Page 38 of These Reckless Hearts

That’s a relief, anyway. Not that we can plan on that always being the case, but I’m glad we weren’t followed yesterday—which may turn out to be one of the most important trips I’ve ever taken up the mountain.

“So...can you help us?” I ask, lips threatening to tug into a smile. No matter how much I’ve told myself to not let anticipation build up, I’m useless to stop it. When something you’ve wanted all your life is within your reach, the sparking of hope is as inevitable as getting wet in a rainstorm.

“If it gets you one step closer and keeps you safe in the long run, I’ll do anything,” Cole promises.

“I’m safe,” I tell him, eyes moving directly to Wyatt, Stone, and Lucas. With the addition of Ninja and Dave, I’m more than protected. “Promise.”

Cole stills, gaze darkening. His hands turn to fists, and the shadow that shrouds his face pulls in tight. “Please don’t say that to me ever again.” Cole stands and stalks off toward the hallway.

We all watch him walk away. I blink at my guys, and they have matching looks of curiosity. Ninja and Dave avoid my stare. They glance away, focusing on the wall.

It dawns on me that something similar to this happened once before. I said almost the same thing to Cole and he lost his shit about it over the phone. “I’m going to talk to him,” I tell them, getting to my feet.

Lucas speaks up. “Wild Girl, are you sure?” He stares at the hallway as if he doesn’t think that’s the best idea right now.

“I’m sure,” I tell him. Cole looks scary as fuck, and I’m not saying he can’t be, but he checked on the jeweler for me while we were gone—and he’s done nothing but try to protect me since he came into my life. If that doesn’t truly reflect the kind of person he is, then I don’t know what will.

I find Cole in my room, sitting on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands. “Got sick of sitting outside?” I ask, my poor attempt at breaking the ice.

He startles, then glares at the empty space behind me. “I’m glad I pay my guards so well. They’re really on the ball,” he snarks.

“You really need guards for me?” A painful tug twists my gut. “I can leave.”

Cole shakes his head. “No, I’m just...fucking lost in a memory. That’s all. It’s not about you really.”

I sit on the edge of the bed. “You want to talk about it?”

“No, but if you’re anything like Charlie, I’m guessing you don’t give a fuck.”

I shrug. “Yeah, I guess I am.” It’s odd to hear him talk about my brother like that. I wonder if genetics really does tie people together? It’s not just that you’re brought up the same, but that DNA makes you share similar traits. It’s a fascinating idea if you ask me.

I wait in silence for a little while, but when it stretches out for as long as I can stand it, I say, “You freaked out on me once before when I said that word—the one I’m not supposed to say to you anymore. Do you want to tell me why?”

Cole blows out a breath, standing from the bed with his fists clenched and moving to the dresser where the box of my family’s things still sits. I haven’t opened it yet, and I wonder if he has. “You have a right to know, so I’ll tell you,” he hedges. His leader of the Dragons persona is back in full force. His skin is taut, jaw feathering from the tension building in his body. The darkness in the room seems to close in with the morphing of his mood.

A hollow drum of apprehension beats a rhythm in my heart as I wait for him to go on. “Promise....” he whispers. “It’s what Charlie said to me right before he got shot.”

He sighs while I hug my hands to myself. “It was a routine job passed down from the big boss. These guys we went to see owed money for some drugs that had passed hands or something,” Cole tells me, the tenor of his voice as if he’s speaking straight out of a daydream. “We were to go in there and rough them up a bit, make sure they knew the Dragons meant business. Usually, people hand over the money when we show up. We were like enforcers at the time. Some of the best, actually.

“Nothing seemed wrong until we got to the place and the people who owed the Dragons were not run-of-the-mill fucking miscreants on the street. They were packing their own heat, which we were never informed of ahead of time. They opened fire right away.” He turns and pulls his shirt up, showing off two puckered scars on his abdomen. “I got hit.” He lowers his shirt. “We were making our way the fuck out of there, calling for backup, and I looked at Charlie and knew he was in way worse shape than me. I told him not to fucking die on me, and he said...‘promise.’” He side-eyes me, and even though his vibe says scary as fuck, he pulls at my heartstrings. “It’s funny how one word can bring you right back to something you wish you could forget.”

“Yeah,” I choke out, moved by his story. I don’t know if it’s because I can see the pain it gives Cole or if I’m mourning the loss of a brother I never met. “I wish I could have known him.”

The corner of Cole’s lips pull up. “Well, look in the mirror and pretend to be a boy. There, you got Charlie.”

“Is that the real reason why you don’t want to fuck me?” I tease. “Because I look like your best friend?”

He pretends to gag. “That and I’m pretty sure the fucker would find a way to come back and kick my ass for it.” He flashes me a smile. “Plus, it seems like you have enough boyfriends.”

“Ha. Ha,” I remark right back to him. “Don’t knock the harem life until you try it.”

He rolls his eyes. “Jesus, one woman would be all I could handle.”

I tilt my head. “I mean finding a girl you share with more than one dude.”

“I’d shank their fucking asses.” When I laugh, he doesn’t laugh back. “I’m not kidding. I’d kill someone who so much as thought of touching what was mine. They wouldn’t be able to breathe another fucking day.” He smiles. “Not that I blame you for having your own. More power to you and all that shit, but I’m way too fucking possessive of my woman to share her.”

“You got a girl?” I’d be shocked to learn that. I don’t know why.

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