Page 17 of Gatling
An hour later, Noah’s Jeep careened up my driveway, spitting dirt and forest debris. As soon as he stepped onto the porch, I pulled the door open. He came striding inside without slowing down.
“Where is she?”
I gestured to the armchair where Kelsie was curled up, wearing one of my hoodies. I tried not to think how good it looked on her. She snuggled her nose into the collar as the fabric swamped her curves. She cradled a cup of warm tea in her hands. She’d scrubbed her makeup off, so she was fresh-faced and slightly pink.
“Fuck, Kels, you scared me half to death,” he said, crossing the room in a heartbeat.
“I told you six times on the phone that I’m fine—” Kelsie broke off with a grunt as Noah pulled her into a bone-crushing hug.
“Why didn’t you call me as soon as it happened?” he demanded. “Did you report it to the cops yet?”
Kelsie sighed, looking exhausting and overwhelmed.
“Because Ryker was just…there. He happened to be in the area. So I wasn’t alone. And yes, I already filed a report with the police."
Noah dipped his head at me with a nod of appreciation.
“I owe you one. Big time.”
I waved him off, saying nothing. If he knew what I was up to already, he wouldn’t be thanking me. He’d be kicking my ass instead.
Assigning our Prospect to tail Kelsie.
Running the license plate number of that truck.
Putting a video camera in her apartment.
Noah liked to follow the rules. Dotting his i’s and crossing his t’s. It worked in his favor—rising in the ranks of the military, going back to school to become a physical therapist who worked with veterans. He was a genuinely good guy.
But I wasn’t.
Playing by the book got me burned. There were too many loopholes, too many greased palms. Something about me and my sharp edges made people come after me with that damn rulebook, beating me over the head with it to push me out of the system.
So I left the rulebook to Noah.
And I lived in the morally gray area everywhere else. When some asshole slipped through the cracks, when the system failed to follow through, I was there in the dark. Waiting.
“It’s getting late,” Noah said to Kelsie. “I’m taking you to my house.”
I shook my head, leaning back against the kitchen table on the other side of the room.
“Not a good idea.”
“Why not?” he challenged.
I gestured between them.
“You’re brother and sister. It wouldn’t take a genius to figure out that if Kelsie doesn’t return to her apartment, she’s likely hiding with you.”
A muscle clenched in Noah’s jaw. He sighed with defeat, knowing I had a point.
“So, you’re saying she should stay here? It’s the middle of nowhere, Ryker. This stalker could waltz up to your front door and walk right in.”
I crossed my arms and arched an eyebrow with a look that said,give me more credit than that.
“I called my club. I’ve got two guys on watch. In five hours, they’re scheduled to swap shifts with two more brothers, so they stay fresh and sharp. This isn’t my first rodeo.”
Noah rose to his feet, rubbing Kelsie's shoulder. She fiddled with the handle of her mug, chewing her lower lip. God help the man who tried to get his hands on her after this. Two pissed off ex-soldiers would give him hell.
