Page 39 of Eagle

by

later

I wished that Lawrence and Ron didn’t work at the same place. I’d just set my phone down to go back into the bedroom when there was another knock at the door. I hadn’t heard a car pull into the drive. I pulled the curtain aside to see who was there. Eagle? Wow, my day just kept getting better and better, and I hadn’t even had my first full cup of coffee yet.

I opened the door against my better judgement, because he looked like he was on a serious mission. Sexy, but serious.

He didn’t waste time demanding, “Who was that?”

His eyes raked over me. Despite his harsh tone, I smiled. “Good morning to you, too, grumpy.”

He opened the screen door and came in without an invitation. I stepped out of his way because it was either that or get run over by him.

“You seem to have a habit of just coming in without an invite,” I accused in a light tone.

“Leo—” He turned to me, and I could see that he was annoyed. “I’ve seen that Jeep here before, and last night I saw it leaving an illegal dog fight.” His eyes roamed a second time, much more slowly, down my body to my bare feet and back up again. “You always answer your door dressed like that?”

His unexpected comment caught me totally by surprise. “I-I—” I was suddenly at a loss for words and glanced down at myself. Granted, my boy shorts and lacy camisole didn’t leave much to the imagination, but it covered the important bits.

“Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m alone here and I didn’t answer my door to anyone but you. And you’ve already seen everything anyway.” That last part came out sounding bitter. “You have nerve showing up here after what we did yesterday.” I turned and walked further into the room.

“We fucked, and don’t change the subject.”

His indifference rubbed me the wrong way and I wasn’t sure why. I’d had one-night stands before, but I didn’t mess around with men who was already involved with someone else. Our hooking up had partially been my fault because I’d forgotten what I’d heard regarding him and Jillian, and, if I were honest, once his mouth had claimed mine, it had been all about the need rushing through my blood.

“We fucked, no big deal, Eagle, except you’re into someone else. I don’t mess around with men when they’re involved with someone, and you certainly should have kept your dick in your pants.” As I walked toward the kitchen, I could feel his eyes on me. “I happen to like Jillian.”

“Jillian and I aren’t together. We discovered yesterday that we aren’t compatible, and that’s all I’m going to say on the subject. It’s none of your fucking business anyway.”

I wondered exactly how they had “discovered” this. Had he screwed her after he’d been with me? I remembered the kiss that I’d walked in on when I’d been looking for Eagle to tell him about the conversation that I’d overheard between Ron and Lawrence.

“Couldn’t tell it by that kiss. Would you like some coffee?”

“I want a fucking answer to my question,” he growled, following me into the kitchen. “Is your brother involved in dog fighting?”

I turned from pouring him a cup of coffee and set it down on the counter separating us. I didn’t point out that that was two questions he wanted answered now. I could tell Eagle wasn’t in the mood for any smart-ass responses. I met the accusatory glare in his eyes and was glad that the kitchen island was between us.

“The man who left here in the Jeep is Lawrence, someone Ron works with at Bath Iron Works. I believe he may be involved in dog fighting. I overheard a conversation between him and Ron the other day and was looking for you last night to tell you about it.”

“Before or after we fucked?”

My cheeks get hot as the images of that memory flood my thoughts.

“What was the conversation about?” He crossed his arms, his jaw clenched hard enough to reveal the tic there.

“Lawrence was pissed that Ron didn’t show up for a job they were supposed to do together, which caused him to be late. I heard him say something about the owner showing up while they were loading up the dogs. Ron was concerned that they might have hurt her —”

“Son of a bitch!” Eagle swung around and punched the wall, mumbling other things beneath his breath that I couldn’t understand.

God, they hadn’t hurt her, had they? Had Lawrence lied? Eagle was beyond pissed, and a pissed off Eagle was scary. “They didn’t hurt anyone did they?”

He pivoted sharply and faced me. “Are you involved in this?”

“God, no!” Even with the counter between us, I instinctively backed up into the sink. “And neither is Ron!” I felt compelled to add, praying that this was true after the talk I’d had with him, even if I didn’t know what he might have done before I’d moved in with him. “I told Lawrence to get out and to leave us alone.”

Eagle narrowed his gaze on me. “Just like that, huh?” He shook his head. “You’re so naïve, Leo. If your brother is hanging with a guy involved in dog fighting, I can fucking guarantee you he’s guilty of that shit, too.”

I shook my head with disbelief. “No-Eagle—” I didn’t want to believe that. “I can’t vouch for anything Ron did before I arrived here, but we talked after Lawrence left and he said he would stay away from him.” I had to trust that Ron would do the right thing.

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