She wasn’t immune to him any more than he was immune to her.
Unsure what to do with that realization, he pulled his hand away and let her get up from the bed. For a brief moment, she hesitated and looked back at him, her eyes wide with equal parts confusion and uncertainty.
Then she clutched the ends of the towel tighter around her and grabbed her bag before heading to the bathroom.
“I get the distinct impression that we’re not going to like what we hear,” Braden murmured. “What could she possibly have done to make a man treat her like he has?”
“Sometimes a woman doesn’t have to do anything,” Ian said with a growl. “Maybe he just couldn’t take no for an answer. Whatever the case, we need to get her the hell out of the country.”
“So we can use her,” Braden said in a low, dissatisfied voice.
“Do you see another way?” Ian kept his voice as low as Braden’s. “Hell, Braden, I don’t like it either. She’s obviously had a shitty time, and God knows why Gabe left her alone, but do you really want to stay like this for the rest of your life? Half man, half wild animal with no control, no choice?”
He cupped his hand to the back of his head and rubbed up and down to the base of his neck in agitation.
“At least we’ll keep her safe. Hell, when was the last time you think she ate? Did you see how slim she is? She had, what, two hundred dollars on her? Yeah, we need her to draw out Esteban, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to throw her under the bus.”
Braden stared back at him, brief uncertainty flashing in his eyes before his lips drew together in a fine line. “No, I don’t want to be this way forever. But maybe…maybe we need to be realistic. There might not be a way to fix this, Ian.”
Chapter Thirteen
Katie took her time dressing as she pondered just how much to tell Ian and Braden. Of course how much she told them was solely dependent on what they told her. She still wasn’t convinced they weren’t full of shit.
Logic told her, not that she could be accused of being logical, that whoever they were, they weren’t involved with Ricardo. If so they would have hand-delivered her back into Ricardo’s hands when she’d escaped his house.
Instead they’d risked their lives to save her.
She frowned. No one did anything without reason, so what was theirs? What did they want with her? She didn’t buy that they were here simply because Gabe had sent them.
As much as she’d avoided the details surrounding Gabe’s death, she realized she needed to know. Somehow, as much it pained her, her wellbeing was inexorably tied to Ian and Braden.
With a quick frown, she shoved her still-damp hair behind her ears and smoothed her hands down her T-shirt. For good measure, she pulled on the zip-up hoodie and left it open in front. It gave her added warmth, and she didn’t feel quite as exposed.
She squared her shoulders, took a deep breath and opened the bathroom door. As she stepped out, she glanced over to the bed to see Braden still sprawled out, his long legs dangling off the end.
When he saw her, he rose up on one elbow and glanced at Ian who was standing by the window. Then he patted the space on the bed beside him.
She ignored the summons and took refuge in the only part of the room where she didn’t feel overwhelmed by their presence. She stopped a foot in front of the door, careful to keep it easily accessible.
“We’ll just go after you, Katie,” Ian said calmly.
She fidgeted nervously and refused to meet his gaze. Instead she focused on Braden. “Talk,” she said huskily. “Why did Gabe send you? What happened to him?”
“I’m not talking to you when you’re standing there looking the world like you’re going to run the minute we say something you don’t like,” Braden said. “We can sit down and discuss this without resorting to violence.”
She stood unmoving for several seconds before she grudgingly relented and walked over to the bed. She sat on the corner opposite Braden and still a decent distance from Ian. To her utter irritation, they closed in on her, flanking her on both sides.
“How often was Gabe in contact with you?” Ian asked.
She pressed her hands into her lap. “I asked you a question first.”
Braden grunted. “There are some not very nice people who are looking for you.”
“What was your first clue?” she asked snidely.
“These people make Ricardo de la Cruz look like a kindergartner,” Ian said
Fear fluttered in her chest and ran circles around her throat. “Why?” she croaked. “What people?”
Ian’s face darkened. “The people Gabe sold us out to.”
Katie shot to her feet.
“Ian, what the fuck?” Braden’s angry voice rose over the red haze circling Katie’s mind.
“She wanted the truth. She’s getting it.”
“You’re a liar,” she spat. “Gabe is intensely loyal. He wouldn’t betray his team.”
“For you he would,” Ian said calmly. “Sit down, Katie. You wanted to hear everything and I’m telling you.”
She stood there paralyzed by the utter conviction in Ian’s voice. For you he would. What did it mean?
She sank back onto the bed.
“Tell me,” she said hoarsely.
“Gabe sacrificed himself for us,” Braden said gently. “For Ian and I.”
She turned to stare at Braden. “But Ian just said he betrayed you.”
Braden grimaced. “He did. It’s complicated. There were threats…against you. Gabe was trying to protect you. In the end it didn’t matter because they were going after you anyway.”
“They used me to make Gabe betray you?” she asked in bewilderment. “How did they know anything about me?”
“We didn’t even know about you,” Ian said. “Why is that, Katie? Why were you such a big secret?”
A dark flush heated her cheeks. “Because of Ricardo,” she murmured.
“Ah yes, Ricardo. Why is he after you? Why does he want you so badly? Is it simply a case of obsession and unrequited love?”
Her temper flared, and like so many times in the past, she let her mouth get ahead of her brain.
“I think it has more to do with the fact that I killed his brother than me refusing his sexual advances, though neither won me any points with him.”
As soon as the words flew out she clamped her mouth shut in disgust. Bad judgment and rampant stupidity clung to her like stink on shit. After so long of playing it safe, of finally making smart decisions, of keeping horrible secrets and taking charge of her life, she’d risked it all by letting a man rattle her.
“You killed his brother?” Braden asked in disbelief. “Damn, Ian, I think I’m in love.”
She bolted off the bed and whirled around, rage choking her, closing off her airway like a giant fist had seized her neck. Tears of pure fury burned her eyes. “You think it’s a joke?”
The grin disappeared from his face about the time her fist connected with his mouth. His head snapped back, and he had to plant his hand into the mattress to keep from falling.
She was instantly on guard and yanked around to check Ian’s position. He held up his hands defensively.
“Don’t look at me. Have at it. The dumbass deserved it.”
She turned back to Braden to see him rubbing his jaw, a scowl darkening his face.
“So much for not resorting to violence,” he grumbled. “Don’t have much of a sense of humor, do you.”
“Braden, stop it,” Ian barked. “You’re upsetting her.”
Braden’s expression softened. “Sorry. I’ve never been accused of having tact.”
Katie backed away. She just wanted to be gone. She bumped into Ian, and his arms came around her to steady her. His cheek rested against her hair, and his breath blew lightly over her ear.