Page 12 of Sworn to Lead

“I’m Brynn. Jacob’s nurse.”

He didn’t miss how Brynn stepped closer to him. Her trust made him feel ten feet tall.

“I’d be happy to show you around the area sometime.” Branch smiled, dimples indenting both cheeks.

He was scowling at the exchange. He had no claim to Brynn, but something white-hot and ugly was bubbling in his gut. Jealousy was new for him, and he didn’t like it one bit, but damn if he didn’t want to give Branch a shove and tell him to keep his dirty hands to himself. When Branch didn’t immediately let go of her hand, he put his arm around Brynn’s shoulder like a fucking Neanderthal. What was with him?

Branch’s eyes twinkled with humor while Brynn’s clouded with confusion.

You and me both.

She gazed up at him. “Everything okay?”

Silver smirked but wisely kept his mouth shut. Joker wore a scowl on his face, probably working every angle on how Brynn was out to get him.

“Yeah.” He sucked in a breath, grounding himself. “All good. That old SOB over there is Silver. He’s the one who helped me locate Jacob. That guy with the pissy look on his face is Joker.” His team had seen his gesture of wrapping his arm around Brynn for what it was—he might have no claim to her at this moment, but he was sure as hell interested. Just because she was off-limits to him didn’t mean he wanted his friends vying for her attention. Silver introduced himself to Jacob, taking Branch’s lead and crouching down so they were at eye level.

“How long are you staying?” Joker took a few steps toward them and crossed his arms over his chest. His question was harmless enough, but he understood what Joker was really doing. Being an ass. Pushing the envelope.

Brynn glanced up at him, then back at Joker. “I go where Jacob goes. If he’s staying, you’ll be seeing a lot of me.”

Neo grinned at the stubborn tilt of her chin. Just like their first meeting when he barged into her apartment, her features steeled with determination, and fire danced in her eyes.

“Help me get the bags from luggage claim, yeah?” Joker stared at him for a moment, then nodded.

“Welcome home.” Joker nodded at Jacob, but passed right by Brynn as he followed Neo.

“We won’t miss you,” Branch called when they were a few feet away. “We’ll all relax and get to know each other.” He flashed those goddamn dimples at Brynn again.

“You and I are gonna have words,” he muttered under his breath and shook his head. When they were out of earshot, he whirled on Joker. So far, Silver was the only one who hadn’t annoyed the hell out of him in the last ten minutes. “What the fuck was that?”

“I’m looking out for you, brother. You don’t know this woman. I get that she was taking care of Jacob, that she’s a nurse. But goddamn, people aren’t always what they seem. What if she robs you blind and takes off when we’re on a mission? Leaves Jacob?”

“When she thought Jacob was in danger when I showed up unannounced, she shielded him. She was ready to stand in front of him and fight rather than let me get to him. Later, when she discovered I planned to bring him home, she was fucking gutted. Let’s not forget that she went months without pay, living off her savings to care for him. That tells me all I need to know about the kind of person she is.”

“She’s not just a person to you. I saw how you acted. You want to fu—”

“Careful,” he all but growled. When it came to women, Joker always thought the worst. He could only cut him so much slack for his screwed-up childhood. Disrespecting Brynn was crossing a hard line. “She’s gotten under my skin, yes, but I’m not going to jeopardize her relationship with Jacob. The kid loves her like a mother. Actually, she’s the only one he’s ever had. I will not tolerate you being an ass. She’s part of the team now, whether you like it or not.”

Silence hung in the air between them until Joker wordlessly turned and stalked toward the baggage claim. He raked his fingers through his cropped hair and prayed he’d be able to hold fast to his word.

Chapter Eight

There was no way she was going to be able to stay true to her promise of keeping Neo at arm’s length. Not if he continued to cast her heated stares and wrap his arm around her shoulders. The gesture had been a surprise, but not one that was unwelcome. Even after a day of travel, she could still detect the hint of soap on his skin. She had to consciously stop herself from breathing him in—or the urge to tuck into his side.

It wasn’t just his scent that made her want to be close to him. Perhaps it was his imposing size or his job description. Still, when she was walking close to Neo, it was like having an invisible shield separating them from the rest of the population. People gave Neo a wide berth. It had been a long time since she’d been through the rigors of air travel and her limbs were heavy with exhaustion. Add in meeting three strangers to that, and it was all a bit overwhelming.

Right now, she could hardly hear the men above the onslaught of sounds. Some loud and jarring. Coughs and loud conversations. Babies crying and the honk of a cart whizzing through the crowd. Others were more muted, contributing to the larger cacophony buzzing in her ears. Ruffling papers and the click of heels. Luggage wheels spinning along the tile and self-serve kiosks spitting out printed tickets.

So far, Branch and Silver had been welcoming to both her and Jacob. The man called Joker? Not so much. At least not to her. He was kind to Jacob, and really, that was what mattered most. Things would’ve been different if he hadn’t been, but there were shadows in the man’s eyes that she thought might contribute to his unease. Perhaps he just needed time to adjust.

“Don’t worry about Joker.” Silver looked up from where he was crouched next to Jacob. He had close-cut blond hair and a few days’ worth of stubble, a nose that had been broken a time or two, and sincerity in his eyes. “He’s forgetting that Neo is good at reading people. That he never would’ve brought you here if it weren’t for your connection to his brother. Give him time, but don’t let him be an ass.”

“I’m sure Neo’s putting him in his place as we speak.” Branch was sitting with his elbows resting on his knees. He might look harmless and carefree, but like the other men, he had a warrior’s build. One that she was sure could change from easygoing to battle-ready with the flip of a switch. She didn’t fear them, though—even Joker. People with nefarious intentions didn’t have to be big and imposing. Their minds were the worst weapon.

“I don’t want to cause some kind of rift. I can take care of myself.” She crossed her arms around her waist. Fracturing relationships was one of her specialties.

“He’ll get over it. Give him a few days. He’s got some shit to deal with that has nothing to do with you or Jacob, but that doesn’t make it right.” He glanced into the congested crowd toward the baggage claim. Like Neo, he seemed to constantly scan his surroundings, quietly assessing.

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