Page 24 of Captured Pawn
“She is not a beautiful woman,” I complained.
Okay, that was a lie. Sophie’s head shot up from her prone position to pin me with an angry glare, until I lamely added, “She’s Matt’s sister,” as if that explained any better. Grasping at straws, I added, “The key word there issister. I wouldn’t let Natalie lounge naked in front of the entire estate, so I’m not about to let Sophie either.”
“I see,” Nathan retorted as he pushed to his feet. Only after he was standing toe-to-toe with me did he add, “That’s all you see her as then, a sister.” I didn’t like his pause. “Luckily, I don’t suffer from the same ailment.”
“I bet you don’t,” I gritted out aggressively, hoping he caught my warning.
Thankfully, for once, Sophie actually did as I asked her on the first try. Scrambling to her feet, she held the pile of clothes and shoes I’d brought against her chest.
Our eyes met briefly, and I was shocked to see relief there. So, my brother’s aggressive approach had scared her. Half of me wanted to pound my fist into his face at the realization, but the other half realized he might have done me a small favor. Until now, I’d been the bad guy in this scenario. If Sophie got a glimpse of Nathan’s darker nature, she might realize she was safer with me.
I didn’t like the helpless lost look in her eyes. My arms itched to reach out and yank her against me to protect her, but I instead barked an order to help her feel less lost. “Go to the pool house behind you. There’s a restroom where you can put some damn clothes on.”
“Okay,” she replied quietly, spinning to uncharacteristically follow directions, her cute ass wiggling perfectly as she scurried away.
Only after she was gone did Nathan reassert himself by stepping back into my personal space.
“Be careful, little brother.”
“I think you’re the one who needs to be careful. I know what you’re doing.”
“Oh?”
I didn’t like the smug smile on Nathan’s face. He was mocking me.
“Leave her alone. She’s off limits,” I asserted, stepping close enough that our chests brushed against each other.
That wiped the smile off his face, replacing it with a grim scowl.
“You’re getting distracted, and we can’t afford that right now,” he accused.
I didn’t even try to deny it. “My best friend and right-hand man was killed this week, so yeah, I guess I am a bit distracted.”
“I’m not talking about Matt, and you know it.” He paused long enough that I hoped he was done, but instead he puffed out his chest, making sure we crashed together as he warned, “I want her out of here within a week. Got it?”
That had always been my plan anyway, but I was damned if I was going to tell him that.
“She’ll be out of here when I deem it safe for her to go home, and not one minute before.”
Nathan finally backed off, turning toward the house as he got in his parting shot. “Then I guess you’d better make sure the next attempt at retrieving the critical items at the Bishops’ homestead is successful, or none of us will be safe.”
I watched him leisurely weave his way through the poolside furniture making his way back inside. I may have accomplished what I’d come outside to do, but my brother had gotten in another low blow in the process. I knew I was running out of time. I didn’t need him reminding me every five minutes. The growing pressure on my chest weighed plenty heavy to stay in front of my mind.
With a rush, I realized I hadn’t heard Sophie come back from putting on the swimsuit. I spun around to find she wasn’t in sight. Taking off at a jog, I headed to the pool house, worried the little minx had given me the slip yet again.
Sure enough, the open rec room at the entrance was empty. A quick glance through the small kitchen and dining area came up empty-handed too. I weaved past the billiard and ping-pong tables, around the foosball and tabletop Pac-man game, headed for the bathroom.
The wave of relief I felt at finding Sophie standing in front of the full-length mirror pissed me off. The fact that my cock sprang to life as I admired her womanly curves only made things worse. This would be a lot easier if she’d turned out to be the little waif of a girl I had remembered her as before our reunion at the cemetery.
“What the hell are you doing?” I demanded.
Her eyes, wide as saucers, met mine. I saw her confusion. “What? You told me to get dressed.”
I had.
“I guess I’m not used to you actually obeying me,” I groused.
Her smile should have made me even more angry.
