Page 93 of No Fear
“Skylar.” The bearded Bomar scuffed his boot against the ground and stared at his feet.
Interesting. Rachel looked between the two. Her friend wagged her eyebrows playfully but as she was going to ask what that look was all about, and why the hell Ford Bomar looked like he was blushing, a rough voice yelled from inside the apartment.
“Damnit Sky, get inside. You’re half-dressed and it’s freezing outside.”
“Coming.” Skylar chirped, taking Rachel’s hand and dragging her inside after her. “Come on in Ford. Make yourself at home.”
Colt’s eyes narrowed on his girlfriend at that, “Not too at home.”
“What?” Skylar asked innocently.
“Nothing.” Colt answered with an amused sigh, patting his knee so that Skylar rushed over and sat in his lap.
The two kissed and Rachel felt an answering pang in her chest. It was a feeling she’d had a lot since her friend had hooked up with the tattooed twin but for once, it wasn’t envy. It was loneliness. She wanted Remy here with her and she wished, not for the first time since she left his bed, that she’d never left it at all.
“Could you two take a breather for a minute or two so we can get through this?” An annoyed voice chimed in and Rachel wheeled to find Lincoln leaning against the counter in the kitchen.
Logically, she’d known he was here. He was the one she’d called. He’d sent Ford to come get her and he’d told Ford to bring her here. She’d known he was here but somehow, she’d forgotten. Looking at him now, she was certain not many people could ever say that about Lincoln Bomar.
Where his twin was rough, Lincoln was smooth. Clean-shaven with shortly trimmed hair, he was the complete opposite of Ford’s wild locks and beard. But they still looked alike. Beneath the surface differences they had the same build, tall and muscular, and those same sea-glass colored eyes. But where Ford’s had looked at her with soft understanding in the car earlier, Lincoln’s only looked at her with mild curiosity and barely restrained disdain.
“You’re the one that knocked on our door, Link. Not the other way around.” Colt kissed his girlfriend one more time before looking between them all, “You can tell us what this is all about now. You said we were waiting for someone. I had no idea you meant Rachel but now that she’s here I’ve got to ask… where’s my brother?”
Lincoln raised an eyebrow and then looked directly at Rachel. She frowned at him. Clearly Colt had meant the question for him but he wanted her to answer it. Fine. She’d have to find her voice with these men sooner or later.
“He’s at home. In bed. At least he was when I left.”
Skylar raised a skeptical eyebrow, “You left Remy sleeping to come here?”
“Yes.”
“Why?” Colt’s brows furrowed as he looked between all of them, “Lincoln told us that Craig is the traitor. He’s the one responsible for all the shit that’s been happening to the family. Does Remy not know?”
“He does.” Rachel swallowed hard and sighed, “He found out this morning.”
“But he’s not here to come up with a plan with us?”
“No. He uh… he didn’t want me to help Lincoln get to Craig.”
Colt cursed. Skylar hushed him. The two of them talked to each other quietly for a moment and Rachel twisted her hands together nervously. Ford was still standing awkwardly in the doorway with it wide open behind him. She thought that was strange considering the chill in the air but didn’t say anything because she couldn’t imagine him shutting the door and enclosing her in this stifling atmosphere. Lincoln leaned against the kitchen counter, completely unmoved by anything that was going on.
Finally he pushed to his full height and sighed, “Okay, you’ve had a second to deal with the fact that Remy doesn’t want the girl to be part of this. That’s his choice. Luckily for us, this choice is hers to make, not his.”
“Now, wait just a second…” Colt started and then gave Skylar a quelling look when she started to speak, “If Remy doesn’t want her to be part of this, maybe she shouldn’t be. I wouldn’t want Sky to…”
“We all know what you wouldn’t want Sky to do but she did it anyway and she got you out.” Lincoln cut him off with a snort, “She made her own decision and this one is Rachel’s to make.”
She sucked in a shaky breath, “It’s my choice to make and I’ve made it. I’m helping do this.”
“Rachel…” Skylar started but she shook her head and cut her off too.
“No. You can’t talk me out of this. If anyone could have it would’ve been Remy. I don’t want to hurt him. I don’t want to hurt any of you. I think… I think my family has done that to yours enough. So if I can help, if I can do this one thing and guarantee that nobody will get attacked like Colt was again, I have do it. Please, can you trust me that I can handle this? Please?”
She bit her lip as her best friend stared at her for another long minute. She always hated when Skylar did that. As if the other woman could see inside her head to all of the doubts and fears she’d never given voice to. Finally, the blonde nodded and Rachel let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
“I can do this.”
“I know you can.” A familiar voice came from the doorway and Rachel gasped and spun around.
