah. Just once.” Braden grimaced. “Angie caught me. I found better places after that.”
“I’ve no doubt. What are you doing here? I didn’t think I’d be seeing you until tomorrow.” Beth dodged as Braden leaned in to kiss her again.
“I decided I couldn’t wait.” He ghosted a hand down her arm, the touch as familiar and intimate as his kiss. “Are you off soon?”
“Now, as a matter of fact. A little early, but Marianne